Anushree Sreedhar spent her early childhood in the island nation of Seychelles, surrounded by oceans, forests, and biodiversity. Though she recalls only fragments of those early years, the emotional imprint remains strong—a deep, almost instinctive connection to the natural world.
Her family later moved to New York City and then to Edison, New Jersey, where multicultural neighborhoods and suburban experimentation nurtured her imagination. Raised in a household deeply connected to Kerala’s lush landscapes and Ayurvedic traditions, Anushree absorbed a reverence for healing ecosystems—both human and environmental.
Her grandfather, a chemical engineer who dyed Indian flags during India’s independence movement, modeled what it meant to blend science with civic purpose. Engineering was not just about equations; it was about responsibility. That philosophy would become central to Anushree Sreedhar’s life.
As a child, she launched a podcast and co-created a blog called NatureTalkKids, where she experimented with natural resources to create functional products—like homemade chalk derived from natural materials. These projects were small in scale but enormous in significance. They were her first lessons in innovation: observe, imagine, build, test, refine.
Anushree Sreedhar: From Chemical Engineering to Civic Innovation
Anushree Sreedhar pursued Chemical Engineering at The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art, graduating in 2018. At Cooper Union, she did more than complete coursework—she co-founded TEDxCooperUnion, creating a platform where ideas, science, and art converged.
Engineering for Anushree was never about rote memorization. Chemistry, she often reflects, is an exercise in possibility. You identify the desired outcome and explore multiple pathways to achieve it. That mindset—creative problem-solving grounded in technical rigor—became her signature approach.
Her early recognition came when she became a finalist in the Lemelson-MIT “Use It!” Competition in 2016 for a patented fire extinguishing device. She was also a finalist in the Collegiate Innovators Competition at the USPTO. These accolades affirmed something she already believed: innovation should be practical, scalable, and socially relevant.
Anushree Sreedhar and the Future of Urban Infrastructure
Today, Anushree Sreedhar stands at the forefront of urban innovation. As Director of Innovation Programs at the Partnership for New York City, she works directly with the New York City Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), the agency responsible for managing the largest municipal wastewater infrastructure system in the United States.
Water may seem invisible in daily life, but it is foundational to everything—public health, climate resilience, food systems, healthcare, data centers, and energy grids. Anushree Sreedhar understands that behind every faucet and sewer line lies a complex ecosystem of regulation, engineering, and public trust.
Through the Environmental Tech Lab, she recruits and pilots cutting-edge startups offering solutions such as:
-
AI-powered sewer inspection systems
-
Hydropower technologies that return energy to the grid
-
Advanced water quality monitoring tools
-
Emissions-reducing environmental compliance systems
These pilot programs are uniquely structured. City agencies test technologies at no cost, minimizing risk while maximizing exposure to innovation. Early-stage companies gain rare access to large-scale public infrastructure. The result is a symbiotic model that accelerates progress without compromising accountability.
Anushree Sreedhar’s work is especially significant in an era marked by water crises in places like Flint and Parkersburg, where regulatory failures exposed communities to harmful contaminants. For her, environmental technology is not abstract—it is a matter of public health, equity, and prevention.
Anushree Sreedhar: Navigating Regulation Without Slowing Innovation
Innovation in government is rarely fast. Regulations exist for good reason—public safety, transparency, environmental standards. But they can also create friction for emerging technologies.
Anushree Sreedhar has developed a rare skill: translating between worlds. She speaks the language of startup founders and city commissioners. She understands both venture timelines and procurement procedures.
Her strategy is pragmatic and visionary:
-
Identify operational pain points within agencies.
-
Match them with startups solving those specific problems.
-
Structure pilots that reduce risk while generating measurable data.
-
Use evidence to justify long-term adoption.
By focusing on operational needs rather than hype, she ensures that innovation is not performative but transformative.
Technology for Social Good
Before leading innovation programs, Anushree Sreedhar built a diverse technical portfolio. She developed machine learning models for City Harvest, strengthening food rescue operations. She managed tech teams at vertical farming companies like Bowery Farming, pushing the boundaries of sustainable agriculture. She refined her analytics and product management skills at companies including Yext.
Her work consistently targets industries often overlooked by Silicon Valley glamour—wastewater, agriculture, public infrastructure. These are not flashy sectors, but they are foundational.
As a Venture Partner at NextGen Venture Partners, Anushree Sreedhar continues to identify and support emerging startups, ensuring that promising founders receive not just funding, but strategic guidance.
Climate Leadership and Global Responsibility
In 2024, Anushree Sreedhar began serving as an AI and Climate Application Reviewer for the Bezos Earth Fund. This role allows her to evaluate cutting-edge climate technologies at a global level.
Her perspective is grounded in both engineering and lived experience. She understands that climate change is not merely atmospheric—it is deeply personal, affecting water access, urban heat, food systems, and marginalized communities.
Her work reinforces a central belief: environmental justice and technological advancement must move together.
Amplifying South Asian Voices Through Writing
Anushree Sreedhar is also a prominent Book Editor and Culture Writer for Brown Girl Magazine. Through essays, book reviews, and cultural commentary, she amplifies South Asian narratives that often go unheard.
She has written extensively about the South Asian American experience, including thoughtful reflections on the SAADA anthology “Our Stories.” For Anushree, storytelling is another form of infrastructure—one that shapes identity, belonging, and collective memory.
Her writing bridges generations, connecting immigrant stories with contemporary cultural evolution.
Leadership in Community and STEM
Throughout her journey, Anushree Sreedhar has maintained deep ties to community leadership. She held leadership positions in the Society of Asian Scientists and Engineers (SASE), mentoring young scientists and advocating for diversity in STEM.
She co-founded TEDxCooperUnion, cultivating dialogue across disciplines. She continues to collaborate on side projects related to higher education reform, mental health awareness, sustainability, and South Asian storytelling.