Agritech Startup Farmtheory Raises Seed Capital To Reduce Food Waste, Boost Farm Yields

Agritech startup Farmtheory has secured seed funding of $1.45 Mn (around INR 12 Cr) from Merak Ventures.

The startup will use the fresh capital to scale up its operations, mainly focusing on expanding its supply arm, enhancing its technological infrastructure and bolstering its supply chain by reaching out to more farmers, ensuring a robust and sustainable source of produce. 

Founded in 2019 by Arpit Agarwal and Sakshi Agarwal, Farmtheory claims to help in minimising food waste at the source, boosting farm yields and delivering quality ingredients to commercial kitchens.

Farmtheory refers to the unsold produce as ‘freeform’ and acquires it directly from farmers and supplies it to a range of buyers, from cloud kitchens and catering companies to food processors and restaurants, who can use it just like conventionally shaped produce.

By addressing the food loss, the Bengaluru-based startup aims to enhance farmer incomes, address food loss, and combat climate change by redirecting edible produce to new markets rather than letting it go to waste.

Farmtheory claims to have on-boarded 3000 partner farmers, so far, and has served over 1500 kitchens. Further, the company plans to significantly scale up its partner and geographic footprint, forging ahead to bring its innovative model to benefit more farmer communities nationwide.

“Farmtheory embodies a vision where every connection between farmer and consumer signifies more than just a transaction — it represents a commitment to enriching lives and fostering sustainability. Through our platform, we empower farmers to share their harvests with the world, creating meaningful connections that sustain communities and promote environmental responsibility,” said Arpit Agarwal.

On this, Sheetal Bahl, Partner, Merak Ventures said that Farmetheory is not only addressing the challenges of food waste, farmer income, and climate change but are also reimagining solutions with the potential to transform the agri-food landscape.

According to a market study, the Indian agritech startup ecosystem is looking at a total market opportunity worth $24 Bn by 2025, and as per Inc42’s analysis, these startups have secured more than $2.4 Bn since 2014.

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