India’s agricultural sector, a cornerstone of its economy, is undergoing a transformative shift fueled by the rise of agritech. From AI-powered crop management to digital marketplaces connecting farmers directly with buyers, innovative startups are revolutionizing traditional farming practices. Here are agritech startups making a significant impact:
Empowering Farmers Through Technology:
ONO (2021): Founded by Rama Rao Kancharapu, ONO is a discovery platform connecting farmers and mandis (agricultural markets). Offering a suite of services including price discovery (ONO Connect), credit facilitation (ONO Cash), SaaS solutions for commission agents (ONO Click), and a mid-mile trading platform (ONO Mandi), ONO aims to digitize market operations and improve price transparency. With operations in over 45 mandis across six states, ONO boasts a network of over 30,000 partners. They recently secured $1.3 million in seed funding led by Aeravti Ventures with participation from Indigram Labs.
Orbit Farming: Co-founded by Kedar Gokhale (ex-VP of Operations at Swiggy) and Aishwarya Ramakrishnan, Orbit Farming focuses on providing tailored solutions for mid-sized Indian farmers (2-10 hectares). Their mission is to boost farm income through farming mechanization and technology-driven solutions. Currently in its early stages, Orbit Farming is building its team and developing its platform.
Salam Kisan (2022): Founded by Dhanashri Mandhani, Salam Kisan offers end-to-end agritech solutions, including drone-based soil testing, procurement, and a marketplace. Operating in Maharashtra, Salam Kisan has already impacted over 7,500 farmers through its drone services, covering 15,000 acres. Impressively, 15% of their farmer base is comprised of women. Bootstrapped with $2 million, Salam Kisan is also venturing into drone manufacturing and plans to seek external funding in the next financial year.
StarAgri (2006): Founded by Suresh Goyal, Amit Goyal, Amith Agarwal, and Amit Khandelwal, StarAgri has evolved from warehousing services to a comprehensive agritech platform. Offering financing solutions, an e-marketplace, a digital warehouse management system, crop testing, and drone-based crop monitoring, StarAgri serves over 400,000 farmers and manages a vast network of warehouses. Backed by Temasek, they have raised nearly INR 500 crore and have reportedly filed for an IPO.
Revolutionizing the Supply Chain:
Otipy (2020): Founded by Varun Khurana and Prashant Jain as part of Crofarm Agriproducts, Otipy is a B2B2C social commerce platform for fresh produce. Using predictive technology to procure directly from farmers and delivering within 12 hours of harvest, Otipy claims the lowest wastage rate in the industry (3%). They have raised $69.13 million in funding, including a $32 million round led by Westbridge Capital in 2022, and have partnered with ONDC to expand their reach.
Vegrow (2020): Founded by Praneeth Kumar, Mrudhukar Batchu, Kiran Naik, and Shobhit Jain, Vegrow operates a B2B fruit marketplace. Providing farmers with tech solutions for crop advisory, grading, packaging, logistics, and sales, Vegrow leverages data to maximize farmer income. Having raised over $86.5 million, including a $46 million Series C round led by GIC in 2023, Vegrow has seen significant revenue growth and achieved operational profitability.
WayCool (2015): Founded by Karthik Jayaraman and Sanjay Dasari, WayCool is a full-stack agritech platform connecting farmers to retailers and processors. Managing the supply chain from “soil to sale,” WayCool works with over 85,000 farmers and offers a range of products and SaaS solutions. With over $283.86 million in funding, WayCool is a major player in the agritech space. Recently, they raised INR 38.2 crore led by Trifecta Capital. Co-founder Sanjay Dasari transitioned to an advisory role in late 2024.
These startups, along with many others that will continue with blog post part 3, are playing a crucial role in modernizing Indian agriculture, empowering farmers, and improving the efficiency of the food supply chain. Their innovative approaches and use of technology hold immense promise for the future of agriculture in India.
The agritech sector in India is experiencing a period of rapid growth and innovation. the startups highlighted in this blog post are at the forefront of this revolution, each contributing to the transformation of Indian agriculture. By leveraging technology to address critical challenges, these companies are not only improving the livelihoods of farmers but also ensuring food security and sustainability for the nation.
Subscribe:
Stay connected with the latest updates, exclusive insights, and curated content by subscribing to my newsletter.
