Global IndianstoryMeet the agritech startups lending Indian farmers a helping hand

Startups

Meet the agritech startups lending Indian farmers a helping hand

Written by: Global Indian

(September 6, 2021) Agriculture in India has often left farmers short changed. The reasons for this have been many: low landholding, lack of modernization, taxing loans from an informal setup, unpredictable weather conditions, demand-supply issues, and also the lack of technology. However, over the past few years, agritech startups have been making inroads into the agriculture sector trying to fix problems, one at a time. With better smartphone and internet penetration across certain rural areas in the country, these startups have been providing solutions to everything from innovative ways of disbursing loans, technology to test soil quality and predict which crops will be in demand the next season to farm to fork brands and B2B agri marketplaces.

Global Indian turns the spotlight on some of the country’s most promising agritech startups.

WayCool

Sanjay Dasari co-founded WayCool with Karthik Jayaraman

Launched in Chennai in 2015 by Karthik Jayaraman and Sanjay Dasari, WayCool has been pivoting the farm-to-fork B2B model. One of the country’s fastest growing agritech companies, WayCool makes almost 90% of its revenue today from leading clients such as the Taj Group of Hotels. It’s aim has been drive social impact while transforming India’s food economy and has built a large food development and distribution services company by positively impacting over 500,000 farmers so far. WayCool works across the spectrum in agriculture: product sourcing, food processing, branding and marketing, last mile distribution and most importantly by providing farmer inputs on essential factors such as soil quality, best crops to invest in etc.

The company currently handles over 350 tonnes of food products each day across 19,000 clients across more than 50 regions in India. Earlier this year the startup raised $20 million in a fresh round of funding from existing backers such as Lightstone, Lightbox Ventures, and Netherlands-based FMO Development Bank and its valuation is currently close to $200 million.

Agrowave

Anu Meena

Launched in Gurugram in 2017 by IIT-Delhi alumna Anu Meena, Agrowave is a farm-to-fork mobility supply chain using an integrated network of smart route mapped mobile pickup stations at farm gates. It reaches out to small and marginal farmers in India’s interiors, buys produce from them and sells it to businesses such as restaurants, cafes, hotels and retailers. Agrowave procures fresh produce from regions such as Palwal, Sonipat, Sawai, Nuh, and Alwar Sambhal. Meena, who as a child had watched her grandfather struggle to sell his produce, wanted to bridge the supply chain gap in the agri sector and help farmers get a fair price for their produce by eliminating middlemen. Using technology to build a sustainable supply chain Meena launched the startup with zero investment and worked on the business model and technology alone. Her project grabbed investor interest and the startup raised funding from Daffodil Software in 2017. Last year, it raised close to $500,000 in funding from US-based investor Sekhar Puli. Today, the company clocks in a revenue of close to ₹25 million each month.

Fasal

Shailendra Tiwari and Ananda Verma

Founded in 2018 in Bengaluru by Shailendra Tiwari and Ananda Verma, Fasal uses IoT to take the guessing game out of farming and helps farmers run on auto pilot mode by helping them monitor their farms anytime and from anywhere. It helps measure macro and micro conditions including soil moisture, rainfall, temperature and various environmental factors to help farmers make informed crop choices. The startup gives farmers Fasal Sense, an IoT sensor device, which collects data that then relies on artificial intelligence and data science to calculate on-farm predictions about disease, pests and recommendations on the farmer’s phone in different languages. So far, Fasal has raised $1.9 million in funding, including $1.6 million in a seed round led by Omnivore and Wavemaker Partners in 2019.

CropIn

Krishna Kumar and Kunal Prasad

Founded in 2010 by Krishna Kumar and Kunal Prasad, CropIn is headquartered in Bengaluru and enables agri enterprises to maximize per-acre value through data-driven solutions. With its smart SaaS-based solutions to global agribusinesses, CropIn aims to digitize the farm and farmer. One of the many solutions it provides is Farm Management Solution, and helps farmers and other stakeholders improve productivity, efficiency and sustainability of crop chains. The platform also helps maintain food safety standards which sometimes get overlooked in conventional farming. So far, the company has impacted 13 million acres and four million farmers worldwide through its platforms. The company recently raised $20 million in a series C round led by ABC World.

Name*

Email*

Name*

Email*

0 Comments

Inline Feedbacks

View all comments

Published on 06, Sep 2021

Share with

ALSO READ

How Shruti Shibulal’s hospitality forays bring wellness & chic together

(March 18, 2022) The hospitality sector has made a roaring return after two years of flagging demand caused by the pandemic. Experts call the boom "revenge tourism" with people flocking to holiday destinations to make up for lost time. The hospitality czarina, Shruti Shibulal, CEO, Tamara Leisure Experiences says their luxury properties in places like Coorg and Kodaikanal have certainly benefitted from the upswing. Shruti was introduced to Napoleon’s Glance at Colombia, University which added pertinent strategic goals to her life. That, and seeing her father, Infosys co-founder and former CEO SD Shibulal in throes of business has helped her gain a deep understanding of business and ethics. [caption id="attachment_21399" align="aligncenter" width="912"] Shruti Shibulal, CEO, Tamara Leisure Experiences[/caption] The age of the socially conscious traveller "Our luxury segment benefitted from the rise of "revenge travel". People were looking to exit urban spaces and find nature-centric escapes. Those within driving distance of our resorts in Coorg and Kodaikanal did just that,” Shruti says, in an exclusive with Global Indian. “These properties didn’t just bounce back, they hit pre-pandemic performance projections.” The hospitality czarina foresees the greatest growth, however, in the 'O by Tamara' brand. "We will slowly start to see the

of our resorts in Coorg and Kodaikanal did just that,” Shruti says, in an exclusive with Global Indian. “These properties didn’t just bounce back, they hit pre-pandemic performance projections.” The hospitality czarina foresees the greatest growth, however, in the 'O by Tamara' brand. "We will slowly start to see the return of meetings, incentives, conferencing & exhibitions (MICE), which will fuel the return of business travel," she adds.

The first two rounds of the pandemic and the lockdowns hugely impacted business. The third wave, however, was met with a newfound resilience and people seemed unwilling to let it dictate their choices. “There is a sense of wanting to move forward safely and cautiously,” Shruti remarks. “The pandemic has also given rise to the conscious traveller who seeks sustainable destinations, health-focused getaways and mindful experiences,” adds the hospitality czarina.

Finance to hospitality

The entrepreneur made her first foray into the F&B industry back in 2008, when she met chef Abhijit Saha in Bengaluru. Before that, growing up in a home where discussions of finance and technology made for dinner table chit-chat, pursuing a career in finance herself seemed something of a given. After she graduated from Haverford College in the US, Shruti began working with Merrill Lynch in New York until her return to India in 2007. By this time, she knew her calling lay in being able to think outside the box and build a business from the ground up.

Hospital Czarina | Shruti Shibulal | Global Indian

After mulling this over for a while, a meeting with chef Abhijit Saha helped Shruti realise that hospitality was where she wanted to be. In 2009, the duo gave Bengaluru its first experience of molecular gastronomy with Caperberry, which offered high-end Mediterranean cuisine. Returning to the US for an MBA at Columbia University shortly after, she juggled her studies with her projects back home until the course ended in 2012.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Shruti Shibulal (@shruti_shibulal)

The world of luxury eco-travel

The Tamara Coorg came into operation the same year and became an instant hit with the premium tourist. The company then explored the mid-range business hotel landscape, starting up the Lilac Hotel in Bengaluru in 2014 and two years later, expanding the luxury resort business with the Tamara Kodai in 2016. Just before the pandemic, the group began expanding into the healthcare and wellness space, out of which came Amal Tamara, an Ayurvedic resort in Alleppey, Kerala. Tamara currently has three brands in India-- The Tamara Resorts (luxury stays), O by Tamara (upscale business hotels) and Lilac Hotels (a mid-segment chain).

In 2016, Shruti announced the organisation's goal to reach 1,000 (room) keys by 2025. Shruti and her team have already surpassed this projection through strategic acquisitions and expansion. "We continue to seek opportunities for growth and remain very optimistic about the travel and hospitality sectors at large," she says.

Hospital Czarina | Shruti Shibulal | Global Indian

Instead of waiting to observe the post-pandemic situation, Shruti’s Tamara group is moving decisively ahead. They have also acquired a business hotel in Coimbatore under the O by Tamara banner and another in Germany, the Moxy Bremen (their fourth acquisition in the country). “We also have projects in progress in Kannur, Guruvayoor and Kumbakonam,” she says.

First brush with entrepreneurship

“I have always admired the art of hospitality – the tenacity, passion and creativity that are required to succeed in this space as well as the opportunity it granted to bring people together,” Shruti explains. The Tamara Group afforded Shruti “a chance to rethink traditional hospitality, frame responsible business models and to be thoughtful as well as inventive and experiential,” she says. “It cemented the fact that people - both as agents and benefactors of positive change - are central to everything. Today, our core philosophy at Tamara is harmonising people, planet and profit. As a group, we are very much driven by our focus to operate sustainably in that we are comprehensively mindful of the environment, local communities and meaningful experiences for our guests," she adds.

Hospital Czarina | Shruti Shibulal | Global Indian

The travel industry, Shruti believes, has a great impact in terms of economics, society and culture. "Any environmentally conscious and socially responsible practices initiated by this industry have the ability to render a wide radius of change across auxiliary markets and diverse consumer groups," she says.

Tamara going global

In 2016, The Tamara Resort acquired The Holiday Inn Express Gutersloh and Prizeotel in Hannover, Germany, their fourth property in the country. "We had been looking to expand internationally and our assessments found that Germany is not only financially viable but also has ease of business,” Shruti remarks. They went on to acquire Courtyard by Marriott in Wolfsberg and recently, the Moxy Bremen.

It all begins at home

Her late grandfather, Dr. C.K. Damodaran, mastered ancient medicine in Thiruvananthapuram. His influence played an important role in Amal Tamara, the family’s foray into health and wellness. "It has been a personally rewarding journey because I was able to draw from my own family history, our ancestral home in Alleppey and from the wonderful stories and memories of my childhood,” Shruti smiles.

She foresees more projects closely aligned with the group's long-term vision of developing conscious, holistic, and responsible properties in unique formats. Ayurveda is now integral to spas at each of Tamara's luxury resorts as well as its upscale business hotel in Trivandrum. "Our observation is that there will be an uptick in post-pandemic wellness travel. We want to step in with expertise from the best Ayurvedic doctors and customised, curated treatments that will not only help guests tend to existing ailments but to make long-term lifestyle changes as well,” she explains.

Hospital Czarina | Shruti Shibulal | Global Indian

The wellness philosophy revolves around the Ayurvedic concept of Chikitsa Chatushpasa, where the patient, physician, therapist and medicine work together to achieve the wellness goals. Health assessment is done before the guests arrive and a personalised programme ranging between seven and 21 days is crafted for each of them. The team of doctors, which specialises in various branches of Ayurveda, deals with issues like stress, diabetes, weight management, low immunity and ageing.

Father as a role model

Much of her learning began at home, where she would closely observe her father, SD Shibulal, co-founder of Infosys. Her father and her mother, Kumari , are the great influences in her life, says Shruti. They are managing trustees of the Advaith Foundation, a philanthropic trust promoting education and research.

"I saw in my father and the rest of the team focus on creating something of value for future generations and designing business models that are thoughtful of people. Regardless of the industry or scale, it showed me that every business could operate consciously without compromising profits or growth - if anything, I have found that value-based organisational cultures create more agile, resilient and innovative enterprises," she says. On the way to emulating her illustrious father, Shruti currently lives in Bengaluru with her husband, businessman Gaurav Manchanda and their two children. The hospitality maverick loves a good massage, especially deep tissue. Friends, travelling and spending quality time with her children enthuses her as well.

Follow Shruti Shibulal on LinkedIn and Instagram

Reading Time: 8 mins

Rupee Beer: Van and Sumit’s flavourful journey to introduce Indian craft beer to the world

(June 16, 2023) What began as a trial in their family’s Indian restaurant in the US state of Maine, Vanit (Van) and Sumit Sharma’s Rupee Beer has evolved into a prominent brew. Now available in twelve states in the US, their brew is not just a lager, but was specially crafted by a world-renowned master beer brewer to pair and complement Indian cuisine. Starting out during the COVID-19 pandemic, and choosing an iconic name for their brand, the brothers have set out to honour their Indian heritage, commemorate their family’s entrepreneurial legacy and to showcase the magnificence of the Indian culture to a global audience. “It is just the beginning,” they say and have been nurturing their dream to extend the reach to more states of the US. A plan to introduce Rupee to the UK and EU market is also on the cards. Proud of their brand name ‘Rupee’, the entrepreneurs feel that their crafted beer befittingly pairs with the exquisite tastes that Indian cuisine offers. “Rupee started in 2020 and went live in the market in 2021. In 2022, we were honoured to be named in the inaugural 40 Under 40 list presented by MaineBiz,” Vanit tells Global Indian.  [caption id="attachment_40052" align="aligncenter" width="547"]

befittingly pairs with the exquisite tastes that Indian cuisine offers. “Rupee started in 2020 and went live in the market in 2021. In 2022, we were honoured to be named in the inaugural 40 Under 40 list presented by MaineBiz,” Vanit tells Global Indian. 

[caption id="attachment_40052" align="aligncenter" width="547"] Indians in USA | Van and Sumit Sharma | Global Indian Van and Sumit Sharma[/caption]

It started when...

When the pandemic struck in 2020, Vanit (an alumnus of Northeastern University) and Sumit (an alumnus of Boston University) were working in London and Australia respectively. Amidst the uncertainty of the pandemic, they returned to Maine– where they had grown up after their parents relocated there from Europe. In this unexpected turn of events, they found themselves once again working at their parents’ restaurant, just as they used to do in their younger days.

During the pandemic, like many restaurants in the area, their long-standing Indian restaurant was also encountering difficulties due to the global supply chain’s logistical issues. The most difficult part of all was to procure popular Indian beer brands like the Taj Mahal and Kingfisher. Shipments from India were badly affected and even when they arrived at ports in New York City and California, priority was given to larger states with higher volumes.

Turning adversity into advantage

The challenges that they were facing sparked a new idea in the duo’s minds. They started contemplating the possibility of creating a domestically brewed Indian beer that could genuinely complement Indian cuisine. However, they didn’t have any know-how of the brewing industry. Fortunately, they discovered an ideal collaborator in Alan Pugsley, the British founder of Shipyard Brewing Company, who happened to live nearby.

Pugsley, who is popular as the ‘Johnny Appleseed of craft brewing,’ boasts of a remarkable career spanning close to 45 years, during which he has played a pivotal role in the launch of more than 80 global craft beer brands. He was the ideal person to guide them about the intricacies of the brewing business.

Van and Sumit had extensive tasting sessions at their family restaurant with Pugsley and staff to find out what kind of beer would pair well with different Indian dishes, the fundamental concept behind Rupee, and most importantly what should be avoided to ensure the standards.

[caption id="attachment_40053" align="aligncenter" width="748"] Indians in USA | Van and Sumit Sharma | Global Indian Rupee Beer pairs well with Indian cuisine[/caption]

Van and Sumit knew that pairing heavy dishes like chicken tikka masala and butter naan can be quite filling with highly carbonated mass-produced beers which leads to discomfort, burping, and indigestion. “It wouldn’t create a pleasant experience, leaving an uncomfortable feeling of fullness after an Indian meal,” they explain.

The entrepreneurs’ goal was to create something that was exceptionally smooth, had its own distinct character, and truly complemented the Indian food they grew up with in a family business in curry spanning half a century. After excessive and minute experimentations, the final Rupee Beer was crafted. It has a lower level of carbonation compared to most beers. Every single batch of Rupee is brewed and fermented with top quality rice, maize, malted barley, yeast, and three types of hops ensuring their signature crisp and herbal tasting notes. “Rupee is slow brewed to a traditional Indian recipe, remaining all natural for an unforgettably smooth taste and finish,” Vanit says. The smooth flavour harmonizes with and enhances the robust flavours found in Indian cuisine, rather than overpowering them.

Finding a foothold

The spirit of entrepreneurship flows in the Sharma family. The journey of Van and Sumit’s immigrant parents is a quintessential story of Indian diaspora finding a foothold in a foreign land and making it one’s own. From India, they travelled to Germany and UK (where the brothers were born), and eventually to Maine in Portland, USA in 1990s where they established a chain of three of the first Indian restaurants. Their flagship restaurant ‘Bombay Mahal’ holds the distinction of being the oldest Indian restaurant in Maine.

The Sharma brothers remember how they were one of the very few Indians in Maine while they were growing up in Portland, the state's largest cosmopolitan hub, and the only Indians in their school. But the fifth-generation entrepreneurs have held the family legacy and kept Indian heritage alive in their hearts. They credit it to the upbringing of their parents. “Our dad always emphasised how we need to strive to be good cultural ambassadors for India in a place miles away from it, and show Mainers that Indian food is approachable and our culture rooted in deep traditions," they tell.

[caption id="attachment_40054" align="aligncenter" width="839"] Indians in USA | Van and Sumit Sharma | Global Indian Packaging of Rupee Beer in progress[/caption]

Rupee Beer finely crafted with care is distributed at Indian and South Asian restaurants, select Whole Foods, Costco, and Trader Joe’s, and is exclusively featured at their parents' restaurant as the only Indian beer. Brewing, packaging, and shipping of Rupee Beer are handled through a partnership with Dorchester Brewing, with a current monthly production of 150 barrels (around 1500 cases). In just two years of its launch the brand has set a benchmark winning at 2021 Food and Drink Awards, being named Best Beer For World Food, and love and appreciation from the connoisseurs of beer.

After college, Van and Sumit took different life-paths: Van did a master’s in International Relations and Political Science, while Sumit studied business with a focus on Entrepreneurship. The pandemic played an unlikely catalyst in bringing them back to their homespun culinary pursuits, and their legacy.

Vanit lived and worked in London for decades before moving back to America. He worked in various global sales roles and had another startup within the co-working space arena in central London he exited right before the pandemic. Sumit headed to Latin America and lived in Colombia before relocating to Australia where he was working in the hospitality industry. 

The family legacy

“We are Punjabis and from a family of entrepreneurs. Our grandparents hailed from a successful agricultural family business in Punjab, India as well as Kenya. Our family has been in the Indian restaurant trade for half a century,” Vanit says. The brothers have always been involved within the startup landscape from coworking, ecommerce platforms, and real estate ventures. 

Their dad relocated to Germany and lived there for over a decade until the collapse of the Berlin Wall in 1989, then moved to London where Vanit was born and eventually shifted to Portland, Maine to launch three Indian restaurants in the early 90s. Their mom was born in Kenya. “Our grandmothers on both sides were also from Nairobi, Kenya and Dar es Salaam, Tanzania where there has been a sizable Indian diaspora for decades,” Vanit explains.

"Growing up we got to travel a lot. We'd go to India on holidays - usually to North India in Punjab and Delhi to see all our cousins, visit our grandparents’ farm, and attend family weddings. We grew up speaking Punjabi fluently at home,” Vanit says.

After tasting success with Rupee Beer, the fifth-generation entrepreneurs look forward to fulfilling their mission of introducing more iconic India-inspired products to an audience seeking to savour spice, flavour, and distinctiveness while dining out.

Follow Van Sharma on LinkedIn
Follow Sumit Sharma on LinkedIn
Follow Rupee Beer on Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram and Facebook

Reading Time: 5 min

Shriyans Bhandari and Ramesh Dhami: Helping solve footwear wastage with a sustainable brand

(October 23, 2023) Being an athlete, Shriyans Bhandari developed a passion for long-distance running during his NCC days. An activity that helps him escape to a meditative state of mind. While training under Savio D'Souza during his second year at Jai Hind College, he met Ramesh Dhami, a runner who came from a humble background. "For him running was his life, and he didn't want to throw away his worn-out pair of shoes and was trying to mend them. He eventually converted his old shoes into chappals by retaining the soles," says Shriyans, adding that it stayed with him for long, and this incident gave life to the idea of Greensole. A sustainable footwear startup that earned Shriyans and his co-founder Ramesh a place in the 2018 Forbes 30 Under 30 list and a winning position at the recent G20 Young Entrepreneurs Alliance Summit 2023. Coming from a family that runs hotels in Udaipur, Shriyans always knew that he wasn't meant for a 9-5 job and was keen to start something of his own. The idea struck him during his college days after his chance encounter with Ramesh, whom he invited to join an innovators competition as he was keen

9-5 job and was keen to start something of his own. The idea struck him during his college days after his chance encounter with Ramesh, whom he invited to join an innovators competition as he was keen to pitch the idea of Greensole. "Upon research, I found that over 300 million shoes each year make it to landfills but there is no clear solution. So, I came up with the idea of refurbishing shoes, and this was the beginning of Greensole," Shriyans tells Global Indian. In no time, Greensole, launched in 2015, started to make an impact as lakhs of discarded shoes got another lease of life. "We were among the top 30 innovators in India," reveals Shriyans, who earned his master's degree in leadership from Babson F.W. Olin Graduate School of Business.

Championing two causes - footwear wastage and environment preservation

What began as an idea to preserve the environment by cutting down on carbon print by refurbishing shoes soon took the shape of a campaign that helped lakhs of children across the country who didn't have adequate footwear. "It began with a drive at Priyadarshani Park in Mumbai where thousands of people brought in their old shoes, and we turned them into slippers for children," says Shriyans. The soles of the shoes are used for the slippers, and the uppers are upcycled into slipper straps, thus giving old shoes a second life. However, starting refurbishing at a time when sustainability wasn't a trend was an uphill task for the co-founders of Greensole. "We were also learning a lot in the process, as it was something very new. Even if you would search online, you couldn't find much information," he adds. Being a novel concept, Shriyans was skeptical if people would be interested in buying refurbished footwear, so they began by donating shoes to underprivileged children through the help of CSR. "We kept using the same model for the next four to five years."

In those initial years, Greensole became a talking point. "It was a novel innovation that had not happened in India before. Suddenly, we went viral. We grew from working with 1 corporate to 35 corporates without spending a single penny on marketing for the first five years," reveals the social entrepreneur. The growing trust of the corporates helped in making a bigger impact. "From upcycling 50 pairs of shoes a day to now we have moved onto upcycling 3 lakh pairs a year."

Sustainability - the need of the hour

Over the years, Greensole understood that donation couldn't be the only way for the social enterprise going forward, so they diversified, and forayed into upcycling shoes and apparel, along with launching their vegan footwear brand. "We have now shifted to our sustainable material (made from plant-based material) and sustainable retail. So if you are buying a sustainable shoe, you are contributing to a social cause as well as helping preserve the environment."

In pursuit of a more sustainable and environment friendly world, Greensole has come up with its plant-based material which Shriyans says has "the potential to replace synthetic leather." With the world progressing steadily towards sustainability, the ongoing changes will become increasingly prominent in the coming years. However, this wasn't the case a few years ago. When the startup ventured into sustainability in 2015, people didn't understand veganism. "By 2019, there were a handful but the number was still very low. Now, people do understand sustainable and vegan but people don't want to pay extra at this time." However, Shriyans points out that the change of perception has begun in metros where a handful of people still choose sustainable shoes. "Most of our orders come from cities like Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru. Awareness is a lot in these cities. Because of Neeman's (a brand that popularised vegan shoes across the globe), people have got to understand vegan shoes and sustainability, and now almost all brands are catching up on the trend. However, we have been ahead of the trend always."

Greensole | Global Indian

Amplifying the impact

Greensole was way ahead of its time, and the co-founders knew that selling a new concept would be challenging. "We didn't say we were doing something new, we said we were doing good for the planet." Since they kept innovating and adding new layers to the startup, Greensole "had to never fight for survival." "If we stick around for another five years, we have the potential of becoming a household name," adds Shriyans, who is creating an impact with Greensole. "Till now, we have donated six lakh pairs of slippers. So, we ended up saving that number of shoes from making it to the landfill by giving them a second life along with saving tonnes of carbon emissions. In the process, we have also created job opportunities with each pair has is being refurbished along with jobs in the retail."

However, Covid-19 pushed Greensole to think of a new strategy to keep the startup afloat as depending solely on corporates wasn't cutting the deal for them. "It was a learning curve for me, so we started to make our presence felt online. A big brand from Germany reached out to us, and that's how we ventured into materials. I realised it's important to have solid planning in place and one should never stop innovating."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z95jJk06VZQ

In the last eight years, Greensole has disrupted the footwear industry in India with bigger brands now venturing into sustainable footwear. "It's been a challenging journey but at the same time rewarding," says Shriyans, who loves travelling and catching up with his friends. Being a torchbearer in the industry, Shriyans is happy to see the change take place. "People are now becoming conscious and adopting the sustainable approach in their lifestyle," he says, adding more people will adopt sustainability shortly. "People will become more aware and most of the shoes available in the market will be sustainable. Also, in the coming years, India will reach a leadership position. In the next decade or so, India will be at the top, and will be recognised as a leader as it will open more and better opportunities."

Follow Greensole on their website
Follow Shriyans Bhandari on LinkedIn
Follow Ramesh Dhami on LinkedIn

Reading Time: 5 min

Meet Leena Pishe Thomas, the UN-invited speaker who works at mitigating climate change

(December 3, 2021) Sustainability campaigner Leena Pishe Thomas was the star speaker at the recently concluded World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO) event at Geneva. As founder, Global Business Inroads, Leena was invited to speak about the role of IP in sustainable development and taking green innovation to international markets. Quite the expert on leveraging technology to provide sustainable solutions to mitigate climate change, adopt renewable energy sources, and life sciences, this wasn’t the first time Leena spoke at a UN event. Her first was at the Global Solutions Summit in 2018 in New York. [embed]https://twitter.com/leenapishe/status/1463002058370564102?s=20[/embed] What got Leena interested in this field? “Back in1990-2000, there were some truly innovative energy efficient solutions available – but not in India. That got me thinking - I was intrigued why there was no knowledge or action, considering for centuries, we had been following sustainable living practices. Why weren’t we developing sustainable technology?” she questioned. That led her towards sustainable solutions. Today, she is an expert working with governments and private entities the world over — the European Commission, US government, Malaysia, Taiwan, and Sri Lanka, apart from with some UN agencies. Her work includes cross border innovation collaboration between startups in Europe and India; facilitating collaboration for digital transformation, lead

620":1,"335559739":160,"335559740":259}">

Today, she is an expert working with governments and private entities the world over — the European Commission, US government, Malaysia, Taiwan, and Sri Lanka, apart from with some UN agencies. Her work includes cross border innovation collaboration between startups in Europe and India; facilitating collaboration for digital transformation, lead green change and biodiversity projects. “Some of our biggest achievements have been in the spheres of biodiversity and landscape restoration projects in India as well as working with communities here to help digital access to set up sustainable processes for agro forestry product processing,” explains the girl, who was born into a family of entrepreneurs.

Starting in an industry at a time when sustainable business was almost unheard of in India, today, she is a regular face at UN events, introducing various stakeholders to the need to scale technology to mitigate climate change and achieve sustainability goals. Incidentally, she had appeared on BBC on these topics as well.

From Bengaluru to the world

The quintessential Bengaluru girl, chose to study science till high school before switching to a degree in history and economics at Lady Shriram College, Delhi. Determined, she even considered IAS. However, after graduation, she married her then boyfriend, Shibu Thomas. “I gave up an admission for post-graduation in the US, chose marriage,” she tells Global Indian.

Leena was 23 then, and she continued to study and work. International business fascinated her as did environment goals. She landed her first job with the Indo French Chamber of Commerce and Industry and also got her MBA from ICFAI, Hyderabad through distance education. Within a few months of marriage, Leena started up with SNL (1999) which focused on international business and environment technology at age 24. Shibu, then a restaurateur, became her angel investor.

[caption id="attachment_17130" align="aligncenter" width="1024"] Global Indian Leena Pishe Thomas Leena at the WIPO event in Geneva[/caption]

Around this time, Leena also began consulting with the Alliance to Save Energy for United States Agency for International Development (USAID), working with state governments in India to transition to energy efficient solutions to cut costs. “We helped local municipalities work towards energy efficiency for municipal water utilities and streetlights,” she says, adding, “This was probably one of the most impactful projects we worked on as until then local governments didn’t have measures to ensure energy efficiency.”

She could have it all

In 2005, when Leena had her second daughter, she shut SNL and took a 1.5 year sabbatical. Her next role was with the Clinton Foundation, and it turned her perspective towards using technology for climate change mitigation. She was instrumental in starting and establishing Clinton Climate Initiative programmes in India. “I worked with the Foundation from 2007 to 2009 and it was everything I believed in. Motherhood also changed me in a big way. My ideas became clearer, and I became confident. It’s what gave me the push to launch GBI in 2009,” says Leena.

Incidentally, there was a time after her wedding when she had contemplated giving up her career altogether. “I’ve always been very family-oriented and didn’t mind putting my career on the back burner. It wasn’t easy juggling the kids, a home and a career,” she smiles, adding, “That’s when Shibu stepped in and convinced me to continue working. He showed me that I could have it all.”

Global Indian Leena Pishe Thomas

Winds of change

Setting up GBI with her own income, she turned the spotlight on her expertise. “The company has been focusing on discover (discover technology to showcase methods to the community), develop (develop new green tech), develop and then deploy this technology into the market,” explains Leena, adding, “I began GBI as a private sector company to make it a way of life, not just something that governments have to implement.”

She feels that sustainable living is two pronged: environmentally-friendly and lasting, and that electric vehicles are going to define the next decade for the world and India. “The focus is going to be on green mobility in the years to come. India is coming up with a lot of homegrown innovation in the EV sector. When GBI detected this trend five years ago, we began to support innovators working in the space.” GBI has now developed and launched an online portal for technology collaboration – www.globaltechinterface.com too.

On the path to success

Today, 12 years since its inception, GBI is a company that is scaled for growth. Two years ago, in 2019, they began going international, setting up offices in Europe, US and UK and project teams in Malaysia and Sri Lanka. Shibu, her husband, who co-founded GBI, is actively involved in managing the business aspect of GBI and focuses on the company’s international expansion.

[caption id="attachment_17131" align="aligncenter" width="606"] Global Indian Leena Pishe Thomas Leena and Shibu at GBI's Europe office in Bulgaria[/caption]

For Leena, her entrepreneurial instinct stems from her upbringing. Her grandfather Pishe Narayan Rao, who was orphaned early in life, would sell safety pins on the footpath in Bengaluru’s MG Road to survive. “He worked his way up, and soon set up his first store at that same spot. Today, PN Rao Suits is well-known across the country, and has branches in several cities,” she adds. Her father and mother too led by example. “My mother opened several doors for me, and encouraged me to try so many things. It helped me build the resilience to do a lot in a day and make it count,” says Leena, who loves to unwind after a long day by cooking and watching global cinema on OTT platforms.

Follow Leena Pishe Thomas on LinkedIn and Twitter

Reading Time: 10 mins

Kheyti: Earthshot Prize-winning startup revolutionising agriculture for small farmers

(September 11, 2023) As a teenager, Sathya Raghu Mokkapati saw a desperate and famished farmer eating mud to satiate his hunger in his village in Andhra Pradesh. That moment left an indelible impact on Sathya, who decided to do something for the farmers. 13 years later, he co-founded Kheyti in 2015 to bolster and amplify farmers' income via their inventive 'greenhouse-in-a-box' approach, which went on to win the Prince William's Earthshot Prize in 2022. Winning a £1 million prize was nothing short of a watershed moment for Kheyti as the spotlight was suddenly turned on the Indian startup, that designed the "greenhouse-in-a-box" for smallhold farmers. With India home to 100 million small-hold farmers and one of the most climate-affected nations in the world, the startup helps reduce costs, increase yields, and protect livelihoods in a region on the frontlines of climate change. Kheyti also trains and supports farmers to ensure their greenhouse is as effective as possible. [caption id="attachment_33509" align="aligncenter" width="804"] Kheyti's Kaushik Kappagantulu with the Earthshot Prize 2022[/caption] "We are honoured to be recognised by The Earthshot Prize this year. The world depends on its small-hold farmers and yet their lives are amongst the hardest on earth. Our Greenhouse-in-a-Box

536" /> Kheyti's Kaushik Kappagantulu with the Earthshot Prize 2022[/caption]

"We are honoured to be recognised by The Earthshot Prize this year. The world depends on its small-hold farmers and yet their lives are amongst the hardest on earth. Our Greenhouse-in-a-Box is empowering farmers in India today. The steps we have already taken at Kheyti are now building to change farmers' lives at scale," said Kaushik Kappagantulu, co-founder, Kheyti.

Moreover, Prince William surprised South Londoners this July when he served plant-based 'Earthshot burgers', whose ingredients were from a greenhouse in India by Kheyti.

The beginning

Before Kheyti, Sathya and his long-time friend Ayush Sharma, started Cosmos Green, a startup in the agri space. It was during the same time that the inception of Kheyti took root when the two embarked on a journey across hundreds of Indian villages in 2015 as participants in the Acumen Fellowship, a leadership development program. Their mission was to gain insights into the challenges confronting small-scale farmers, including issues like insufficient rainfall, untimely rains, erratic heat patterns, and the threats posed by pests exacerbated by high temperatures.

During those months, the duo along with co-founders Kaushik K and Saumya came across many farmers who expressed their desire to increase their monthly earnings. They found their solution in the greenhouse as farmers could cultivate premium crops like cucumbers, tomatoes, bell peppers, and even flowers throughout the entire year, regardless of the dry season's drought. This led to the birth of Kheyti's 'greenhouse-in-a-box', an economical and adaptable greenhouse solution that consumes only 10 percent of the water compared to conventional greenhouses while yielding sevenfold more produce. Furthermore, it ensures a consistent and reliable income for farmers. This resilient greenhouse effectively mitigates heat, keeps pests at bay, and conserves water, thereby simplifying the process for farmers to boost their income.

[caption id="attachment_44729" align="aligncenter" width="732"] Kheyti | Global Indian Greenhouse-in-a-box[/caption]

The impact

Initially made out of bamboo to keep the costs to a bare minimum, the greenhouse structure was blown away in the first storm. They then settled for steel structure by taking the help of local banks to finance farmers for its $4,200 cost, while the startup provided them with seeds, fertilizer, and knowledge to help them plant the new crops. Over the years, they continuously worked to bring down the cost of a greenhouse to $1200, which is affordable by most farmers without financing. "No other company in agriculture has been able to deliver so much impact attributable to one product," co-founder Saumya said in an interview.

Traditionally used for growing exotic vegetables like broccoli, the startup has made the greenhouse effective for growing almost all Indian vegetables, including leafy vegetables and common ones like potatoes. Starting in 2015, Khyeti installed their first greenhouse in 2017 in Siddipet in Telangana, and have till now benefitted over 1000 farmers in six states.

30 Kheyti | Global Indian

By reducing the traditional one-acre greenhouse size to one-tenth, the startup has successfully lowered the cost from ₹30 lakh to just ₹60,000, ensuring accessibility and affordability. "Agricultural incomes are dependent on climate risk. Kheyti provides a model of farming which is economically viable and environmentally friendly too," Sathya said in an interview.

"Today, 1,000 farms have a Kheyti greenhouse, but this is just the start. By 2027, Kheyti wants 50,000 farmers to have a Greenhouse-in-a-Box."

Follow Sathya Raghu Mokkapati on LinkedIn
Follow Kaushik K on LinkedIn
Follow Kheyti on Instagram

Reading Time: 4 min