They started companies with Rs 1-5 lakh!

Go Green is the latest mantra. Today, we bring you the exciting start-ups under Rs 5 lakh, who have turned to green technologies and unique ideas to emerge successful. Check out how these young companies are making a mark in the start-up world.

Part 1: 5 big business opportunities for budding entrepreneurs

Part 11: Success mantras of 5 start-ups

Part III: These 5 start-ups are making waves

Watch this space for more on the hottest start-ups...

1. Green Evangelist

Entrepreneurs: Latha Sankarnarayan, Sejal Sheth

Seed capital: Rs 3 lakh (self)

Business: Launched in March 2009, it helps clients find business solutions for community development and environment.

How it makes money: Fee based projects

Required skills: Convincing corporates that it's easy to be good and the resilience required to change notions.

The WOW factor: Fees are linked to the extent of engagement with the clinet and number of resources deployed.

How it is marketed: One-to-one marketing among select companies, associating with industry bodies and client referrals.

Performance: Currently, has 5 clients and has broken even.

2. Greenobin

Entrepreneurs: Nitin Goel

Business: Launched in August 2009, this is a paper waste management consultancy which provides end-to-end solutions.

How it makes money: Selling collected waste paper, membership fees, sale of segregation bins, advertisements on bins.

Required skills: Knowledge of the paper recycling industry, background in environmental sciences is helpful.

The WOW factor: Working on the problems of paper waste, trying to recover paper which goes to land fills.

How it is marketed: Mainly focused on web marketing followed by print and television.

Performance: Working with 8 clients with varying requirements.

3. Greenway Ecodevelopment

Entrepreneurs: Ankit Mathur, Neha Juneja, Brig (retd) Chaitanya Prakash.

Seed capital: Rs 5 lakh (self)

Business: Launched in February 2009, it develops (own or for clients) projects in the areas of carbon abatement and clean energy generation for industries and communities.

How it makes money: Carbon revenues from investments in projects, consulting fees.

Required skills: Analytical, engineering skills, ability to structure projects in industrial and social contexts, carbon finance.

The WOW factor: Promise to deliver 'investment ready' projects that consider technology, financing, carbon and regulatory aspects.

How it is marketed: Interacting directly with industrial clients or engaging with local NGOs/SHGs for rural projects.

Performance: Has undertaken 14 projects and currently has 10 clients.

4. Hungry Hogs

Entrepreneurs: Nag Manohar, Darshan R, Rahul Cherian

Seed capital: Rs 3 lakh (family)

Business: Launched in October 2009, it sells hotdogs with special ingredients and an Indian twist.

How it makes money: Home delivery and catering

Required skills: No particular skills required, passion for food is helpful.

The WOW factor: Unique ingredients, Indian flavours delivered to customers.

How it is marketed: Word of mouth, Social media networking on Facebook and Twitter.

Performance: Has done catering events in 8 colleges.

5. Luit Infotech

Entrepreneurs: Boijayanta Kumar Bezbarua, Radha Sharma

Seed capital: Rs 1 lakh (self)

Business: Launched on January 6, it is a web-based software product company. Products include business application software and online document management systems.

How it makes money: Through sales of products developed - currently, 'LuitDox enterprise' and 'Luitpaperz'- and also web design, hosting and maintenance.

Required skills: Knowledge of applications alike PHP (programming language), mySQL (database) and Apache (web server).

The WOW factor: Designed products for higher return on investment and faster payback with ease of use and price in mind.

How it is marketed: Web and phone marketing

Performance: Has executed 84 web based projects till date.