Low-Carbon Materials Innovation - Consulting Internship in Chennai

You will be part of a consulting engagement supporting a leading venture capital investor focused on high-growth, high-impact climate-tech startups. The project centres on mapping the most promising innovations within the advanced materials ecosystem, with a strong emphasis on biomaterials, biochemicals, and low-carbon manufacturing pathways. As part of the team, you will gain hands-on exposure to cutting-edge developments across materials science, biotech-driven materials, sustainable feedstocks, and next-generation circular solutions. You will work closely with consultants, researchers, and the client’s investment team to analyse emerging technologies, evaluate startup landscapes, and identify high-potential innovation pathways.

Selected Intern's Day-to-day Responsibilities Include

• Work with senior consulting members to map, assess, and prioritise technology innovations in biomaterials, biochemicals, bio-based intermediates, circular materials, and other low-carbon material solutions.
• Assist in identifying promising early-stage and growth-stage startups globally across categories such as bio-based polymers, green solvents, bioplastics, fermentation-based chemicals, engineered materials, and waste-to-materials platforms.
• Conduct structured primary and secondary research on scientific pathways, conversion processes, feedstock requirements, economic viability, and scalability challenges.
• Help analyse market trends, technology maturity, startup traction, competitive landscapes, and investment activity to establish which categories present the strongest opportunities.
• Participate in discussions with researchers, founders, and subject-matter experts to gather insights and validate assumptions.
• Synthesize findings into frameworks, opportunity maps, and prioritization matrices for venture capital investment.
• Support the preparation of investor-grade reports, innovation briefs, and presentations for the client.
  
  

About Company: Energy Alternatives India (EAI) is India's leading research and consulting firm for the renewable energy and clean technology industries. Based out of Chennai and founded by IIT & IIM professionals, we were the first boutique management consulting firm for this sector (established in 2008) and one of the few firms that has worked in almost every climate tech domain - solar & wind power, biofuels, electric vehicles, energy storage, green chemicals, waste management, green hydrogen and more. In addition to climate tech consulting, EAI and IIT Madras also organize India's largest climate startup summit (CLIMAFIX Summit) and run a pioneering global climate education platform (Clidemy). Some of our prominent consulting clients include the World Bank, Reliance, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, GE, Toyota, GSK, Pepsi, Bosch, Yokogawa, Technip, Vedanta Group, and more. We also work with many state governments and city administrations across India.