How A Bihar Farmer's Son Built an Agritech Startup Worth $700 Million
3 May 2025
In Bihar’s Chhapra district, farming was life. Shashank saw his family work tirelessly, yet their earnings barely covered costs. The system was broken, and small farmers suffered the most.
Determined to create a better future, Shashank got into IIT Delhi. After graduating in 2008, he joined Unilever & PepsiCo, but his heart remained in Bihar. The struggles of farmers stayed on his mind.
In 2011, he returned home and met local farmers. The same issues echoed everywhere, high costs, low profits, and no market access. They worked hard, but middlemen made the real money. Shashank knew something had to change.
In 2012, he launched DeHaat, a platform connecting farmers to buyers, providing quality seeds, fertilizers, and AI-powered crop advice. The mission? Better earnings, better yields, and a better future.
Farmers were sceptical. They had heard empty promises before. Why trust a young engineer? But Shashank was relentless, he met them, explained DeHaat, and slowly, trust began to grow.
A few farmers took a chance. They saw results, better crops, lower costs, and direct payments from buyers. Word spread. More farmers joined. DeHaat was no longer an idea, it was a movement!
Shashank’s team built AI tools to give real-time crop advice through mobile phones. No middlemen, no misinformation, just direct, reliable support to help farmers grow smarter.
By 2019, over 65,000 farmers across Bihar, UP, and Odisha were using DeHaat. Small farmers who once struggled were now selling directly to big markets, earning what they truly deserved.
DeHaat’s impact was undeniable. In 2022, they secured $60 million in funding, backed by Sofina Ventures & Temasek. Valuation? $700 million. A farmer’s son had built one of India’s biggest agritech startups!
By 2025, DeHaat aims to empower 50 million farmers across India. More tech, more reach, and a future where farming is no longer a struggle, but a thriving business.
From a small village in Bihar to revolutionizing farming in India, Shashank Kumar proved that real change starts when you go back to your roots. His journey is reshaping India’s farming future.