Takavator 1000

Takachar is a Boston-based company and an MIT spinoff founded in 2018 by Vidyut Mohan and Kevin Kung. The company specializes in developing portable, small-scale torrefaction reactors that convert agricultural and forest waste into valuable bioproducts, including biochar, biocoal, biofuels, and fertilizers. These products provide sustainable alternatives to fossil fuels and chemical fertilizers, while also creating new revenue streams for farmers and rural communities. The core innovation of Takachar is its portable device, which can be attached to tractors, pick-up trucks, or ox carts for on-site processing of crop residues and forest waste. This technology uses a thermochemical process called oxygen-lean torrefaction, significantly reducing emissions compared to traditional burning methods. Takachar primarily targets rural agricultural communities in India, addressing issues like air pollution from stubble burning and promoting a distributed bioproduct economy that empowers farmers to produce sustainable materials locally. The company has received recognition for its impact, including the 2021 Earthshot Prize for its pollution-reducing innovation.