Gurugram-based agri-tech startup eyes ₹100 crore revenue milestone with decentralized fertilizer production
Fresh Capital to Drive Village-Level Waste Management Expansion
Pehle Jaisa, an emerging rural sustainability startup, has secured $300,000 in a pre-Series A funding round co-led by Pantnagar Capital and Climate Angels. The investment will be used to expand the company’s decentralized rural waste management model and strengthen its foothold across Indian villages.
Previously, the company had raised $169,000 in a seed round. With this new infusion of funds, Pehle Jaisa aims to accelerate its mission of building self-reliant rural ecosystems powered by waste-to-fertilizer innovations.
Founding Team with a Vision for Circular Rural Economies
Founded in 2022, Pehle Jaisa was started by a diverse team of six co-founders: Pankaj Pandey, Ehtesham Farooqui, Shabih Abbas, Sumit Suman, Wasim Akhtar, and Mantosh Kumar. The team brings expertise in agritech, rural development, and sustainability. Their collective goal is to create villages that generate their own gas, electricity, and fertilizers, thereby reducing dependency on centralized production systems.
By decentralizing fertilizer production and integrating waste management at the source, the startup eliminates the “first-mile” cost and makes organic inputs more accessible and affordable to farmers.
Revenue Surge Reflects Market Validation
Within just eight months of launch, Pehle Jaisa sold over 500 metric tonnes (MT) of organic fertilizer in FY24, according to verified reports. In FY25, this figure jumped to over 1,500 MT, generating more than ₹2.5 crore in revenue.
The company now aims to cross ₹100 crore in revenue in the next few years by scaling operations and introducing more regionally customized products.
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Product Lineup: From Soil Conditioners to Customized Fertilizers
Currently, Pehle Jaisa, produces a variety of organic fertilizers, bio-stimulants and soil conditioners in specific reference to certain crops and regional soil profiles. This gives a tailor-made approach to productivity and soil health while providing an environmental alternative to chemical fertilizers.
The company is developing proprietary blends and exploring bio-nutrient-based enhancements in partnership with local agricultural research institutions. All products comply with National Programme for Organic Production (NPOP) standards, ensuring regulatory acceptance and market readiness.
Funding Will Accelerate Operations and R&D
According to the startup, the $300K raised will be used strategically across four key areas:
- Expansion of decentralized waste units across rural India
- Development of crop-specific fertilizer solutions
- Upgradation of technology infrastructure at waste centers
- Onboarding of agronomists and field support teams to train farmers
Additionally, the startup is leveraging ecosystem support like the Kotak BizLabs Accelerator, through which it recently received a ₹15 lakh grant. It is also collaborating with research partners such as IIMA Ventures to strengthen its R&D capabilities.
Backing from Climate-Focused Investors
The involvement of Climate Angels, an investor network with a focus on cleantech and sustainable startups and where Pantnagar Capital focuses on impact investing in the early stages, indicates the market appetite for green solutions that support rural livelihoods, and regenerative environmental products and services.
Pantnagar Capital stated that they were drawn to Pehle Jaisa’s scalable and capital-efficient model, and that flexibility around a ‘to-be-formed’ as opposed to the more typical income-generating business model ultimately determined their investment.
Rising Demand for Organic Inputs in India
India’s organic fertilizer market is projected to grow at over 10% CAGR, driven by rising awareness of soil degradation, government subsidies, and demand for sustainable agriculture. Pehle Jaisa’s model fits squarely into this trend by enabling localized production, reducing logistic costs, and improving farmer margins.
Their approach aligns with the Indian government’s “Waste to Wealth” and “Natural Farming” missions, offering synergy for future grants and public-private partnerships.
Looking Ahead: Building Resilient Rural Communities
With strong investor backing and a clear growth trajectory, Pehle Jaisa is poised to redefine rural waste management. Its long-term impact could lead to thousands of Indian villages becoming energy and input self-sufficient, reducing rural-urban economic disparities.
By bridging the gap between sustainability and rural economic development, Pehle Jaisa is proving that profitable climate-tech models can thrive at the grassroots, benefiting both farmers and the planet.
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