Transforming Waste into Wealth: How VCF-SC Enabled a Scheduled Caste Woman Entrepreneur to Build a Sustainable Rubber Recycling Enterprise

The Venture Capital Fund for Scheduled Castes (VCF‑SC) provided ₹5 crore in 2023 to Swarnakaruna Princeton Rubber Industries Private Limited, a rubber‑recycling venture founded by first‑generation SC entrepreneur Mrs Swarnalatha Nethipudi in Visakhapatnam. The firm operates an automated plant that recycles waste tyres into crumb‑rubber powder (10–40 mesh) with a capacity of about 6,000 metric tonnes per year. It has created 15 direct jobs (5 SC, 10 non‑SC), generated assets worth ₹8 crore, a net worth of ₹2.09 crore, revenue of ₹4.36 crore and profits of ₹4.60 crore, and secured additional funding from SIDBI. The project exemplifies circular‑economy practice and inclusive entrepreneurship under the Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment.