Sachin Tendulkar Backs Hyderabad Waste-Tech Startup Recykal
Sachin Tendulkar has joined Recykal’s cap table, investing in the Hyderabad waste-tech firm during its $23 Mn bridge round extension. Here’s the deal.
By Avinash Mishra, Business Correspondent
2 min read
Quick Take
- Sachin Tendulkar has joined Recykal’s cap table, backing the Hyderabad waste-tech firm during the extension of its $23 Mn bridge round.
- Recykal’s FY26 gross revenue rose 53.2% to Rs 1,498 Cr, from Rs 978 Cr in FY25. Its loss edged up to Rs 60 Cr.
- Recykal has raised over $60 Mn so far and works with 650 enterprise brands, including Hindustan Unilever, Samsung and BMW.
Cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar has joined the cap table of Recykal, a Hyderabad-based waste-management startup, the company said on November 14.
Recykal’s statement said Tendulkar came in during the extension of its $23 Mn bridge round, which closed earlier this year. The size of his stake was not disclosed.
In FY26, Recykal’s gross revenue rose 53.2% to Rs 1,498 Cr, from Rs 978 Cr a year earlier. The loss edged up to Rs 60 Cr, from Rs 56 Cr. Revenue jumped, but the startup is not yet profitable.
Inside Sachin Tendulkar’s Recykal Investment
Recykal raised the $23 Mn bridge round in June 2026. That round had $17.6 Mn in fresh equity and a $5.4 Mn secondary part. Tendulkar’s money came in the later extension of the same round.
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The startup has now raised more than $60 Mn since it began in 2016. Five founders set it up: Abhay Deshpande, Abhishek Deshpande, Ekta Narain, Vikram Prabakar and Anirudha Jalan.
Recykal runs an online marketplace where businesses buy and sell recyclable materials. It also sells software that helps brands track plastic and e-waste recycling to meet the rules.
Tendulkar explained his reason simply.
“What drew me to Recykal was seeing how technology was being used to solve an everyday problem.”
Sachin Tendulkar, investor. From Recykal’s statement, November 14, 2026.
Recykal’s Scale And Its Backers
Recykal claims a network of more than 5,000 waste aggregators and recyclers. It says it serves 650 enterprise brands, among them Hindustan Unilever, Samsung and BMW. Its backers include Morgan Stanley, 360 ONE, Circulate Capital and the Murugappa Group.
The firm recently launched a deposit return system, a reverse vending setup for used packaging. Shoppers pay a small deposit at purchase. They get it back when they return the empty container to a collection point.
Tendulkar has been busy backing startups. Two weeks ago, he backed Metasports Interactive, the maker of mobile cricket game Hitwicket. He has also put money into Spinny, listed fintech Kissht, and activewear brand Ten X You.
What this means for you
If you run a cleantech or circular-economy startup, a well-known name on the cap table is becoming a real funding route in India. Watch Recykal’s next raise for a priced round; its Rs 1,498 Cr revenue base will set the valuation talk.
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