India's Top Urban Farming Startup Partners

Let’s Learn About Urban Farming 

The Green Revolution of the 1950s and 1960s would have allowed farmers to increase their yields while also introducing the dangers of pesticides and chemical fertilizers.

Farmers have been involved in conventional farming methods for many years, which has caused them numerous problems. They were not only hazardous to humans, but they also polluted the environment and degraded soil and water.

Many farmers and city dwellers are now turning to urban farming or organic farming. Farming in cities was once thought to be impossible. However, new technologies such as hydroponics and vertical farming have made it possible to grow to produce in small urban spaces.

Here are 5 urban farming startups that are going above and beyond to introduce sustainable farming practices to India:

Triton Foodworks

Dhruv Khanna and Ullas Samrat, Forbes 30 Under 30 India entrepreneurs, founded Triton Foodworks in 2014 to make food production more environmentally friendly by using 300 times less land than conventional farming. Triton is an integrated company that uses hydroponics and vertical farming to grow pesticide-free fruits and vegetables without the use of soil.

The company owns and operates 150,000 square foot vertical farms in Northern India, where it cultivates over 20 different crops such as strawberries, spinach, micro greens, and bell peppers.

UrbanKisaan 

UrbanKisaan was founded in 2017 by Sairam Reddy, Srinivas Chaganti, and Vihari Kanukollu to resolve India's water crisis and introduce chemical-free agriculture to the country. This YC-backed startup uses hydroponic technology and sells home-growing kits for $150 to $250. It also has a B2B arm that has built a network of urban framings for online delivery through food delivery partners, as well as a D2C model that is subscription-based.

UrbanKisaan has a 20,000-square-foot research facility, 15 scientists on staff, and the ability to cultivate over 50 different crops.

Read more: AgriTech: Startups Leading Technological Advancement in Agriculture

Clover

Clover, an agritech greenhouse platform, collaborates with farmers across India to provide branded, premium vegetables grown in greenhouses. Arvind Murali, Avinash B R, Gururaj Rao, and Santosh Narasipura founded it in 2017.

On one to two acres of greenhouse farmland, demand-led cultivation is done using the company's full-stack agronomy solutions, traceability, consumption prediction, and end-to-end farm management services.

The company currently serves over 90 clients (retail chains and restaurants) and operates greenhouses in 175 locations across South India on 70 acres of farmland.

Homecrop 

Homecrop was founded by four Vellore Institute of Technology graduates to bring urban farming to your balconies, terraces, and backyards. Finally, a kitchen garden can be used to grow vegetables. The organization not only constructs delicious farms, but it also provides setup and optimal maintenance services, which you can later decline. The company even provides simple DIY farming kits that can be used throughout India.

UGF Farms

Linesh Pillai, a former banker turned farmer, was given access to urban farming in Poland. When he returned to India in 2011, he saw a great opportunity to commercialize the idea, and in 2012 he established the country's first vertical farm in Mumbai. UGF Farms began by testing the market with greens and microgreens before rapidly expanding to sell to well-known restaurants, hotels, and retailers across cities.

To expand the business, UGF began converting vacant properties and spaces between buildings in neighborhoods, as well as homes, restaurants, and other structures, into micro-farms.

Read more: Krishi Network- A Smart Kisan App for Smart Farmers