Harvested Robotics founded by 22-year old engineers Rahul Arepaka and George Mathew at Mahindra University, Hyderabad; is a deeptech startup founded from their college hostel. It is India’s first AI-Powered Robot that burns weeds with high-power lasers instead of pesticides. The intention behind the innovation was to solve the issue of weeds in farms without using harmful chemicals.
The founders started developing the technology in an incubator at the University whilst doing their B.Tech. The startup was launched to protect their crops from weeds and ensure healthier harvests. However, this is not the founders’ first rodeo. Rahul Arepaka and George Mathew founded Harvested Labs in 2023. Rakshak, India’s first AI-powered laser weeding robot from Harvested labs, combats weeds without harming the crops. The entire process of removal of weeds from Harvested Robotics is tractor-powered and tractor-dependent.
According to Rahul Arepaka, co-founder of Harvested Robotics said, “Currently only 12 countries across the globe are solving weeding, using lasers. We are the only company in India to solve this issue”. Mahindra University itself has invested around Rs. 20 Lakhs in Harvested Labs. In March, they raised roughly Rs. 5 crore in a pre-seed round from Bangalore-based VC Arali Ventures. Chairman Anand Mahindra of Mahindra Group is an angel investor in the company.
Currently, the company is operating on a pre-revenue stage that is about to open pre-orders for its product around the country. Rahul Arepaka attested, “A few hundred farmers have already signed up on our website for the machine”. However, the startup is not going to sell directly to farmers but through dealers. This will help farmers who would prefer renting to buying the machine. The startup also faces many challenges like not many Indian companies are making the electronic components weeding, so they need to import from China. Moreover, not many investors are keen on investing in deeptech. Lack of capable and enough Human Resources is also a challenge. Rahul added, “Anyone inerested in working in the agri-robotic sector should come and work with us”.
The startup is yet to acquire its speed but the recognition is already pouring as last october, Rahul and his team went to FIRA, California. It was a global event where all agri-robotic companies came down and the startup was a part of the startup showcase, and they were the top 10 shortlisted companies. The startup also went viral for hiring a dog as a Chief Happiness Officer.
Many of the new emerging startups are being founded by the Youth of the country and the main reason is strong roots in the Indian culture and excitement for modernised technology that can make our daily work easier and better. India has a lot of innovation to look forward to.
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