STEPWELL BRANDS & BEVERAGES PRIVATE LIMITED

In their own words

Stepwell Brands & Beverages Pvt. Ltd. is an innovation-led consumer goods and media startup operating through its brand NEERA Cans, which reimagines packaged drinking water by combining sustainable packaging with high-attention physical media. The company trades in and supplies packaged drinking water in aluminium cans, replacing conventional single-use plastic bottles. Aluminium offers near-infinite recyclability with significantly higher real-world recovery rates compared to PET, thereby addressing a critical environmental challenge in the packaged beverage industry. Beyond packaging innovation, the startup introduces a new business model where the aluminium can functions as “in-hand media” - a high-engagement communication surface that consumers naturally interact with during consumption. Unlike traditional digital advertising, which suffers from ad blindness and low attention retention, NEERA Cans provides contextual, non-interruptive, and repeated exposure in hospitality, event, and premium consumption settings. The startup operates through two scalable models: 1. Host-Branded Model, where hotels, cafés, events, and venues use NEERA cans exclusively to tell their own brand story, enhancing guest experience and sustainability perception. 2. Ad-Infused Model, where third-party brand partnerships subsidize the cost of sustainable packaging, improving affordability while maintaining premium positioning. This model aligns environmental responsibility with commercial viability, enabling sustainable packaging adoption at scale without increasing cost burden on end users. Stepwell’s innovation lies in: • Transforming a mandatory consumption product (water) into a value-generating media asset • Improving sustainability outcomes through material innovation • Creating a repeatable, scalable system applicable across hospitality, events, corporate, and public venues

Written by the company on its public Startup India profile. Not verified by us.