She’s 25 and Tackling India’s Food Waste With a Smarter Cooling System

Every day, huge quantities of food produced in India risk being lost before reaching consumers. One major reason is the lack of reliable cold-chain infrastructure—the systems that keep perishable goods such as fruits, vegetables, dairy and frozen foods at the right temperature during transportation.Refrigerated trucks are crucial, but conventional cooling systems come with a catch: they typically draw power from the truck’s diesel engine. That means even when a truck is stuck in traffic or parked, its engine may need to keep running to keep the cargo cold—burning fuel and adding to emissions.That is the problem 25-year-old engineer Shaivee Malik decided to tackle.From Racing Cars to Refrigerated TrucksA biotechnology graduate from IIT Delhi, Malik’s journey into climate technology began on the racetrack.During her college years, she was part of Axlr8r, IIT Delhi’s Formula Student racing team, eventually becoming associate team captain. There, she learned to design and build machines alongside Vivek Mahindrakar and Dharmik Bapodara. The trio would later become co-founders.United by their interest in climate change, they began searching for a problem where engineering could deliver a tangible impact. Their answer came from India’s cold-chain sector. In 2022, they founded Yotuh Energy.Cooling Without Keeping the Engine RunningThe startup developed a lithium-ion battery-powered refrigeration system designed specifically for trucks.Unlike conventional refrigeration units that rely on the vehicle engine, Yotuh’s system operates independently. It can continue cooling while the truck is stationary, when the engine is switched off and even if the vehicle breaks down.Smart sensors add another layer of efficiency. When truck doors open, the system detects the change and adjusts cooling accordingly. A single charge can power the refrigeration system for around six to eight hours. The company says its technology can reduce refrigeration costs by approximately 75% and prevent between three and 36 tonnes of CO₂ emissions per unit annually, depending on usage.From IIT Incubation to Real-World ImpactInitially supported by Malik’s family and government grants, Yotuh Energy later raised around ₹1.53 crore, alongside additional government funding. The Chennai-based company now counts distributors associated with Amul ice cream and McCain frozen foods among its customers.For Malik, however, the ambition goes beyond simply building a better truck. She describes Yotuh Energy as a cooling solutions company, reflecting a larger vision: making refrigeration cleaner, smarter and more accessible across India’s food supply chain.And with a young engineer at the wheel, the journey from a college racing track to a greener cold chain is only gathering speed.