Agritech startup Bharat Intelligence has raised ₹7 crore in pre-seed funding, led by Sahyadri Farms, to scale its operations across Western Maharashtra’s horticulture belts. The fresh capital will be used to expand its team, enhance product development, and embed AI-driven solutions into the value chains of grape, banana, tomato, and pomegranate farmers.
Tackling Rural India’s Labour Gap
Founded in 2024 by Azhaan Merchant and Gourav Sanghai, Bharat Intelligence is addressing one of Indian agriculture’s most pressing challenges—the farm labour crisis. Its platform uses advanced AI models to organise rural labour markets, ensuring farmers get timely access to skilled crews while workers secure consistent, dignified jobs.
The system predicts labour demand and connects farmers with crews via simple, vernacular interfaces, making technology truly accessible to rural communities.
Embedding AI Into Rural Realities
Unlike conventional data models, Bharat Intelligence focuses on capturing rural context—seasonal rhythms, trust-based networks, and the nuances of village economies. By embedding these insights into workflows, the company ensures that AI remains relevant and usable for India’s billion-plus agrarian population.
“India’s economy is agrarian and deeply physical. To build AI for India, it must be embedded in rural life—attuned to a handshake in a village market, the seasonal migration of workers, and the trust networks that govern transactions,” said Azhaan Merchant, Co-Founder & CEO.
Building the Context Layer for AI in India
With this funding, Bharat Intelligence aims not just to solve the immediate farm labour shortage but also to build the ‘context layer’ for AI in India—a framework that grounds artificial intelligence in real-world community dynamics.
Final Take
As India races toward an AI-first future, Bharat Intelligence reminds us that true innovation must start with the soil, the farmer, and the lived realities of rural life.
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