Seeking an economically viable alternative, IIT graduates Arpit Dhupar and Anand Bodh founded deep-tech material startup Dharaksha in 2019. The company developed a proprietary biotechnology process that converts paddy straw stubble into biodegradable packaging material. Their eventual solution involved using mushrooms to break down the stubble and create a material with the structural properties required for protective packaging. The mycelium then grows through the material, creating an interlocked structure that holds the stubble together and gives the packaging strength without requiring resin. By developing a way to convert paddy straw into packaging, Dharaksha is attempting to create value from material that has traditionally been treated as waste.