SayTrees

What SayTrees does

SayTrees Environmental Trust is an India-based non-profit environmental organization founded in 2007 in Bengaluru by Kapil Sharma and Deokant Payasi, and registered under the Indian Trusts Act 1882. It delivers nature-based climate solutions across five intervention areas: agroforestry, water conservation (lake restoration and rainwater harvesting), urban forestry using the Miyawaki method, clean energy and waste management (solar, biogas, cold storage), and corporate volunteering. The operating model blends on-ground implementation (drone surveys, de-siltation, bund construction, native-species planting, soil testing) with digital monitoring through an internal Water Dashboard built on GIS and satellite-imagery data.

The organization serves four customer segments: corporate enterprises seeking measurable CSR and ESG outcomes (400+ partners including Dell, Google, Microsoft, Amazon, Infosys, Unilever, Mercedes-Benz, GSK), individual donors and volunteers (25,000+ active), smallholder farmers (20,000+ empowered through agroforestry), and urban communities and municipal bodies. Go-to-market combines an enterprise field-sales motion for customized programs (CarbZero, BluGreen Smart, GreenHR), a community-led motion for individual donations and volunteering, and event-driven mobilization (notably the Green Bengaluru 2026 Guinness World Record attempt at 1.5 million saplings).

Cumulative impact cited includes 10M+ trees planted across 18 Indian states and 2 Union Territories, 200+ Miyawaki urban forests, 59+ restored lakes adding 5 billion litres of water-holding capacity, 50+ solar and 25+ biogas installations, and a reported 85%+ sapling survival rate. Revenue is generated through individual donations (tiered from ₹500 to ₹10,000+, eligible for 80G tax benefits) and customized multi-year corporate CSR contracts; no financial statements or revenue figures are disclosed.

Name

SayTrees

Legal name

SayTrees Environmental Trust

Website

https://saytrees.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2007

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

SayTrees Environmental Trust is a Bengaluru-based non-profit founded in 2007 that delivers tree-planting, Miyawaki urban forestry, lake restoration, agroforestry, and clean-energy programs to corporate CSR partners, individual donors, farmers, and urban communities across 18 Indian states.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Environmental Conservation Services

NAICS

Support Activities for Forestry (1153), Support Activities for Forestry (11531), Support Activities for Forestry (115310)

SIC

Forestry (800)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYAFAMACAE

Tree Planting & Establishment Services (Manual/Mechanized)

Agriculture & Food Production/Forestry & Logging/Reforestation, Afforestation & Tree Planting Services

SECONDARYBPAGAGAK

Water Resources & Watershed Protection

Business & Public Services/Nonprofit, NGO & Social Services/Environmental & Conservation Organizations

SECONDARYBPAGAGAI

Sustainable Agriculture & Food Systems

Business & Public Services/Nonprofit, NGO & Social Services/Environmental & Conservation Organizations

SECONDARYAFAMACAJ

Agroforestry & Shelterbelt/Windbreak Establishment

Agriculture & Food Production/Forestry & Logging/Reforestation, Afforestation & Tree Planting Services

SECONDARYIMAMAJAK

Ecosystem Services & Natural Capital Programs (Water, Biodiversity Credits, PES)

Industrials, Manufacturing & Construction/Paper & Forest Products/Forest Management, Reforestation & Carbon Forestry Services

Keywords

• Environmental conservation services
• Urban afforestation programs
• Lake restoration services
• Corporate sustainability partnerships
• Agroforestry development programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Bangalore

HQ country

India

HQ region

Asia

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: One-time and recurring donations from individuals supporting environmental initiatives. Donation tiers range from ₹500 to ₹10,000+. All donations eligible for tax benefits under Section 80G of Income Tax Act.
2. Corporate CSR Partnerships: Partnerships with corporations for CSR initiatives including employee volunteering programs, carbon offset programs (CarbZero), campus greening, and customized sustainability projects. 400+ corporate partners including Fortune 500 companies.
3. Plant a Tree Programs: Individuals and organizations can dedicate trees or forests to loved ones with certificates. Impact calculator shows ₹1,000 plants 4 trees.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

SayTrees Environmental Trust is a non-profit organization that delivers environmental conservation services including large-scale tree plantation (10M+ trees), urban forestry using the Miyawaki method (200+ urban forests), lake and water body restoration (59+ lakes), agroforestry support for farmers (20,000+ farmers), and clean energy/waste management programs. These services are delivered through individual donations, corporate CSR partnerships (400+ corporate partners), and volunteer engagement across 18 Indian states.

Product overview

SayTrees Environmental Trust offers environmental conservation programs organized as standalone offerings rather than a unified platform. The core portfolio includes five main intervention areas: Agroforestry (sustainable farming with trees), Water Conservation (lake restoration and rainwater harvesting), Urban Forestry (Miyawaki method forests), Clean Energy & Waste Management, and Corporate Volunteering. For corporate partners, three branded programs are offered: CarbZero (carbon neutrality through tree plantation), BluGreen Smart (water conservation and green initiatives), and GreenHR (employee engagement). An Impact Calculator enables donors to measure their contribution effects. An internal Water Dashboard tracks restoration projects with GIS and satellite data. These programs are delivered through partnerships with 400+ corporate organizations and engage 25,000+ volunteers across 18 Indian states.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Agroforestry
• Water Conservation (Lake Restoration)
• Urban Forestry (Miyawaki Method) Creates dense, biodiverse urban forests using the Miyawaki method to improve air quality, reduce urban heat island effects, and enhance quality of life for city dwellers. SayTrees has pioneered this method in India and created 200+ urban forests, delivering forests 30x denser, 10x faster, and 100x more biodiverse than conventional plantations.
• Clean Energy & Waste Management Promotes renewable energy solutions and sustainable waste management practices including solar installations, biogas units, and waste diversion to reduce carbon emissions and create a circular economy. Delivered 50+ solar installations, 25+ biogas units, and over 5,000 tons of waste diverted from landfills.
• Corporate Volunteering Engages corporate employees in environmental conservation activities including tree planting, lake cleanup, biodiversity surveys, and environmental education for team-building and sustainability culture.
• CarbZero Flagship carbon neutrality program helping companies offset their carbon footprint through strategic tree plantation and forest creation initiatives with customized assessment, planning, real-time monitoring, and carbon neutrality certification.
• BluGreen Smart Comprehensive program combining water conservation and green initiatives for corporate campuses including water body restoration, campus greening, waste management, and sustainability certification.
• GreenHR Employee engagement program focused on environmental volunteering, education, and team-building through nature-based activities including customized events, workshops, and impact tracking.
• Plant a Tree (Dedication & Donation Program) Allows individuals and organizations to dedicate trees or forests to loved ones with certificates, supported by an impact calculator (₹1,000 plants 4 trees) and eligible for Section 80G tax benefits.

Quantifiable outcome

• 85%+ tree survival rate through rigorous soil testing and native species selection
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers26 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

22 partnerships are on record, tiered core and major.

• Analog Devices India Pvt. Ltd.coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022Green Team India initiative achieved planting one tree for every ADI employee in India through SayTrees partnership.
• Dell TechnologiescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDell Technologies partnered with SayTrees through its Planet ERG to plant one million trees across India, achieving 85%+ survival rate. Partnership includes employee volunteering, workshops, and regular reporting.
• CGI Information Systems & Management Consultants Pvt LtdcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-standing partnership for positive climate initiatives. CGI values SayTrees' mastery of urban forestry and ability to scale beyond current capacity.
• AmazonmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCorporate partner for environmental initiatives and tree plantation drives.
• Google IndiamajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCorporate partner supporting environmental initiatives.
• Microsoft IndiamajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCorporate partner supporting environmental initiatives.
• InfosysmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCorporate partner supporting environmental initiatives.
• UnilevermajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCorporate partner for sustainability and environmental programs.
• Mercedes-Benz Research and Development India (MBRDI)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCorporate partner for environmental initiatives.
• Bengaluru Development Authority (BDA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGovernment partnership for Green Bengaluru 2026 - Karnataka's largest planting drive attempting Guinness World Record with 1.5 million saplings.
• GSKmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCorporate partner for environmental initiatives.
• Indus TowersmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCorporate partner for environmental initiatives.
• Levi'smajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCorporate partner for environmental initiatives.
• HCL FoundationmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCorporate partner for sustainability initiatives.
• McKinsey & CompanymajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCorporate partner for environmental initiatives.
• ZerodhamajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCorporate partner for environmental initiatives.
• Intel IndiamajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCorporate partner for environmental initiatives.
• LTIMindtreemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCorporate partner for environmental initiatives.
• IIT DelhicoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEducational partner for research collaboration on environmental conservation.
• IISc BangalorecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEducational partner for research collaboration on environmental conservation.
• IIT RoorkeecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEducational partner for research collaboration on environmental conservation.
• London School of EconomicscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEducational partner for research and environmental education.

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Trees for the Future: International NGO running the Forest Garden Approach with smallholder farmers for food security and land restoration. Directly comparable to SayTrees' agroforestry + farmer livelihood model and donor-funded program structure.
• Eden Reforestation Projects: Global reforestation NGO that plants trees at scale through community employment and donor-funded programs. Closely comparable to SayTrees on the high-volume, community-driven tree planting model and corporate partnership GTM.
• One Tree Planted: Non-profit focused on global reforestation funded by individual and corporate donors with a $1-per-tree model. Closely comparable to SayTrees on donation-based tree planting GTM, tiered giving, and corporate partnerships.
• ATREE (Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and the Environment): India-based environmental research and action organization working on conservation, restoration, and sustainable livelihoods. Comparable to SayTrees on the science-led, Indian conservation focus and education/research partnerships with IITs and IISc.
• Foundation for Ecological Security (FES): Indian non-profit working on landscape restoration, watershed management, and community-based conservation across rural India. Directly comparable to SayTrees on the rural forestry/land restoration side and the donor/CSR funding model.
• TIST (The International Small Group & Tree Planting Program): Program that organizes small groups of farmers in developing countries to plant and manage trees for carbon sequestration. Highly comparable to SayTrees' smallholder-farmer agroforestry model and carbon-credit-linked forestry approach.
• Sankalpa Rural Development Society: Indian NGO focused on environment, watershed, and rural livelihood programs with corporate CSR support. Comparable to SayTrees as a Bengaluru-rooted, CSR-funded environmental organization operating in Karnataka and neighboring states.

Others

• 1t.org (World Economic Forum): WEF initiative to conserve, restore, and grow one trillion trees, with which SayTrees is already recognized as a Top Innovation. Comparable as an ecosystem platform convening corporates and tree-planting NGOs - a potential partner/channeller rather than direct competitor.

Broad incumbents

• WWF India: Major global conservation organization with India operations focused on species, habitat, and forest conservation. Comparable as a higher-profile incumbent that competes for corporate CSR funds and government conservation partnerships in India.
• TERI (The Energy and Resources Institute): Large, well-established Indian research institute working on energy, environment, and sustainable development with extensive corporate and government partnerships. Comparable as a much larger, more diversified incumbent competing for the same Indian CSR and policy influence.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/SayTrees
• Instagraminstagram.com/saytrees_ind
• Xx.com/saytrees_ind
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/saytrees

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about SayTrees