Ans: To become an investor into start-ups, you first need to have investible surplus that you can afford to lose without losing any sleep! It is a high risk activity involving patient capital; further it is illiquid and returns are uncertain. It is essential to understand that. Some investors also like to play an active role in some of the start-ups they invest in.
How do they find businesses to invest in? By being close to the places which start-ups frequent. It could be incubators, accelerators, entrepreneur facilitation bodies, associations etc. Many investors become part of angel networks, syndicates etc to understand how other experienced investors evaluate and invest in start-ups. It would be good for you to speak to a couple of experienced investors and financial advisors before you embark on this journey

Ans: You need to do some research on specific areas that you want to work, zero in on a few and finally choose one. There are academic and research institutions working on these issues across India plus there are government bodies too which have done a fair amount of work. Locate those which match your area of interest and work with professors/ researchers who want to commercialise their research. Another way is to work with start-ups or companies in green technologies and understand the techno-commercial dynamics of this area. This will help you learn while getting paid. It might also help you locate partners, possible co-founders and other key constituents of the ecosystem. There are incubators in universities and outside willing to support passionate and experienced/knowledgeable entrepreneurs. Re funding, there are startup grants and equity/loan options available. I think that step comes later. Hope this helps