Soil Monitoring with IoT enables farmers and producers to maximise output, decrease crop diseases, and optimise resources by leveraging technology. Soil temperature, NPK, volumetric water content, photosynthetic radiation, soil water potential, and soil oxygen levels may all be measured with IoT sensors. Data from IoT sensors is subsequently sent back to a central location (or the cloud) for analysis, visualisation, and trend analysis.
The resulting data may then be utilised to optimise agricultural operations, spot patterns, and make minor modifications to crop output and quality. Smart Agriculture (or Smart Farming) is the application of IoT in agriculture, and IoT is a key component of Precision Farming.
AIGROEDGE Technologies is one such deep tech start-up based out of Delhi/NCR. It was founded by Akshay Taneja, Mayank Rajput and Abhay Tiwari (Co-founders). As of now, less than 0.01pc farmers in the agriculture sector in India use an Agri-IoT soil monitoring system. However, such systems are getting common both in India and abroad.
There are two types of soil monitoring systems, one which uses a device-based system and another which uses satellite-based system. Satellite based system is less accurate and cannot be used for indoor farming but is easier to maintain. Read along to know more about the featuring persons and their technology.
About the Founders and their Journey
Akshay completed his B. Tech in electronics from IIT Roorkee and masters in Microelectronics from NTU Singapore and TU Munich, Germany. And has also cleared CFA level 1. Akshay and Mayank were colleagues in Singapore and were studying MSc from NTU Singapore, while Abhay was a friend of Mayank when he was working in CEERI Pilani.
Initially, Mayank and Akshay had worked in Singapore by visiting various farms and getting to know the challenges faced by farmers. That led to the ideation of the start-up. Then Akshay returned to India while Mayank returned after a few years.
Overall, it has been an interesting and challenging journey for the team at AIGROEDGE, whereby the team at AIGROEDGE Technologies got to learn a lot about leadership and business skills. AIGROEDGE Technologies is currently bootstrapped and not looking to raise funds for the time being.
Effects of the Pandemic
Both COVID-19 and farmer’s movement in India has impacted business as the team has faced a lot of customers not approaching them. It has also impacted the ability to get devices manufactured, obtain components, and procure R&D material.
Steps taken during Covid-19
The team at AIGROEDGE is planning online lead generation, though, given the low internet penetration in the agriculture sector it is hard to get the leads. Hence, AIGROEDGE moved its strategy from B2C sales to big partnerships, especially with Fortune 100 companies like Honeywell which is in progress.
Products and Services offered by the start-up
AIGROEDGE offers a device called KRAASHAK which helps farmers monitor soil and ambient parameters like soil moisture, soil temperature, ambient moisture, ambient temperature, electrical conductivity, light intensity, pH. Based on these parameters, farmers can know the optimum conditions for growth and can prevent any damage to the crop if few parameters are off limits, which will help improving the yield.
Challenges Faced
The team at AIGROEDGE has faced challenges related to funding, research and technical challenges and challenges related to finding and retaining hard working talent in the company. In terms of technology adoption, the team has faced challenges related to lack of knowledge among farmers regarding IoT and lack of investment resources among farmers for this technology.
Vision in the Long Run
The team at AIGROEDGE envisions the company to grow further in the coming years as initial growth has been hampered by COVID and farmers’ movement all over India. Plus, as technology keeps on growing, it is becoming easier and easier to use and implement. Also, there is a growing awareness among farmers that one can improve the yield and profitability by incorporating the best practices.
Surviving as a Start-up during Covid-19
Due to COVID, the opportunities to survive and thrive as a start-up have been hampered. Even at AIGROEDGE, the team faced challenges during lockdowns in terms of getting equipment or component for manufacturing, lack of team building, etc.
Frequent online meetings between the team and doing some online personal activities can be a great way to keep everyone together.
The customer has to be fully made aware about the ongoing situation at your end, so that important business deals are kept intact. To keep the customer happy, one can provide additional discounts on delayed deliveries, if any, that happened due to COVID lockdowns.
Start-ups relying on manufacturing of goods should keep sufficient balance of inventories so that they do not run out in emergency situations. Alternative resources should be identified before-hand for key persons involved in the project so that if someone is sick due to COVID, key activities at the start-up do not stop.
It is hard to get funding during the COVID period and even if one gets funding, there is an uncertainty that COVID lockdown will hamper the return on investment. Hence it is advised that there should be more reliance on bootstrapping of funding rather than investors.
Some start-ups may thrive due to COVID especially if the revenue model is based around work from home conditions, or if they are into COVID-related goods/services. Start-ups should mould their business plan and product ideas to help them make profit from COVID. For example, a company manufacturing blood pressure machine can think of launching an oximeter, etc.
Since the global economy is hampered including India, frugal innovation is key. People would prefer lower priced goods more than quality goods due to lack of resources people have owing to the pandemic.
