WOMEN AT THE HELM Navigating the Digital Landscape of Agriculture W O M EN A T TH E H EL M N av ig at in g th e D ig ita l L an ds ca pe o f A gr ic ul tu re Centre for Research on Innovation and Science Policy(CRISP), Road No. 10, Banjara Hills, Hyderabad 500 034, India 10th Floor Suite 1009, Security Bank Center 6776, Ayala Avenue, Makati Metro Manila 1226, Philippines International Rice Research Institute International Rice Research Institute PUBLISHED BY Centre for Research on Innovation and Science Policy (CRISP) and International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) The Centre for Research on Innovation and Science Policy (CRISP) is a non-profit research organization established in March 2004. The aim of the organization is to promote research in the area of innovation policy in relation to agriculture and rural development. https://www.crispindia.org The International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) is an independent, non-profit, research and educational institute, dedicated to reducing poverty and hunger through rice science; improving the health and welfare of rice farmers and consumers; and protecting the rice- growing environment for future generations https://www.irri.org/ Women at the Helm: Navigating the Digital Landscape of Agriculture Copyright IRRI and CRISP (2024) Editors: Ditty Maria Dominic, Narayana Rao Bhuvana, Nimisha Mittal, Rasheed Sulaiman V (CRISP) and Ranjitha Puskur (IRRI) Suggested Citation: Dominic, D.M., Bhuvana, N., Mittal, N., Sulaiman, R.V., and Puskur, R (Eds) 2024. Women at the Helm: Navigating the Digital Landscape of Agriculture, International Rice Research Institute, Los Banos, Philippines and Centre for Research on Innovation and Science Policy, Hyderabad, India. June 2024 https://www.crispindia.org https://www.crispindia.org https://www.irri.org/ https://www.irri.org/ Editors Ditty Maria Dominic Narayana Rao Bhuvana Nimisha Mittal Rasheed Sulaiman V Ranjitha Puskur Women at the Helm Navigating the Digital Landscape of Agriculture International Rice Research Institute Acknowledgement This publication is based on a project undertaken by the Centre for Research on Innovation and Science Policy (CRISP) and the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) collaboratively under the Evidence Module of the CGIAR GENDER Platform. We extend our sincere gratitude to all the 16 women agripreneurs who generously granted us their consent and time to participate in this study. Special thanks are extended to Dr. Kalpana Shastry, Managing Director at AgHub, PJTSAU; Dr. Sangappa, Scientist, ICAR-Indian Institute of Millet Research; and Mrs. Rajeswari Ranganathan, President of the Association of Women Entrepreneurs of Karnataka (AWAKE), Karnataka, for their invaluable assistance in identifying women agri-entrepreneurs. Additionally, we extend our appreciation to Ms. Sejal Agrawal, Impact Manager at Oorja Development Solutions Limited, for playing a crucial role within the team and support in enlisting entrepreneurs across India. Additionally, we express our thanks to Mr. Anthony Christopher for his contributions to the design and layout of this publication and to Dr. D. Alagu Niranjan for his technical support in developing this publication and overseeing the publication process. Editors Foreword Agribusiness startups are reshaping India’s agricultural sector, fostering a strong entrepreneurial mindset. This growing interest, alongside advancements in digital technology, has spurred rapid expansion in the sector’s technology and digital solutions ecosystem. Technologies like big data, Artificial Intelligence (AI), Internet of Things (IoT), and various digital platforms play a crucial role, aiding aspiring entrepreneurs from idea conceptualization to identifying opportunities in production, marketing, and distribution. The proliferation of digital technologies presents unprecedented opportunities for women to engage and lead agricultural enterprises in India, overcoming longstanding barriers such as limited access to information, resources, and markets. Despite these advancements, challenges persist, and adoption of digital technologies varies widely among enterprises. In the Indian context, research on the use of digital solutions by women agripreneurs remains limited. In 2023, the Centre for Research on Innovation and Science Policy (CRISP) and the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) conducted a study, as part of the Evidence Module of the CGIAR GENDER Impact Platform, interviewing 16 selected women agripreneurs in India. The study aimed to understand their utilization of digital tools, exploring the types of tools used, developed digital solutions, and how these facilitate enterprise-building processes. Each entrepreneur shared insights on their use of digital tools, highlighting benefits in networking, self-learning, upskilling, education, e-commerce, sales, and enterprise management. While digital technologies have opened avenues for career advancement, women agripreneurs acknowledge gaps in fully harnessing these potentials. The study identified two types of enterprises led by women in the digital ecosystem: digitech enterprises, often founded by women with a background in technology, and digitally enabled enterprises, leveraging various digital technologies to promote their businesses. The majority of women entrepreneurs operate digitally enabled enterprises, reflecting the tech-driven nature of modern agribusiness. This compilation of interviews illustrates how digital innovations support women agripreneurs in India, showcasing their entrepreneurial journeys, aspirations, challenges, and strategies to overcome these challenges through digital interventions and other forms of support. It is intended to benefit those supporting women agripreneurs, particularly within India’s agribusiness incubation centres, offering valuable insights and lessons for leveraging digital innovations to enhance enterprise performance. We sincerely believe that each of these life stories will also inspire several budding women agripreneurs and help them assess their digital capacity gaps and take steps to address these. Editors CONTENTS Digitech enterprises 1 From Scholar to Innovator: Revolutionizing Agriculture through Technology 7 2 Digital Innovations Benath the Waves: Rise of an Aquapreneur 21 3 Solar Dreams and Agriculture Revival: The RenKube way! 33 4 Driving Change: The Story of an IoT Agri-Industry Influencer 45 5 Besties and Business: The FROOTS Approach to Food Safety 53 Digitally enabled enterprises 6 Journey of an Agripreneur: In Conversation with Nalini Murthy 71 7 Journey from Motherhood to Entrepreneurship 83 8 Fostering Traceability and Trust in the Organic Produce Value Chain 89 9 The Mushroom Maverick: A Conversation with Ladakhs Inspiring Young Woman Entrepreneur 101 10 The Tenacious Woman Entrepreneur of Bastar 109 11 Learning, Leading and Empowering: A Biotechonlogist Path to Entrepreneurship for Socio-Economic Change 117 12 Himalayan Mushroom Queen: Empowering Women in Medicinal Mushrooms Cultivation across India 127 13 Coconut Magic: From Homemaker to Entrepreneur 139 14 Newlook Herbs: Crafting-Herbal Success from Home 147 15 Enriching the Lives of Marginal Tribal Farmers of Meghalaya 155 16 Aruvi Eco: Inspired by a Father’s Farming Legacy 163 Final Remarks 5 | Women at the Helm Digitech Enterprises 6 | Women at the Helm Women at the Helm | 7 Ditty Maria Dominic and Bhuvana N recently conversed with Rajul Patkar, one of the co-founders of Proximal SoilSens. Their conversation delved into Rajul’s entrepreneurial journey that was driven by a mission to make a meaningful impact in the agricultural sector through technology. Here are some highlights from the interview. SoilSens© empowers farmers by providing them with an integrated platform solution to understand their soil better and apply water, fertilizer, and pesticides precisely to optimize input costs and crop productivity. Technologies innovation started at IIT Bombay and continued at Proximal SoilSens. Soilsens’s vision is to make technology accessible to every farmer regardless of their farm size. They have built indigenous technologies focusing on ‘Made in India, Made for World’. In its multiple deployments, SoilSens has proven that its technologies are robust, affordable, accurate, and beneficial for farmers to improve yield and overall income and save the environment. Currently, the world’s smallest soil testing device, Nutrisens, is making waves and has reached the global market quickly. Can you provide a brief overview of your personal and professional background? I come from a conservative community where women’s education was not actively encouraged, especially in technical fields. Although I was born in Indore I was raised in Andhra Pradesh due to my father’s job. Fortunately, my parents held progressive views and wholeheartedly supported my pursuit of higher education. Growing up in the southern region of India allowed me to nurture my academic ambitions instead of conforming to the prevalent trend of early marriages among girls in my community. 01 From Scholar to Innovator: Revolutionizing Agriculture through Technology “If there is a large, immovable rock-like challenge in my path, I would choose to behave like water and navigate my way around it to my destination. As entrepreneurs, women need to know where they have to stand like a rock and where they have to be flexible like water.” Rajul Patkar Co-founder Proximal SoilSens www.soilsens.com 8 | Women at the Helm In contrast to most girls who opted for arts or commerce, I had a clear vision – I wanted to pursue a technical education and contribute meaningfully to society. My unconventional nature was evident from an early age, and my dream was to become an engineer. I pursued my BTech degree from Andhra University. Upon graduating, I aspired to move to a city where I could find more opportunities. Although my family was initially skeptical and unsupportive of this decision, I was determined to construct my own path and explore uncharted territory. So, I convinced my family and relocated to Mumbai, where my aunt lived. While in Mumbai, I succeeded in the GATE exam and gained admission to an MTech program at one of India’s prestigious institutions, the Indian Institute of Technology Bombay (IIT-Bombay). Mr. Joe Biden, President of the USA (then Vice President) looking at one of the devices fabricated by Dr. Rajul as part of her PhD on his visit to IIT Bombay, 2013 My journey at IIT was marked by substantial growth. I engaged in a project supported by the Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD), now known as the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY). In this project, I designed an affordable hardware solution – a Field Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs) Evaluation Board – to assist engineering college instructors. My motivation for this project stemmed from the realization that many educational institutions lacked access to such expensive equipment. Subsequently, I successfully transferred this technology to a computer manufacturer, providing these boards to various engineering institutions. This period of innovation and impact solidified my entrepreneurial inclination and unwavering desire to contribute positively to society. In 1996, I completed my master’s degree and embarked on a professional career, gaining varied experience across various organizations. However, my passion for entrepreneurship and my commitment to giving back to society never wavered. Driven by this vision, I took Women at the Helm | 9 a significant step in 2011, enrolling in a PhD program at IIT-Bombay after a 16-year academic gap. This decision marked a pivotal moment in my personal and professional growth, reinforcing my dedication to create lasting societal impact. Could you share the story of your transition from academia to entrepreneurship? My journey from academia to entrepreneurship began with a clear and unwavering commitment: I refused to let my PhD thesis gather dust on the IIT-Bombay library shelves. Instead, I was resolute in my desire to make a real impact with my research. Early on, it became evident to me that the domains of health and agriculture held immense promise for driving meaningful change. What spurred me further was the stark realization that within my academic cohort, there were few, if any, venturing into the realm of sensors for agriculture. This, coupled with the distressing news reports highlighting the plight of farmers, I found my calling in the agricultural sector. The SoilSens team cultivating ideas in their office at Pune Although I lacked a formal background in agriculture, I was undeterred. To bridge this knowledge gap, I embarked on a journey of exploration and education. I traversed the length and breadth of India, visiting prestigious institutions such as the Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI), the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), and the Professor Jayashankar Telangana State Agricultural University (PJTSAU). These visits allowed me to forge connections with seasoned experts in the field, immersing myself in the intricacies and challenges of agriculture.The pivotal moment arrived when we secured funding from the Department of Science and Technology (DST) and MeitY. These projects were dedicated to developing cutting-edge moisture and nutrient sensors explicitly tailored to the agriculture sector. It was then that my academic pursuits seamlessly melded with entrepreneurship. In retrospect, my journey underscores the profound impact of determination, networking, and an solid desire to create positive change. It serves as a testament to the notion that one’s background should never limit the pursuit of transformative innovations. As I continue on this path, my commitment remains unwavering – to leverage technology to improve agriculture, ensuring our efforts leave an enduring and impactful mark on the world. 10 | Women at the Helm How did you manage the dual responsibilities of pursuing a PhD while simultaneously building your enterprise? I had a clear vision that the outcome of my doctoral research should yield a practical product benefiting farmers. In academia, there’s often a strong emphasis on publishing research papers, a demanding task that consumes a substantial amount of time. To navigate this challenge, I pursued two distinct endeavors: one focused on my PhD and the other dedicated to my entrepreneurial venture. In my academic pursuit, I published research papers and secured a patent for a product I developed as a part of my research work. However, it became evident that this product would require additional time to fully mature before being introduced into the market. This realization prompted me to embark on a parallel journey to create a product for my entrepreneurial venture. This product would be cost-effective and user-friendly, catering specifically to the needs of our farming community. Have you participated in any incubation programs? Our journey into incubation wasn’t immediate. In the early stages of building my company, I didn’t recognize the need for incubation. While I was well-versed in technology, I lacked crucial insights into entrepreneurship. As a result, I made numerous mistakes and soon realized the value of being part of the right incubator. Affiliated with IIT-Bombay, I was aware of their incubator, the Society for Innovation and Entrepreneurship (SINE). Since SINE primarily focused on technology rather than agriculture, I didn’t formally incubate there. However, I did seek their guidance whenever I encountered challenges. We also had the privilege of winning a 3-lakh rupee prize in an innovation competition organized by SINE. Meeting with Gururaj Deshpande, renowned venture capitalist and Professor Kusre, IIT Bombay In my experience, I’ve come to appreciate that startups often need accelerators more than traditional incubators. The real key is finding incubators that can offer practical, experience- based advice tailored to the unique needs of each incubatee. Some incubators provide theoretical guidance readily available in books, but entrepreneurs like me require real-world insights from individuals with hands-on experience in entrepreneurship and related fields. The knowledge gained in a typical six- month program can be condensed into just one day when such mentorship is available. Women at the Helm | 11 Participating in an incubation program goes beyond education – it’s about building a network and becoming part of a larger ecosystem. Every WhatsApp group within an incubator network has played a role in our journey, offering valuable support and guidance. I’ve had the privilege of being incubated under DST NIDHI’s Promoting and Accelerating Young and Aspiring Technology Entrepreneurs (PRAYAS) program and at Venture Centre, Pune. Although I couldn’t complete the PJTSAU AgHub incubation due to the challenges posed by COVID-19, Dr Kalpana Sastry, the Managing Director of AgHub, has been a steadfast mentor. Additionally, I’ve attended programs in various institutions, including the Research and Innovation Circle of Hyderabad (RICH), Indigram Labs, and Millenium Alliance, all of which have contributed significantly to our growth and success. Please describe the range of products your company offers. Our journey began with developing a moisture sensor, a technology that would go on to lay the foundation for our commitment to revolutionizing agriculture. The moisture sensor was the first step in our mission to empower farmers with innovative tools for more efficient farming. Our second product – an IoT system for irrigation management – harnessed various sensor measures, including soil moisture, temperature, and humidity. This system operates on solar power and can be used in open fields, greenhouses, and polyhouses. While our IoT system was significantly more affordable than imported alternatives, real-world field testing revealed a challenge, small farmers found it difficult to bear the cost. In our pursuit to create meaningful impact, we embarked on a journey to design something portable and cost-effective, accessible to all. The result was a smaller, more affordable version of our IoT system, about the size of a dongle (4-5 cm), which could be easily shared among farmers. When a group of 10-15 farmers pooled resources to purchase this product, they gained the ability to map moisture levels in their fields, facilitating better Diverse SoilSens solutions 12 | Women at the Helm irrigation planning. This initiative caught the attention of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), which recognized our product as ‘farmer-friendly’. We’re committed to making technology accessible to all, ensuring that even small farmers can benefit from the digital agricultural revolution. At Proximal SoilSens, our innovations are driven by our dedication to empowering farmers and driving positive change in the farming community. Then, we developed a soil-testing device called NutriSens, a groundbreaking device that is now the star product in our portfolio. NutriSens represents a leap forward in the world of soil testing technology, offering innovative solutions to address the challenges current soil testing methods face. What sets NutriSens apart is its remarkable design – it’s one of the world’s smallest soil testing devices. Gone are the days of bulky, infrastructure- dependent equipment. NutriSens is incredibly portable and remarkably easy to use, revolutionizing the way soil testing is done. One of the most significant advantages of our NutriSens soil testing device is the dramatically reduced testing time. Traditionally, farmers would send soil samples to a lab and wait for results, which could take up to 15 days. With NutriSens, that wait time is slashed to just 10 minutes, providing farmers with immediate insights into their soil’s health. Our device measures six critical soil parameters, and we’re continually expanding its capabilities by adding more parameters. We firmly believe that NutriSens will revolutionize soil management, much like how the glucometer transformed diabetes management. In addition to NutriSens, we’re proud to offer the SoilSens Weather Station, which captures real-time weather data so as to empower farmers further with essential information for their agricultural decisions. How does the soil testing device, NutriSens, work? We’ve integrated our soil testing device, NutriSens, with our mobile applications to provide farmers with a powerful on-field solution. When farmers are out in the fields, they can easily create a soil solution and apply it to the paper-based sensor strip within the device. The magic happens as the device runs the test in real-time, generating results for six essential soil parameters. But we don’t stop there. The actual value comes when we present these results as a ‘health card’ in PDF format. This digital report includes the measured parameters, actionable insights, and best agricultural practices tailored to the specific soil condition and crop grown. Being mindful of sustainability we provide only soft copies of these health cards. We’ve also designed our sensors to be paper-based (if required), ensuring eco-friendliness at every step. Sharing these health cards is a breeze. Farmers can easily send them via WhatsApp or any other application, or even take printouts if needed. Nutrisens-Worlds lightest and smallest soil testing device Women at the Helm | 13 Behind the scenes, we collaborate with private agricultural consultants who curate a vast database of advisories. This is where the magic of local expertise comes into play. When our technology is taken to a new location, we work closely with local experts. They input advisories for various crop and soil types, which then automatically get generated based on the specific soil test results. Currently, we’re making waves in Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand, and Odisha, thanks to partnerships with esteemed clients – TATA Trust and Collectives for Integrated Livelihood Initiatives (CInI). Together, we’re bringing the power of technology to agriculture, making farming more efficient, informed, and sustainable. How do you view the transformative potential of digital technologies in the agriculture sector? At Proximal SoilSens, we believe in the tremendous potential of digital technologies to transform the agricultural sector. Beyond our sensor-based products, we’ve harnessed the power of digital innovation to offer a comprehensive suite of solutions. Our portfolio includes two mobile applications: the FARMER© App for farmers, and PROFIT© (Professional Resource for Optimizing Farming, Innovation, and Technology) for agriculture experts, along with the web-based CropWise application. Our web-based app bridges the gap between our valued client, and their network of 1000 farmers. Soilsens FARMER© App Working of Nutrisens© 14 | Women at the Helm With our CropWise© app, one can remotely monitor all the farms, access sensor data, and gain real-time insights into on-field activities, no matter where you’re located. The digital advantage empowers you to make informed decisions and optimize farming operations. With regard to farmers, our geotagging feature allows them to track and manage their farms effortlessly. They can log daily activities, which then helps them to create a valuable record of their work. This data not only aids farmers in maintaining better records but also allows customers to track their activities closely, thereby facilitating more informed actions in the future. We understand that not all farmers may be tech savvy, so we’ve adopted a phase-wise approach to app deployment. At present we’re in the first phase, focusing on raising awareness among farmers and ensuring they feel confident with using the app. We’re more than just a hardware company; we’re dedicated to providing a complete, integrated solution that combines the power of both hardware and software. At Proximal SoilSens, we’re committed to driving positive change in agriculture through the digital revolution. Did you avail of any financial support or grants? Securing funding is our overriding challenge, especially because we are a deep tech company, and cannot be compared to the more traditional agribusiness enterprises. It entails substantial financial investments, from developing groundbreaking products to validating them, conducting pilot programs, and marketing our innovations. It is an intricate process where every step requires a significant allocation of resources. Meeting with BIRAC-DBT team As a domain primarily driven by government initiatives, soil testing presents unique challenges. Given the intricacies of this landscape, even larger corporations find it challenging to engage effectively with small- scale farmers. Despite rigorously testing and validating our products against industry standards, farmers and academic institutions often request formal certifications to endorse the technology. Achieving validations at a larger scale is a resource-intensive endeavor. One of the most pronounced hurdles is the bureaucratic paperwork called for to access financial support. This cumbersome process not only prolongs the acquisition of funds Women at the Helm | 15 Women SHG members at Solapur, Pune getting acquainted with Soilsens solutions but can also hinder our ability to meet critical project milestones. Additionally, when dealing with government funds, there is a notable limitation in the allocation of resources. While the funds may be granted, a substantial portion is often earmarked for specific purposes, leaving limited flexibility, particularly when hiring essential human resources. In essence, the financial landscape poses multiple challenges for us. It underscores the necessity to secure funding and allocate it efficiently to develop world-class products, including the critical investment in human resources. To ensure a steady cash flow, I adopted a few strategies. First, I maintained a lean business model, hiring only passionate and dedicated individuals. Second, I took on a second formal job, working around 16 to 17 hours a day, combining my startup efforts with a reliable and steady source of income. This approach reduced my dependence on the startup for personal finances. Furthermore, I diversified my product focus, not relying solely on one offering. While I had confidence in the soil testing device, I concurrently developed moisture sensors and small IoT-based systems, mitigating the risk of a single product failure. Funding from BIRAC, Atal Innovation Mission, Millenium Alliance, and DST Nidhi Prayas supported the various technological developments and enhancements. With all our products patented, revenue from the alternative products sustained us until the soil testing device was fully developed. What is your marketing strategy, and could you tell us about your customer base? Our journey to successful marketing has been truly exceptional. We’ve achieved remarkable results with a minimal marketing budget, and a commitment to efficient customer acquisition. The secret to our success has been one-on- one networking, forming personal connections that have brought in the majority of our valued customers. 16 | Women at the Helm Students from Deep Griha Academy, Pune testing soil using Soilsens technology We’re proud to have over 20 B2B clients, including industry giants such as ITC, TATA Trust, and Mahindra. Our strong partnerships with these prominent companies are poised to yield even more impressive results in the coming months. But we’re not limiting our horizons to just one region. Our reach extends globally, and our dedicated team actively engages with potential clients in Indonesia, Mozambique, Tanzania, and Guatemala. We’re on a mission to share our innovative solutions and expertise with farming communities worldwide. In recent months, we’ve also expanded our horizons by collaborating with NGOs and Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs). We’ve recognized the need to strengthen our presence in this sector, so we’ve welcomed a new marketing professional onto our team. This expert is actively in the field, building connections and forging partnerships with NGOs and FPOs. Together, we’re working towards making a substantial impact and transforming the future of agriculture – one partnership at a time. We are also trying out a new marketing strategy involving school students in rural areas. Convincing farmers is tough because they are always apprehensive about adopting new technology. Therefore, we are introducing our technology to school children so they can discuss our device with their parents and persuade them. This approach is feasible, primarily because our device is exceptionally user-friendly, even for schoolchildren. Additionally, it serves a second purpose, of familiarizing school children – the future generation of farmers – with technology, making them less hesitant to embrace it. What is the rationale behind your collaboration with FPOs and NGOs? We are the winners of Social Alpha Krishi Mangal’s 2.0 Cohort, and with that fund we are trying to collaborate with NGOs and FPOs. We are aiming for two things: One, to build a network of agripreneurs who are FPO members; and two, to provide services in rural Women at the Helm | 17 Have you established any collaborations with public-sector agriculture departments or institutions? We have pitched our product to the UP government and the deal is yet to be finalised. We also demonstrated the soil testing device at the central government level, and as directed by them, we are validating the soil testing device. We have also spoken to a few ICAR and international institutes, like IRRI, for collaborations. Many of these partnerships with the public sector are in the pipeline. Meeting with officials from the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology areas. These agripreneurs can provide soil testing as a service by using NutriSens and earn additional income. So, we are exploring them as potential soil testing partners. We have collaborated with a few NGOs and FPOs in Maharashtra and Gujarat. Individual farmers are not our main customers, as it will not be feasible for individual farmers to invest in a device that will be used only once or twice in a cropping season. Hence, we are trying to market our products to FPOs, NGOs, or agripreneurs. We are also exploring FPOs and NGOs as our implementation partners. A woman agripreneur demonstrating Soilsens technology to women farmers from Gujarat 18 | Women at the Helm Receiving Millenium Alliance award in 2022 What are the future initiatives or goals that SoilSens has in mind? We have many products in the pipeline for launch, such as Portable Chlorophyll meter, Portable pH meter, Portable NPK meter, Portable TDR Soil Moisture Meter, etc. On the technology side, we plan to launch these products and add more features to our already established products. Collaboration with both the public and private sectors is something we look forward to. Are there any policy-level changes you would like to see implemented? I believe that our policies are well-formulated, but the primary issue often lies in their implementation. However, I think there is room for some policy-level adjustments. For instance, many funding schemes and grants have age restrictions. This can pose challenges for female entrepreneurs like me, who started their ventures later in life. Unlike men, many women face a heavier burden of family responsibilities and professional workloads in their younger years. Therefore, it would be beneficial to either remove or raise the age limits for women in these funding support schemes. The aim should be to ensure that financial support is accessible to all entrepreneurs, regardless of age. Another aspect that greatly concerns me is the potential for policy support to be misused when it appears that a business is owned by women, when in reality, it is being operated by men. There should be some mechanism to understand and verify the contribution of women in an enterprise before providing them with the support earmarked for women entrepreneurs. If a woman entrepreneur is leading that organization and is holding 60 to 70 percent of the business, then she should be given priority. Furthermore, as to funding, it is imperative to augment the budget allocated for human resources. Establishing a mechanism connecting entrepreneurs with local public organizations or institutions is crucial to ensure they receive essential support for their endeavors, including research and marketing. The presence of a robust policy in this regard will foster collaboration between entrepreneurs and public sector entities. Women at the Helm | 19 What would be your message or advice to fellow women entrepreneurs? In the world of entrepreneurship, two invaluable principles have been my guiding stars: building robust networks and embracing the power deriving from seeking help. These behaviors have proven to be more than just strategies; they are essential virtues every entrepreneur should nurture. Connect with people, forge strong networks, and don’t hesitate to reach out when you need assistance. This approach has been a game- changer, opening doors and opportunities I could never have achieved on my own. In the early phases of your entrepreneurial journey, having a reliable source of income outside your venture is crucial. I firmly believe that entrepreneurs, even with boundless passion, should not hastily abandon alternate means of financial stability. Something should keep trickling in, ensuring your survival. After all, your survival is the foundation of your startup’s success. Be ready for disappointments and setbacks along the way, they are the footnotes in the story of success. Stay resolute in your vision, don’t be deterred by objections or naysayers. If your purpose is clear and your intentions are noble, forge ahead with unwavering determination. Remember that our efforts hold immense value even if we impact just one percent of the nation’s farmers through our enterprise. Lastly, never chase money as an end in itself. Focus on doing exceptional work that creates a positive social impact. When you genuinely make a difference, rest assured that money will naturally follow in the wake of your meaningful endeavors. 20 | Women at the Helm Women at the Helm | 21 The CRISP team comprised of Bhuvana N, Sejal Agarwal, and Ditty Maria Dominic conducted an interview with a promising young aquapreneur with the aim of gaining insights into her groundbreaking startup, and to explore how digital technology is driving transformative changes in the freshwater and marine ecosystem while assisting nature and fish farmers. Let’s take a closer look at their insightful conversation. NatureDots combines nature-based science with DeepTech tools for a climate- resilient, nature-positive economy. Their AquaNurch® System, an intelligent think machine, unravels the interconnections of complex ecosystems using technology and science. Beyond conventional approaches, NatureDots transforms aquaculture, promotes healthy fisheries, and restores ecosystem health through innovative solutions. Can you tell us about your background and career journey, from being a computer science engineer to your current role in water and coastal resource management? I was born in Mumbai and fell in love with the amazing marine life of our coasts, I spent a lot of my time observing the tidal pools. But as my parents moved around different parts of India due to their jobs, I found myself always spending most of my time around waterbodies, observing the human- nature-water interactions. In hindsight I believe these early experiences shaped my interest and future trajectory. As for my background, I am trained as a computer science engineer with a Master of Business Administration (MBA) and now a Master of Environmental Management (MEM) in Water and Coastal Resource Management from 02 Digital Innovations Beneath the Waves: Rise of an Aquapreneur “One defining aspect of entrepreneurship is the presence of risks at every turn. It is crucial to embrace these challenges without fear or hesitation, and instead, be prepared to venture into uncharted territories, learn from experiences, and adapt to navigate the highly competitive world we live in.” Snehal Verma Co-Founder and Director NatureDots www.naturedots.com 22 | Women at the Helm Duke University, North Carolina. My work experience has been in the renewable energy sector, non-profit management, and multilateral agencies; and I have delivered global projects in three countries. As an engineer-turned-forest manager-turned water innovator, the best way I can describe myself is that I have specialised in being a generalist. As I dabbled in multiple roles, I can now see a common theme running through it all, namely ‘impact-focussed work’. Please share with us the concept behind AquaNurch and how it relates to your experiences and observations. AquaNurch – as an idea and a concept – began with my journey as a student entrepreneur and innovator at the Indian Institute of Forest Management (IIFM). I chose to be with IIFM after leaving Xavier School of Management (XLRI), Jamshedpur, and Indian Institute of Management (IIM), Indore, because of the uniqueness of the Institute and the fact that it was surrounded by water on three sides. This made me choose it. I often spent much of my free time birding or watching the gharials and soft-shell turtles on the lake banks, from the safety of campus boundary walls. In 2018, for one of the class projects I chose to work on freshwater fish farmers’ issues/distress points in the Bhopal Upper and Lower Lake systems. What started as a class assignment turned into a two-year long deep-dive into understanding the complexity around our freshwater resources. With commercial fisheries producers in Chhattisgarh As my engagement continued with more frequent visits with my advisor (who is now an official advisor to NatureDots) I was able develop a trust-based bond with the local fishing community members. I still remember… it was 2018 December when I received a distress call from one of the fish farmer’s sons early in the morning requesting me to immediately visit the lake areas where they had stocked their fish. As I reached the location, Women at the Helm | 23 I sensed the scale of destruction that had taken place the night before, the entire three tons of fish were dead and floating on the surface. At this point their entire stock of Indian major carp was ready for harvest; it must be remembered that farmers usually take loans to raise them. All of us were clueless as to what had gone wrong and why this destruction had happened. When we tried to find out what had happened overnight, they said that there were rains the previous night that resulted in water in the pond getting polluted with water from surrounding areas resulting in change of water chemistry in the pond. This was based on the farmer’s inputs. As a techie myself, my problem-solving mind immediately sprang into action and I got my friend, Ashish Kumar, (who is now the AI-Data Head at a multi-national company in Silicon Valley) involved in helping me design a simple system to capture the changes in water quality. That’s how we build the first minimum viable product (MVP) of AquaNurch. On further engagement what we discovered was that many people who are engaged in fishing have usually migrated from different parts of India with a community knowledge of fishing, and they are largely landless labourers. Fishing is an additional source of income for their own sustenance. This event became a sort of starting point that led me to think seriously about AquaNurch. In other words, the idea of AquaNurch came from this problem that fish farmers face and the biodiversity in our freshwater bodies. How did the journey start once you had your idea about AquaNurch? As a student at IIFM, in one of the class projects I decided to work on the water ecosystem with special reference to pollution, and also with a passion to do something for society and particularly help fish farmers achieve a good source of livelihood. During the project period at IIFM, I met and discussed many things with Mohammad Aatish Khan, the cofounder of AquaNurch, who also had similar interests like mine on working with water resources. Being a computer science engineer by education, I viewed technology as a complement for creating a systemic solution for solving some of these water- related problems, which we were witnessing. The engineering and practical experiences together with the network from IIT and IIFM on water resource resulted in the founding of NatureDots gradually. After studies at IIFM, to understand the water sector more, I joined World Wildlife Fund Inc. (WWF), where I worked on wetlands conservation, the new Ramsar’s notification and the Gangetic dolphin programme. In October 2019, I decided to quit the job at WWF, and take the project full-on to turn it into a start-up. Initially we were growing fishes in our own backyard and trying to test the water and fish life interaction. Once the codes worked and started to show significant results, I wanted to test it before taking it to fish farmers. Before COVID hit, we were in the field from October to December 2019 where we had 5-6 fish farmers with us who were ready to test our device. That’s how it sort of organically grew up. Nature Dot team at field work How did you identify and work with fish farmers? Somewhere along the way we adopted and followed the innovation theory curve for identifying the farmers. Initially, one-on- one interaction with fish farmers helped us understand them and their culture and 24 | Women at the Helm enabled us to lay the foundation for creating a strong bond of mutual trust. They were our first investors by providing their support by hosting us on fields, giving us their time and efforts on ground. We worked very closely with them and created our own ‘innovative fish farmers’ network which also included participation from women fish farmers. What is NatureDots all about? NatureDots got registered in August 2019 as a private limited company with two co-founders – Ms. Snehal Verma and Mohammad Aatish Khan – and started working as a full-fledged company from December 2019. It is a Nature- Tech + hard-tech start up dealing with water resource management, water pollution, etc., with the help of technology and focusses on how currently these resources are being managed to create better robust systems. NatureDots’ product, AquaNurch® System (https://naturedots.com/product) is an intelligent systemic-based think machine which is unwrapping the interconnection of complex ecosystems by using the power of technology and science (to simplify and not to complicate). Given the complexities of the aquatic ecosystem, NatureDots’ team goes beyond the conventional approach of data analytics, water parameters monitoring using Internet of Things (IoT) and geo spatial analysis. With this system and solutions, we are transforming aquaculture-based food systems, ensuring healthy fisheries (food-security and protein security) and re-installing ecosystem health by assisting in restoration, conservation and protection. Field work with individual commercial fisheries producer Can you elaborate on your prime product – AquaNurch System? As said earlier, the AquaNurch Systems (https://naturedots.com/product) is a first of its kind deep-tech tool developed to provide solutions to the natural resource problems associated with water. The AquaNurch units acts as a Neural Node, capturing the pulse of water ecosystems from both the depth and the surface of water, combining it with the geospatial planetary spatial temporal data, and processes it using proprietary AI models. The system acts as a Biophysical Chemical Ecological Big Data Factory on the natural system where it is deployed providing localised, accurate, timely and simplified resource intelligence. Its data Application Women at the Helm | 25 Programming Interface (APIs) are capable of providing primary onsite real-time data from 5-seconds to any defined interval. The team then leverages massive data and other information on ecosystem health to navigate and generate customised usable, beneficial insights for different customers and use-cases, providing a roster of services. Focussing on the freshwater aquaculture in India, we are delivering solutions in the form of alerts, advisories, and insights in 13 languages; globally in English via mobile and web dashboard. Is the data available on web dashboard as an open source? Yes, that is the idea, to make it accessible to everyone in open source. AquaNurch’s data for different water assets is made available on request. As we are in the early stages of our enterprise, navigating complex AI and data compliance while being resource efficient always necessitates constant effort to maintain the right equilibrium. We charge nominal fees for our data assets which are essential to maintain the robust quality and security of our pipelines. So, who are your primary clients? Currently, we are working with fish farmers, water asset managers, restoration managers, etc., where products are customised according to their needs on a payment basis. We have an internal process and templates for customer identification and engagement. The product price depends on the kind of stakeholder (B2B, B2G) we are dealing with – government and commercial aqua-culturalists. We customise the product price depending upon their needs as well as duration of the engagement. Smallholder farmers are engaged indirectly through government or a business partner. Under National Rural Livelihood Mission (NRLM), we have partnered with Chhattisgarh State Rural Livelihood Mission (Bihan) as one of our government partners. Though the company is based on digital innovation, what other digital innovations do you use? We use a ‘Software as a Service’ (SaaS) platform and a mobile application that provides information to our clients as and when needed. We are also using internally developed AquaNurch as an AI-IoT device to derive data and use on our web- based platform, and mobile application to communicate the relevant advisory to our customer. Since these services are customized as per need, its cost is also derived accordingly. How did the idea of providing advisory services work? The biggest challenge we found was that fisheries have high mortality rates. The risk behavior and the risk appetite of fish farmer is very different as compared to crop farmers or such. When they are doing fishery, as a thumb rule, they assume having a certain percentage of loss arising from mortality rates. If they put 100 fish, they know and are prepared to get only 70 fishes out of 100. But we know that these losses can be avoided through better management and availability of best sectoral practices and information. Instead of bombarding the farmers with an overload of information, we worked very diligently in creating these advisories and insights that are specific to each species of fish in different states. We advise them on: what is the stocking cycle they should follow? How many fish should they stock? What kind of fertilization method to use? How much feed has to be added? etc. These advisories are provided mainly to minimize wastage to maintain the water quality. Our solution monitors the end-to-end fisheries cycle and is capable of forecasting five days in advance of any impending changes in water chemistry. 26 | Women at the Helm AquaNurch Mobile application for fish farmers For fisheries it is a matter of two to three hours where an entire stock can be wiped out! Thus, effective monitoring is super-critical. Currently we engage with 1152 fish farmers and out of that 117 are women fish farmers. The technology enables them, especially women fish farmers, in optimising their operations and assist in managing their workload. With the use of our system, they can conveniently access the best industry and pond-operation insights and are not in a blind spot in case of any changing event, which may have a negative consequence on their productivity. AquaNurch Fisheries Farms in Chhattisgarh How comfortable are farmers in using digital tools? They all have mobile phones and I think they are quite comfortable. The advent of Digital India and boom in Agtech has also had a trickle-down effect in other streams of rural economy. Almost every rural shopkeeper has a Paytm app and availability of cheaper and more resilient mobile phones have made things happen. Most of the fish farmers we met possessed a smart phone and it was not that difficult for them to adopt and use our app. For us, the ground became more fertile during COVID because everything was getting done online. Even if they didn’t like using cell phones, they had no other option and they had to rely on digital tools. The farmers who use digital tools are impressively vocal about its quality and convenience of use. It is evident that if it is not functioning well, they will not install or use it. Women at the Helm | 27 In what formats are these advisories generated? It is in message form; alerts are notified by displaying in the AquaNurch app. We give a mix of mobile -notifications and customer calling to help them navigate and address any challenges. Can you give me an idea of the reach of NatureDots? Yes, we have around 3800 ha of natural water bodies under active management. 1500+ large farmers are under active engagement across Chhattisgarh, Maharashtra, Haryana and Andhra. In USA, we have 2000 ha under management. What strategies did you employ to ensure a cautious and measured approach to scale up AquaNurch? A strong customer connect and ensuring speedy, effective and high-quality solution delivery to our customers irrespective of their stage of fishery development and knowledge, ensured that we can create strong user sentiment for adopting our AquaNurch solution. We focus more on scaling up with quality, taking baby steps so that we can eventually deliver big. This has been largely possible as we haven’t taken any investment loan so far and are fully bootstrapped, having raised only non-dilutive funds. Are you collaborating with other stakeholders in the fisheries sector and if so, how? In India the ponds are state controlled, put on tender by the government. By default, government becomes our partner, and we have to have clearances from them if you need to work on that particular water body. Private ponds, on the other hand, are obviously privately held – people dig their own ponds and it calls for a different approach to reach out to them. While assessing water bodies, stakeholder analysis and insights are super critical. So, we must triangulate and bring in all those stakeholders’ perspectives before taking the solution on ground. We collaborate and partner with different agencies working in the fisheries field because the opportunities are many but scale of the problem is huge as well, and no one organization or solution can singly resolve these challenges. AquaNurch system Installation in the fields of USA 28 | Women at the Helm How are you enhancing your capacities as an entrepreneur? I haven’t done any courses specially related to entrepreneurship. I have been talking to women entrepreneurs worldwide through various online platforms and received in- person guidance and mentoring from both women and men. Also, my Master’s in water and coastal resource management from Duke University gave me an added advantage. While I was there, I had a chance to work with the Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) on coastal resilience, covering issues such as sea level rise, sea water intrusion and coastal resilience, and fisheries policies. I also worked on a couple of projects dealing with restoration. In addition to learning these technical topics, I also interacted with several women entrepreneurs, especially those who have established businesses during the early 1980s and 90s when times were much harder for women. Interacting with such women leaders have helped and guided me in my entrepreneurial journey. How many staff do you have at Naturedots? We have eight full time staff, 8 part time ones and a huge network of voluntary super members. What are the motivating factors that kept you driving your dream project? My interest in biodiversity restoration, especially marine life and establishing peaceful coexistence of humans and wildlife, is the key motivating factor for me. How unique is your product? Our solution is a first of its kind, it’s a location-indifferent plug and play product specially developed from an emerging and under-developed economy requirement and stakeholder perspective, which makes it super- scalable. We created the first AI for Water in India. We are rethinking about how resources are currently being managed. We need to rethink on the way forward as we make greater use of water resources or natural resources since everything is interconnected. And how actually tools such as DeepTech and AI could help us visualize everything together instead of using a siloed approach. The team’s special expertise is positioning us ahead. Technology helps in managing things more effectively, but only if it is complemented with community knowledge and understanding can these things work out. So, empowering community with digital tools and innovations is the biggest need of the hour. What do you have to say about data policies in the country as data is the key input for your company? India has started thinking along those lines, especially having the data server within our country. Complexity comes when startups like us who work across borders have to deal with something like General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) compliances of Europe or US with their own policies. I personally feel that monopolizing data is not good because if you don’t share the data, you don’t help the ecosystem grow. For AI you need data. We spent a considerable amount of time as an AI company to have all our AI systems in place. We take a lot of pride in terms of data security and privacy. That is where I feel whether it is a small-scale fish farmer, or a commercial or government entity, everybody needs the same privacy and security for their data. I love the fact that the Telangana government has an open data policy for health care sector (health data). You need that. When you don’t have access to data, how can you make products or do some things. We have seen a couple of policies in place in the AI space in states such as Kerala and Telangana. But on the national scale still there are lots of grey areas – regionally or globally – which is too complicated at present. As a startup we need to think through all these angles. Women at the Helm | 29 Do you think that the evolving digital system can replace the traditional markets in fisheries? It is not that easy. Actually, it is a huge network of fish farmers who work in different layers. For example, a cohort of fish farmers will be working under another big fish farmer who had taken a tender to do fishing in a particular place. Similarly, the big fish farmer will have some other network where he sells the fish. It is not that straightforward. I feel whatever happens in digital space you cannot replace traditional actors or traditional supply chain systems that are in place. I find it sophisticated enough without a technology where they are able to run a business. Of course, we could sort of enhance it, complement it and make it more robust, if there are any leakages, we can seal that but we cannot replace them. What is your biggest success so far in your entrepreneurial journey? Working for the past two years with almost nil team attrition rate and increased customer engagement can be considered as one of my biggest successes. The farmers and the government are finding value in the products of NatureDots which is allowing it to progress steadily. Any setbacks? One of our clients in Washington State, USA, had his pond near a forested area. Unfortunately, our device was destroyed by a bear just after two months from installation. The team didn’t understand what had happened but with the help of the State Parks Department we came to know about the bear attack. So, I feel that one needs to have the capacity and capability to deal with such unexpected situations. Also, since it is an Indian start up, we must comply with a lot of formalities in other countries and can only export a limited number of devices. So, we need to be extra careful of terrains in foreign countries. What are your future plans? Our plan is to drill down under beach head and have more areas of water monitoring and expand the geography of our AquaNurch installations. Our big dream is to get almost 15 million inland fish farmers on board and have 2.5 million hectares of water bodies under active monitoring. Field work with fisheries producers What awards or recognitions have come your way? We are the World’s First ‘Whale’ Start Up for achieving a ‘Hockey-stick’ acceleration for solving hard-problems, fusing profits and impact in tandem with creating a better world; and we were awarded the Green Growth Startup UNEP Asia-Pacific Award. We were also recognized at IIGP 2.0, 3M Young Innovators and many of these accomplishments can be found on our website (https://naturedots. com/). NatureDots is a World Economic Forum’s and HCL Tech’s Global Top Innovator. We have been spearheading water causes on a global scale representing the concerns of water and fish farmers at the UN water conference, WEF-Davos, World Food Programme and FAO, Rome. As a torchbearer for water security and food-system resilience our efforts have been recognized and resonated across the globe. As an entrepreneur what are your important learnings? Firstly, it is important to not get too 30 | Women at the Helm emotionally attached with the idea, and being open to share, listen and accept other people’s opinions for making your own idea stronger. Secondly, one should have the ability to take risks, but it should be a calculated risk. Thirdly, one should do a thorough assessment of user’s willingness to pay for services. Finally, one should not be afraid of sharing ideas with others thinking that it could be stolen. Sharing may help one to learn new ideas or form a team if someone has the same idea. It is a very big ecosystem where many such ideas are needed. How gender responsive is NatureDots? We have company policies of ensuring equal opportunity and gender sensitivity with a robust culture of cross-cultural exchange and sharing. You can find more from the job- posting section on our website dealing with our team hiring and culture policies. Any specific challenges you faced as a women entrepreneur? It was challenging initially for me as a woman to get into a male dominated field. But, once the farmers see that you know what you are talking about, they automatically respected NatureDots at Summer Davos,WEF,in Tianjin 2023 Women at the Helm | 31 me. Later, we progressed with testing our ideas/tools in the field, identified our farmers and engaged in actual business. Safety and security are also another challenge during field visits by women colleagues or me. Finding a safe place to stay, mode of travel, etc., are important when planning our visits. These would differ from location to location. During one of my fund-raising rounds, I faced some biased questions such as what is my age? am I married? when am I planning to get married? etc., which were not generally asked to my male co-founder. All those questions made me realise the hardships faced by a women entrepreneur, especially while raising funds. Any specific learning as a ‘woman’ entrepreneur? Yes, as a woman, one should not let any gendered or biased comments or actions affect you. As a first-generation woman entrepreneur, I can share that best learnings come from speaking and interacting with other women entrepreneurs so as to keep yourself abreast of how things should be handled, and to learn the tactics. Having a good cohort of people around who are supportive is important as an entrepreneur, and as a woman it becomes a game-changer. Such advisers and mentors help to boost one’s growth. There is no age limit for any woman to start her own business. It should be her choice when she wants to get married, have children and so on. Soft skills are very essential for women entrepreneurs. It is important to have a network of women entrepreneurs within which they can discuss their problems related to their journey, biases, etc., and get solutions to their problems. Any suggestions for policy actors? Fisheries should be considered as a separate domain under policy and within that there should be distinction between different types – freshwater fishery, farm-based fishery, marine fishery, etc. There should be more centralised data available for fisheries sector to progress. Any specific advice for upcoming women entrepreneurs? Don’t be afraid of trying something new. One defining feature is that there is risk in everything. It is always good to try things out. Definitely, age should not be a bar. Being a woman entrepreneur is not easy. One needs to learn to handle difficult situations. To start with, it can be a lonely journey. Use any kind of network to get out and never get afraid to randomly try out solutions for your problems. Upskilling is super important, and it should never stop. With commercial fisheries producers 32 | Women at the Helm Women at the Helm | 33 How did RenKube pioneer a transformative synergy between solar technology and farming, reshaping India’s landscape for a greener tomorrow? Dr. Lakshmi Santhanam takes us through the inspiring journey of RenKube in a recent interview with Bhuvana, N and Ditty Maria Dominic. RenKube (https://www.renkube.com/) is a renewable energy-focused company that is a pioneer in Motion Free Optical Tracking (MFOT) of solar panels. It has a research and development site in Bangalore, India. Set up in 2017, the company is led by a group of passionate individuals committed to contributing to a sustainable future by producing cutting edge products in the area of renewable energy. Today, their focus is on developing and commercializing MFOT-based solar technology. Dr. Lakshmi, could you please brief us on your background and what inspired you to start the company? RenKube is the brainchild of a group of software engineers with more than a decade of experience in software development and expertise in diverse areas such as network security, algorithms and protocols, etc. I am the Chief Operating Officer and co-founder. I have a PhD in network security and have worked on innovative business initiatives like wireless streaming technology from my stint at Intel and new security features for routers while at Cisco. I lead the design of our patent-pending product, various aspects of the business, including manufacturing, legal matters, and fundraising. Balaji Lakshmikanth Bangolae, is the CEO and also founder who leads RenKube’s product design, innovations and business strategy. He brings more than 20 years of experience, and was among the first 10 employees at Cisco India. He holds 13 U.S. patents 03 Solar Dreams and Agriculture Revival: the RenKube way! “Dream big, fly high and soar like an eagle far above all challenges. The Indian startup ecosystem is primed to nurture women entrepreneurs, and the opportunities are unlimited. Hence, dream big and kickstart your journey”. Lakshmi Santhanam Co-Founder, COO RenKube www.renkube.com 34 | Women at the Helm and was the recipient of three Pioneer Awards at Cisco. Another co-founder, Deepika Gopal, who was working with us at Cisco for six years, has a Master’s degree at University of California, San Diego. Our journey began during our time at Cisco, where we successfully collaborated on various projects, forming a strong bond and deep understanding of each other’s capabilities. This synergy, combined with our technical expertise, has been pivotal to RenKube’s journey since 2017. Our main mission at RenKube is to implement innovative renewable energy solutions by converting any surface exposed to the sun into an energy generating unit. This includes a wide range of products related to solar energy, such as in-building integrated photovoltaics (solar panels incorporated into the structure of buildings like roof or wall), solar balcony (like solar panels integrated into glass facades in the balcony), and rooftop solar. Our vision is to change the way people use solar energy in their daily lives, making it a ubiquitous choice in all walks of life. We leveraged our strength in software and algorithms to develop a proprietary AI solution that can come up with the best glass design for photovoltaic panels to capture more sunlight, thereby increasing the energy generation in the panels. Our foray into Agri Photovoltaics or AgriPV is an extension of our vision to enable the dual use of land for solar and agriculture. RenKube’s Founding Team Our journey began during our time at Cisco, where we successfully collaborated on various projects, forming a strong bond and deep understanding of each other’s capabilities. This synergy, combined with our technical expertise, has been pivotal to RenKube’s journey since 2017. Our main mission at RenKube is to implement innovative renewable energy solutions by converting any surface exposed to the sun into an energy generating unit. This includes a wide range of products related to solar energy, such as in-building Women at the Helm | 35 integrated photovoltaics (solar panels incorporated into the structure of buildings like roof or wall), solar balcony (like solar panels integrated into glass facades in the balcony), and rooftop solar. Our vision is to change the way people use solar energy in their daily lives, making it a ubiquitous choice in all walks of life. We leveraged our strength in software and algorithms to develop a proprietary AI solution that can come up with the best glass design for photovoltaic panels to capture more sunlight, thereby increasing the energy generation in the panels. Our foray into Agri Photovoltaics or AgriPV is an extension of our vision to enable the dual use of land for solar and agriculture. Can you take us through the process of the ideation and product finalization at RenKube? We picked up the idea of renewable energy back in 2017 when it was still not so popular but looked promising. India is a sunshine- rich country; yet we have an immense power outage which can be bridged by adopting solar. Hence, we focused on the problem of making solar energy generation more efficient. At first, we focused on solar thermal technology, but lacked the mechanical expertise to make a product that would have attractive unit economics. We overcame this failure by focusing on our strengths and took a cross-disciplinary approach by applying software to solve the problem of energy efficiency in solar panels. We focused our innovation not on solar cells but on a layer above it, i.e., on the solar glass to make a perfect glass design using software to capture more sunlight. We applied our expertise in algorithms and AI to build a proprietary software that can carve perfect glass geometry (which we call as light redirecting prisms) to capture sunlight and redirect it to the solar cells. This was not easy. The angle of the sunlight falling on the panel changes continuously during the day and throughout the year, making it hard to capture sunlight efficiently. Our AI-based software helped us handle the complexity of catering to the varied angles of incident sunlight and capturing it with a minimal amount of glass without overshooting the peak rating of the panel. The smart glass design once manufactured and assembled on the solar panel remains completely stationary and doesn’t require any seasonal tilt/adjustment. Hence the name ‘Motion Free Optical Tracking (MFOT)’. Its advantage is that it doesn’t need any mechanical parts like motors or gears. The only maintenance needed is the cleaning of the light redirecting prism and the solar panel. RenKube solar panel redirection In early 2020, we realized that the unique nature of our panels (with an interleaved arrangement of solar cells and reflectors) would provide better lighting under the panels as well, rendering it suitable for agriculture, unlike traditional solar panels that throw a solid block of shadow that makes growth of vegetation impossible. AgriPV enables a symbiotic relationship between solar panels and crops. The transpiration from plants keeps the panels cool and improves energy generation by 5% and the canopy of the solar panels on the crops reduces irrigation needs, especially in a tropical climate like India. The concept of AgriPV was taking shape around the globe, in different arrangements like leaving gaps between every adjacent solar panel or raising the solar structure or growing 36 | Women at the Helm crops in the inter-row gaps between solar panels, all of which limit the agriculture yield to 50% of the total area. With RenKube’s technology, we can make 100% of the land usable for both agriculture and solar energy generation. This can completely transform the life of a farmer who can make solar their 3rd crop by leasing the land to solar developers that can bring in a fixed guaranteed income of 30,000/acre/ annum, all the while continuing with their regular agricultural activities. We are actively working on this mission to bring in change in the lives of small and marginal Indian farmers. Currently, our focus is on two product lines – the Agri PV panel “Krishi” that is designed for dual use in the same land and the second product is the energy efficient PV panel “Adi” that focuses on improving the energy yield in solar panels by up to 40% by capturing more sunlight with our patent-pending light redirecting prisms. Both the products align with our vision of driving the clean energy transition in India and making efficient use of available resources, whether for agricultural productivity or enhanced solar energy generation. RenKube solar panels in the field Can you share the key challenges your team faced during the transition from a software background to the world of deep tech and cleantech? Indeed, the transition brought with it a steep learning curve, and adapting to a completely different field, with manifold challenges. In deep tech, especially clean tech, the gestation period for product development is considerably longer than in software. Our proprietary software gave us the prototype design as a CAD sketch, but to translate it to a physical glass piece was tough as it involved interacting with unskilled laborers at Firozabad, which is India’s glass hub. Sometimes, the software sketch was not amenable to manufacturing due to problems in making the mould or would result in too much material wastage and consequently increased the unit cost price. In a hardware product which has dependency on moulds this can easily take a few months. This is in sharp contrast to a software patch that can easily fix a bug and can be released within 3-4 weeks. Post prototype development comes the validation of our minimum viable product (MVP). To drive a transition of a clean tech idea from technology readiness level 4 to 6, it Women at the Helm | 37 is quite capital intensive. But luckily for us the multiple government funds aided us in the early stages. Even after MVP, to commercialize the technology involves multiple stages of validation like product certification and field validation as the idea is proven from kilowatts (KW) scale to megawatt (MW) scale. It is also important for us to validate the working of our light redirecting prism in different latitudes, geographical conditions and land terrains. In the case of AgriPV, micro-climatic conditions of crops indigenous to the region are different; hence it’s important to validate the suitability of our panels for different crop types with extensive data collection. Can you provide an overview of your funding status and sources? The founders bootstrapped the company with their own funds for initial product development. We built three iterations of our physical prototypes in glass and established a small glass melting facility as an inhouse experiment center during Covid times. Currently, we have raised approximately ₹ 5 crores in investment, as a mix of equity and grants. We received grants from government sources such as Nidhi Prayas; Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises (MSME) grant from Indian Institute of Sciences (IISc); Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council (BIRAC) from IKP Knowledge Park, Hyderabad; TIDE 2.0 from SINE IIT Bombay; and a substantial grant from the US-India Endowment Fund for an innovative roofing product that aims to enhance energy generation from building- integrated PV. What has been your experience with incubation centres? As we progressed and developed our product, we realized the importance of understanding the business landscape, identifying the customer segment for our product, market research and fine tuning the story of our customer value proposition as we started interacting with different stakeholders. We participated in several incubation programs, such as Startup Nexus with the US embassy and collaborated with institutions like IISc and IIT Mumbai, which played a crucial role in our growth and catapulted us from researchers to technopreneurs. What is the role incubation centres play in a startup? Incubation centres provide startups with access to resources and equipment that they may not be able to afford individually, and often have specialized laboratories and equipment tailored to different industries, allowing startups to use them for experimentation and research. Typically, government grants and funding are channelled through these centres, making it easier for startups to access these opportunities. They provide the last- mile connectivity between innovators and government funding sources. They also help startups navigate the complexities of grant applications and milestone-driven funding processes. After the grant is obtained, they provide guidance with monthly reviews, weekly seminars, access to industrial workshops and conferences, showcase opportunities to potential investors and also offer essential support, mentorship on both business and technical fronts. In my journey, every incubation centre enabled me to build a strong network of entrepreneurs. I’ve been part of five different incubators over the last three years, and now I’m in turn serving as a mentor at these centres. Remember, this strong entrepreneur network is not just about exchange of information on funding opportunities; we also discuss nuances like handling grant money, GST compliance, TDS, and the intricacies of negotiating term sheets during fundraising. Having the support of experienced fellow entrepreneurs is invaluable. 38 | Women at the Helm Did these incubation centres have a structured curriculum, and what specific areas did they focus on in addition to technology? Yes, the incubation centres provided a standard set of principles for running a business, covering topics like market discovery, understanding customers, fundraising, pitching, IP, legal issues, important clauses to check in a term sheet, manufacturing agreement, and mutual non-disclosure agreement (NDAs). However, some institutions offer more specialized knowledge. For example, we participated in programs like Climate Launchpad with Knowledge and Innovation Community (KIC), which focused on calculating the climate impact of our technology and also connected us with global cleantech entrepreneurs and forums. Another important value addition is networking. For instance, IKP knowledge park conducts an annual International Knowledge Millennium Conference (IKMC) which brings together innovators, investors and government bodies from all over India to brainstorm. Being a part of this event, I learnt immensely from others and gained valuable insights from their workshop. For our AgriPV product, we took the help of PJTSAU’s AgHub Agri innovation pilot (AIP) program that helped us validate our value proposition for farmers with a systematic scientific study on the crop under the RenKube panels. They helped us bring together the right set of domain experts to plan and conduct the study and showcase our product in different agriculture-specific events and actively helped us in gaining traction. These incubation centres helped us gain a well-rounded education beyond just technology. What did your collaboration with AgHub entail and how has it contributed to the success of your Agri PV project? Our collaboration with AgHub has been instrumental in connecting us with the scientific community and experts in agricultural innovation. It all started when I met Dr. Kalpana Sastry, Managing Director, AgHub, in an online event for BIRAC grant writing. Then we connected and expressed our interest in the area of AgriPV and in collaborating with their renowned agriculture institute for our research. Dr. Praveen Rao, who was then the Vice Chancellor at Professor Jayashankar Telangana State Agriculture University (PJTSAU), was very keen on setting up an AgriPV pilot and a state-of-the-art pilot that would allow mechanized farm machinery to be used. Later, AgHub helped us identify the right scientific team to conduct crop studies and we designed the optimal structure that minimizes land loss and allows tractors to maneuver underneath. Our Agri PV structure was designed with a focus to incorporate best scientific practices in drip irrigation, farm machinery and our solar structures were fabricated in a way that they can be easily replicated across different farm locations. Pilot inauguration of Agri PV system at PJTSAU Women at the Helm | 39 Can you share more details about the timeline of your pilot projects, particularly the one in PJTSAU and your collaborative efforts in validating the technology? Our Agri PV pilot project began in PJTSAU in June 2022, and we commissioned the project in November 2022. During the COVID-19 pandemic, we worked on prototypes, particularly for our light redirection prisms. While measuring the flux underneath our panels, we realized it could be conducive for crop growth underneath. We then approached PJTSAU through AgHub for a pilot study to validate this and were eventually supported by a BIRAC grant from the government. We recognized the importance of building a replicable agricultural technology that could work across different regions and microclimatic conditions for commercialization. Though we initially considered focusing on specific crops like maize or groundnut, Dr. Parveen Rao advised us to diversify the crop variety for every season for simultaneous validation; so we included vegetables, groundnut and grams. Crops under AgriPV Pilot We implemented rigorous scientific practices throughout the project with the support of AgHub and PJTSAU. We used varied set of scientific instruments to measure various parameters, including photosynthetically active radiation (PAR), oxygen levels and every aspect of the photosynthesis process. We closely monitored the microclimatic conditions, humidity and soil moisture. To ensure accurate data collection, a research assistant from the University recorded and analyzed the data. Our results showed a remarkable 95% crop yield for Rabi and Summer seasons with this setup as compared to an open field cultivation for the same crop. Currently, we are continuing our research with Kharif crops. This approach is helping us fine-tune our narrative for Agri PV. But we realized during this process that adapting the technology to different geographical locations and varying land dynamics is both a challenge and an opportunity. 40 | Women at the Helm Customers often seek validation in multiple locations, and the questions around scalability and reliability arise. Each region has its unique conditions, and customization becomes critical to ensure the effectiveness of the technology. However, this adaptability also presents an opportunity for us to fine-tune our solutions and demonstrate their versatility in addressing different challenges, making it a valuable asset in the clean tech industry. Can your technology potentially replace greenhouses in agriculture? Our technology can complement greenhouse setups. Greenhouses offer controlled environments for crops that require specific conditions. However, our technology can provide energy for greenhouse operations and other agricultural post-processing needs. Do small and marginal farmers face challenges in adopting AgriPV in their farms? If so, how can they be addressed? The capex involved in a solar installation is typically ₹ 4 crores for a 3-acre farm, which is beyond the means of small and marginal farmers. This cost factor becomes critical when dealing with small land holdings, typically ranging from 2.5 to 5 acres, as is common among small and marginal Indian farmers. Generally, traditional solar installations in traditional dry arid lands typically have a return on investment (ROI) in about five to eight years. However, implementing solar on agricultural land involves an additional capex of ₹ 50 lakhs/MW to raise the structure and provide necessary reinforcements, which depend on soil conditions, terrain, etc. These structural adjustments can extend the ROI period by a year. Balancing the potential benefits of our technology with the financial constraints of these farmers is crucial. At RenKube, we are building a technology that will address these challenges and provide more energy generation to offset the additional capex investment for Agri PV. The dual use of land guarantees 120% energy generation and 100% agricultural yield which would provide an attractive ROI. Though our goal is to empower marginal farmers, our initial approach is to work with high-income group farmers who have larger land holdings (100+ acres) due to their financial capability to invest in AgriPV. Once we demonstrate the benefits, we plan to collaborate with the government and suggest land policy recommendations for solar on agricultural land, provide preferential feed-in- tariffs for AgriPV, and provide upfront capex subsidy for solar developers to do AgriPV. This would build an ecosystem for Agri PV to flourish, where it is a win-win situation for everyone and we can extend the technology benefits to all the small and marginal farmers who make up the majority of the farming community in India by giving a guaranteed lease income. Have you engaged with agricultural authorities or the Department of Agriculture to conduct trials or gather inputs regarding your technology’s application in farming? Prior to our collaboration with AgHub, we had reached out to several agricultural universities involved in Agri PV projects. With our successful demonstration in PJTSAU University, we received multiple enquiries from government bodies like the Center of Excellence, Horticulture, India Agriculture Alliance from National Solar Energy Federation of India (NSEFI), Indo-German Energy Forum, and we are seeking their interest in piloting our innovative panel technology. What are your views on the value proposition for industries considering the use of agricultural land for solar installations? We believe industries can benefit significantly from using agricultural land for solar Women at the Helm | 41 installations. They can cut their monthly electricity bills by 30-40% by financing an Agri PV project. They can pay a marginal rent of ₹ 30,000/acre/annum to the farmer for using the land, which in turn can give economic relief to small and marginal farmers. However, it’s important to note that this is a long-term investment. While the initial cost may be high, the ROI, especially for industries, can be quite favorable in the long run, making it a compelling proposition. How feasible is it to install solar technologies for residential use and how much would it approximately cost? For homeowners interested in installing solar panels for residential use, a 3-kilowatt system would cost around ₹ 2 lakhs, which can be recovered in approximately four years, considering the savings on electricity bills. Electricity tariffs are estimated to increase at a rate of 2.4%/year, totaling an 80% increase over the next 25 years, implying that solar power provides a cost-effective and sustainable solution for homeowners. How do you see your enterprise benefiting the agricultural and renewable energy sectors in India? Our enterprise has the potential to transform the Indian agricultural landscape. With our panels, farmers can continue their regular agricultural activities underneath the solar panels while leasing the land for solar energy generation. This provides a steady guaranteed income, helping them overcome the financial challenges posed by the vagaries of monsoon and climate change. At the same time, solar developers now have access to land, thereby reducing pressure on them to acquire dry and arid sites. This concept can be extended to industrial districts, where MSMEs can invest in nearby farmland for solar power generation and contribute to a carbon neutral world while supporting local farmers. India’s ambitious target of generating 450 GW of renewable energy by 2030 requires innovative solutions. Our approach allows us to expand solar installations without competing for valuable land resources enabling a win-win scenario for the clean energy transition. This transition not only reduces carbon emissions but also improves the livelihoods of India’s farmers who are an important part of the country’s economy. RenKube solar panels in the field 42 | Women at the Helm How was your journey as a woman in the startup world and while collaborating with different entities? My journey as a woman in the startup world was quite unique. Our team had a balanced gender representation, with almost 50% women, which created a comfortable and supportive environment. Additionally, our long-standing ties with each other’s families provided a strong support system during tough times. The solar and manufacturing world has minimal representation by women, and I encountered some challenges in asserting myself. Convincing industry leaders required persistence and evidence-based discussions and extra effort to change the initial biases and gain trust. However, some of our strongest supporters in the supply chain have been women leaders, such as Ms Mirunalini Chellappan, director of our manufacturing partner Swelect Energy Systems. Ultimately, women supporting fellow women in their professional circles can be a catalyst for positive change. Are there specific programs or quotas for women to access funding and secure deals? There is growing recognition of the need to support women entrepreneurs. Some newer funds are being established with this focus. While venture capital funding specifically targeted at women-led startups is still limited, there is a positive shift happening in the ecosystem. Many incubation centres and accelerators, including those run by tech giants like Google, Amazon, and Qualcomm, have initiated programs to support women entrepreneurs that serve as a platform for women to connect, share their journey and inspire one another. Would you say RenKube is at the forefront of remodeling renewable energy and agriculture in India? What policy challenges do you foresee and changes are you advocating for to allow the coexistence of solar-based innovation and agriculture? Absolutely, policy challenges are essential for our work. Currently, in India, the use of agricultural land for solar installations faces policy restrictions due to concerns related to the potential loss to farmers and the impact on the food supply chain. However, our technology mitigates this problem by benefiting both farmers and solar developers. We are actively engaged as a part of India Agriculture Alliance with the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) to submit a draft recommendation on land policy changes that are supportive of Agri PV (watch our video on the RenKube pilot presented as part of MNRE’s India Agrivoltaic Alliance launch). Specifically, we’re advocating that governments should permit installation of solar systems exceeding 2 MW on agricultural land as long as at least 85% of the agriculture yield is maintained. This policy change would drive the rapid expansion of Agri PV in India. Besides policy amendments, how do you think the government can promote this innovative approach, especially in the context of incentivizing solar on agricultural land? The government can incentivize the adoption of Agri PV by offering preferential feed-in tariffs for energy generated from agricultural land. This will encourage developers and industries to invest in this approach, making it more economically viable. To ensure that farmers receive regular income from solar farming, we need a clear policy mandate and the involvement of nodal agencies in the disbursement of solar income. Additionally, capacity building centres can educate farmers about the benefits and feasibility of this approach. Collaboration with organizations like AgHub is also essential in bridging the gap between research and practical implementation that can transform the lives of people. Women at the Helm | 43 What lies ahead for RenKube? Our long-term vision is to convert every surface that is exposed to the sun to an energy generating unit with attractive unit economics. We want to be the drivers for the proliferation of solar in all walks of life and go towards a carbon neutral world. How has your enterprise been recognized? We have received multiple awards for our innovation, such as the National Startup Award from the Government of India (2022), Startuppreneur award from the Confederation of Indian Industry and British Petroleum (2021). RenKube was also the only Asian company to chosen to present in the prestigious National Renewable Energy Laboratory’s annual Industrial Growth Forum event in the USA in 2022. What’s your advice to fellow women entrepreneurs? Dream big, and fly high and soar like an eagle far above all challenges. The Indian startup ecosystem is at this moment primed to nurture women entrepreneurs and the opportunities available are unlimited. So, dream big and kickstart your journey. Receiving National Startup award 2022 44 | Women at the Helm Women at the Helm | 45 Sejal Agarwal and Bhuvana N conversed with Ms. Kalyani Shinde on her entrepreneurial journey and how the digital tool devised by Godaam is helping onion farmers to reduce produce loss at warehouses. Godaam Innovations Pvt. Ltd., based in Nashik, Maharashtra, revolutionizes Agri- tech, empowering farmers and enhancing crop shelf life. They bridge the gap between farmers and consumers, creating a structured, accountable value chain. Their mission is to upgrade the agricultural ecosystem through innovation and technology. For more details, visit https://www.godaaminnovations.com Please tell us briefly about you and how your entrepreneurship journey began. I was born and raised in Nashik in an agricultural family. Growing up, I gained a deep understanding of the agricultural ecosystem. In 2016-17, while pursuing my engineering degree in computer science, I witnessed a significant issue in the onion market that affected not only my own family but also countless other farmers. I overheard my family discussing the escalating costs, time, and effort involved in onion production, while the fluctuating prices made it an unreliable venture. Often, the prices would be extremely low, discouraging farmers from continuing production. Only once or twice every five years would the market offer appropriate compensation for their efforts. Motivated to find a solution, I turned to the internet for research and discovered that onion warehouse storage was a major challenge faced by farmers. I took up extensive investigation, seeking the perspectives of various stakeholders such as mandi personnel, merchants, farmers, and the government. Despite gathering all this valuable information, 04 Driving Change: The Story of an IoT Agri-Industry Influencer “Entrepreneurs should never wait for opportunities to come to them. They should start as early as possible with the available resources, plan and prepare to toil and rise in the domain of entrepreneurship.” Kalyani Shinde Director Godaam Innovations Pvt. Ltd. www.godaaminnovations.com 46 | Women at the Helm I still lacked clear direction on how to address the problem. Eventually, I came across Digital Impact Square (DISQ), an open innovation centre under the Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) Foundation’s CSR initiative in Nashik. Recognizing the potential it held, I applied to DISQ with the intention of finding a solution to the issue of onion pricing. In January 2018, during my final year of engineering, I was selected and began working full-time on the onion storage problem. This marked the birth of Godaam Innovations, and in 2018, Godaam Innovations was officially registered as a private limited company. How did you begin analysing the problem? India is the second largest producer of onion. India produces around 3.5 crore metric tons annually of which 70-80 percent is stored in warehouses. As the next harvest can be done only after 8-10 months, its storage is very critical if a continuous supply in both domestic and international markets is to be ensured. However, around 40-50 percent of wastage is reported during storage which leads to fluctuation in prices, which was my main problem statement at Digital Impact Square. I, along with my other teammates whom I met at Digital Impact, started working on this problem. For the first 3-4 months we studied the onion ecosystem, through different stakeholders and at different crop production stages. During the study, we also realised that we need some experts who can guide farmers throughout the crop cycle. Another problem we realised was related to market linkages. Market linkage involves various stakeholders such as farmers, local merchants, and the government. To deal with these stakeholders, there is a need to form a community that can work in partnership and collaboration with all the stakeholders involved. These were the kind of explanations we identified initially based on our analysis during the DISQ incubation period. How did you develop the digital solution? After detailed research, we realised that engaging experts or establishing market linkages would require much effort and networking, but making changes at the warehouse storage system level alone can help in reducing the wastage of onion during storage. While interacting with farmers on the warehouse issue, we found that we are able to trace rotten onions through foul smells and height of the onion heaps. However, by the time farmers sense the smell or change in height, they have already suffered a loss of 20-25 percent. Based on these conversations, our team made an IoT- (Internet of Things) based hardware device which monitors real time micro climatic conditions in the storage and also detects the foul smell in the field and during storage. IoT based hardware device of Godaam Innovations Pvt. Ltd. Women at the Helm | 47 Can you provide details about the modus operandi? A single IoT device can provide cover for 10 metric tons in a warehouse, and the number of devices installed are based on the capacity of a warehouse. Based on detection, we alert the farmers who can then either re-grade their produce to increase its life shelf by a month, or sell it in the market immediately so as to reduce wastage. To alert farmers we send text messages to them on their mobile phones; and are planning to develop an application for this at present. We also send bi-weekly alerts for the current status of their crops. Post-installation, we keep on monitoring the device as a part of their maintenance package. Godaam Innovations also has a dashboard wherein all the data collected through the IoT device is stored and is accessible for tracking the onion quality and quantity on a real time basis. We intend to use this platform to create an end-to-end value chain eventually to show the variety and quantity of the onions stored that can be used to link market traders. This dashboard can be used by cooperatives having warehouse storage (more than a thousand tons) or government representatives with whom they have partnered. We are also in the process of creating an application wherein farmers can get the required details. How many clients do you have now? Now, we are present in Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh, and have sold more than 250 units of the IoT device. Soon we will be working with 30 farmers by installing our devices in the farmers’ warehouse. We started with individual farmers and have now started focussing on farmer cooperatives and targeting community warehouses. This will help in creating larger impact. How do you engage in stakeholder collaborations? Getting into the DISQ programme has helped me and t