From Indore to BSE EKI's journey began in 2008 as a start-up initiative in Indore and it is now present in 17 countries around the world.
By Punita Sabharwal •
You're reading Entrepreneur India, an international franchise of Entrepreneur Media.
Manish Dabkara had always harbored an intense passion for climate change and the energy industry, and his educational background is a testament to this profound interest. Upon completing his undergraduate studies in Electrical Engineering, he dedicated himself to pursuing a Master's degree in Energy & Environment Management.
Furthermore, he sought to enhance his expertise through certifications from esteemed institutions such as IIM Ahmadabad, IIM Indore, CII, GIZ, and BEE. Prior to establishing his own consultancy firm, Dabkara gained invaluable experience working with SGS, an energy auditing firm, as well as a German Government-owned company, albeit for a brief period. During his tenure in these roles, he recognized a notable scarcity of efficient and cost-effective service providers within the climate industry. Thus, it marked the inception of his entrepreneurial journey with the establishment of EKI Energy, more commonly known as EnKing International, in 2008. Presently, EKI has risen to prominence as a leading developer and supplier of carbon credits worldwide.
Sharing the major milestone in the journey of EKI, Manish Dabkara, MD & Chairman, EKI Energy, says, "We got listed on the Bombay Stock Exchange in April 2021, making us the only publicly listed company in the global carbon markets. Today, EKI offers an exhaustive bouquet of climate change & sustainable services to 3500+ clients across 40+ countries and has supplied 200 million+ offsets as of date."
EKI has a JV with Shell Overseas Investments BV to develop NbS projects in India. They have a subsidiary, GHG Reductions Technologies, established for strengthening the backward integration of the carbon credit supply chain and end-to-end management of the clean cooking initiative starting from manufacturing to the deployment of the improved cookstoves. It has manufactured nearly 2 Mn cookstoves since its establishment in early 2022 and increased its production capacity from 1 Mn to 5 Mn cookstoves per year, achieving the largest annual production capacity in the biomass category.
"We are also 1st ever company to list a plastic project from India with VERRA and launched a 125 million USD climate impact fund in partnership with ICAM Singapore," adds Dabkara.
EKI's journey began in 2008 as a start-up initiative in Indore and it is now present in 17 countries around the world. Delving on the challenges he faced, Dabkara states, "Being from a small town presents many challenges for business growth especially when the industry you are working in is in its initial stage of development. While it is not inherently detrimental to growth, there are some unique considerations that any business or entrepreneur in a small town may face. This includes limited market size, limited access to resources, challenges in expanding brand reach, and limited networking opportunities, among many others. The journey of building and growing a business often requires perseverance, resilience, and a strong sense of purpose."
FACTSHEET:
>> Year of inception of the company - 2011
>> Turnover for FY 2021-22- 1801 crore
>> No. of employees – 250+
>> Head office location – Indore, Madhya Pradesh
