Across the world, the construction industry is a major source of carbon emissions. This is because procuring cement—one of the core components of traditional concrete—is a highly carbon-intensive process. Thus, as part of global efforts to combat climate change, there is a need to find sustainable alternatives for cement.

Achieving such a transition will be complex. Some companies have already developed slag-based materials for incorporation in concrete, but the supply chain for these is inconsistent. Moreover, cement has been used for decades and established itself as a benchmark material in terms of strength and durability.

What if there was an alternative that was not as good as, but better than cement? SatiQ Concrete Manufacturer, based in Chennai, has developed a material that fits this description. Founded in 2024 by Smrati Jain and Shantanu Bhattacherjee, this startup not only reduces carbon emissions in concrete production but also incorporates waste from other industries.

What is SatiQ’s material?

SatiQ’s cement alternative is a mixture of waste products from economic sectors as diverse as mining, agriculture, and municipal works. It consists of compounds of silica, aluminum, calcium, and other earth metals, all bound together by a larger-volume waste matrix such as fly ash or clay. Since it is technically based on recycling, the production of this material results in much smaller carbon emissions than traditional cement. The process can be applied in either regular thermal construction or newer methods such as 3D printing, precasting, and factory manufacturing. 

The startup uses the material to build complex concrete products for both ground-floor and G+1 structures. SatiQ offers it in three varieties—an affordable variety that is cheaper than cement but can only replace up to 40% of it in concrete; a sub-premium category that is 10–15% costlier than cement and can replace more of it; and a niche category that is 2x as expensive and is applicable in high-strength/low-density structures.

Readiness for deployment

SatiQ’s material is currently in the paid piloting stage, with the startup working closely with repeat customers from Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Maharashtra, and Gujarat. It is also collaborating with Sobha Constructions on sites in the United Arab Emirates. In total, it has completed over 14 projects.

According to the founders, SatiQ envisions a binary business model. In the B2B component, it will supply ready-mix concrete manufacturers. In the B2B2C component, it will directly sell finished products such as lightweight panels, precast pods, and pavers made from its material.

Technical advantages of material

The material has considerable advantages over cement in terms of time and resources. While curing cement can take up to 28 days, SatiQ’s alternative can be cured in 3–5 days. This additionally implies lower costs for labor, water savings of ~33%, and a reduction in cement usage depending on the variety of the material used. 

At the same time, the material offers better performance than traditional cement in terms of metrics such as water permeability. 

Funding support

Since both of the founders are alumni of IIT Madras, SatiQ was incubated at the university’s research park. Its main factory is located in Ambattur in Chennai. 

After March 2025, the startup started to receive external funding. Two major sources of funding were HDFC Bank Parivartan and, through the PDEU Innovation and Incubation Centre, Nidhi Prayas. Social Alpha also emerged as a partner from 2026 onwards.

Scaling further

While SatiQ appreciates the funding schemes in place for startups, including in the construction industry, its work highlights the potential for more linkages between manufacturing and waste recycling. 

By tightening the current rules and regulations around the treatment and disposal of waste, state governments could pressure more businesses to ensure minimal environmental pollution. On the other hand, they could offer economic benefits for repurposing industrial waste products as construction materials. This would ease the transition to sustainability in both sectors, boosting a greener and more developed India.