ImpactAlpha, March 13 – Bangalore-based startup Aibono is developing farm services and software to connect India’s small farmers to retailers. Aibono’s model for preventing food waste, improving agricultural efficiency and supporting farmers’ livelihoods has been backed by impact fund Menterra, Rianta Capital’s Artha Initiative, Milliways Venture, , Rebright Partners and 3one4 in a Series A equity round.
Aibono works with small farmers to outfit their farms with sensors and analytics software to improve the predictability of their harvests. It then analyzes farmers’ data alongside food consumption data, and works between farmers and retailers to ensure the supply of food being produced aligns with demand.
The platform can estimate crop quantities 60 to 90 days in advance, “essentially synchronizing production of highly perishable fruits and vegetables” with retailers’ needs, Aibono’s Vivek Rajkumar explained.
The company works with 400 farmers and 250 retailers in the Bangalore area, and will use the Series A funding to expand to 2,000 farms and 1,000 retailers in South India, the Economic Times reports.
A number of startups are designing software and logistics platforms to improve efficiency in India’s food value chain, improving incomes and access to markets for small farmers in particular. Enterprises like TartanSense and AgNext are focusing on monitoring and precision agriculture technologies, while WayCool and Doodhwala are focusing on fresh food distribution.
