Sidhant Pai

organization overview

Protoprint is a social enterprise based in India that empowers urban waste pickers with the technology to convert waste plastic into 3D printer filament. The organization markets the filament globally as a price competitive, fair trade alternative to virgin filament while simultaneously using it locally to provide affordable 3D printing services to students and professionals in India. Waste pickers sift through unsegregated garbage dumps, separating plastic from organic waste. Protoprint partners with waste picker co-operatives to convert the HDPE plastic they collect into 3D printer filament, enabling them to earn over fifteen times more for the same amount of plastic.

Personal Bio

Dr. Sidhant Pai is the Chief Science Officer at StepChange, an impact-driven start-up he co-founded in 2022 that is focused on deploying science-based tools for climate and environmental decision-making in the global south. He received the EG fellowship in 2014 to support his work on Protoprint, a social enterprise that empowers waste pickers in India with accessible avenues for upward mobility using inclusive technology solutions. He is also the co-founder of Social Seva, an Indian non-profit that fosters targeted technology interventions that can drive social and environmental impact in and around Indian cities.

Sidhant holds a PhD in Atmospheric Modeling from MIT, along with a bachelors degree from the same institute. His doctoral research focused on advancing the fundamental science behind air pollution and climate interactions. He also served as a postdoctoral research fellow at the Columbia Climate School, where he focused on optimizing air quality monitoring networks for Indian cities. His professional interests are in designing and developing science-based tools for climate risk management, air quality management and value-chain decarbonization in the global south.