Bharat Intelligence
Overview
Bharat Intelligence is an agri-tech start-up founded in 2024 and based in Western Maharashtra, India. The company aims to bridge the gap in India's offline farm labour market through Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools tailored for the country’s agrarian economy. Co-founded by Azhaan Merchant, Vilas Shinde, and Gourav Sanghai, Bharat Intelligence operates an AI platform that connects farmers with skilled laborers, offering steady and dignified employment opportunities. As of September 2025, Bharat Intelligence has raised ₹7 crore in a pre-seed funding round led by Sahyadri Farms, with the platform onboard over 22,500 farmers as shareholders.
Recent Developments
- September 2025: Bharat Intelligence announced the successful raising of ₹7 crore in a pre-seed funding round, with significant participation by Sahyadri Farms. This funding marks a critical milestone enabling the start-up to enhance its AI platform further and expand operations across Western Maharashtra’s horticulture belts. The round not only provides financial resources but also emphasizes the importance of farmer equity in the organization, thereby integrating farmers into decision-making processes.
- Farmer Shareholding: Over 22,500 farmers have been onboarded as shareholders in Bharat Intelligence. This initiative enables farmers to have a voice in governance, with representation on the board through Vilas Shinde, ensuring that organizational decisions and profits resonate with the farmers' community interests.
- AI Platform Enhancement: The funds will primarily be utilized to embed technology into value chains affecting grape, banana, tomato, and pomegranate farmers. The company has highlighted plans to integrate commerce and embedded finance into its AI solutions, ensuring holistic development for both farmers and laborers.
- Cultural and Digital Challenges: Azhaan Merchant, CEO, stressed overcoming challenges related to training AI systems for a largely physical and traditional Indian economy, emphasizing the importance of short-term and visible impacts to overcome initial community mistrust.
Company Information
| Attribute | Information |
|---|---|
| Founding Date | 2024 |
| Headquarters | Western Maharashtra, India |
| Founders | Azhaan Merchant, Vilas Shinde, Gourav Sanghai |
| Revenue | Not publicly disclosed |
| Profits | Not publicly disclosed |
| Key Investors | Sahyadri Farms |
| Industry | Agri-Tech |
| Number of Employees | Not publicly disclosed |
Early History
Bharat Intelligence was founded in 2024 by Azhaan Merchant, Vilas Shinde, and Gourav Sanghai. The company was established during a critical period when the Indian agricultural sector faced a severe labor shortage. With a strong emphasis on integrating AI into traditional farming sectors, Bharat Intelligence set its mission to address the bottlenecks within farm labor management by connecting farmers to skilled workforce seamlessly through their platform. Early challenges included introducing AI into industries unfamiliar with such technology and aligning it to the physical dynamics of farm management.
Company Profile and Achievements
Bharat Intelligence operates as an agri-tech firm primarily leveraging AI to offer solutions to the farm labor crisis in India. The platform developed by the company facilitates the matching of farmers with skilled laborers, ensuring both parties benefit economically and socially.
- Business Model: The innovative aspect of Bharat Intelligence involves using AI to decrease the distance between labor demand and supply in rural India.
- Major Achievements:
- Successfully raised a ₹7 crore pre-seed funding led by Sahyadri Farms.
- Onboarding over 22,500 farmers as shareholders and giving them governance rights.
- Establishing an AI platform capable of integrating deeper into the value chains of major crops, such as grapes, bananas, and tomatoes.
- Community Engagement: The company has instilled equity amongst participating farmers to ensure technology not only serves them but involves them directly.
- Technology Deployment: Bharat Intelligence focuses on real-time AI solutions that manage the dual ecosystem of farming and workforce supply, adapting innovative techniques to fit local needs and circumvent cultural challenges.
Current Operations and Market Position
As of 2025, Bharat Intelligence has positioned itself as a leading innovator in India’s agri-tech space, providing essential technology for the organization of the farm labor market. Their operations are concentrated on regions in Western Maharashtra, where they implement AI systems which are culturally attuned to local operations and agriculture flows. The company enjoys a market edge by engaging participating farmers as stakeholders, ensuring swift adaptation and acceptance of their technology. Its innovative use of technology in agriculture, coupled with a unique approach to involving farmers in governance, positions Bharat Intelligence at the forefront of the agricultural revolution in India.
Conclusion
Bharat Intelligence has made significant strides since its inception in 2024, using AI to address persistent challenges in farm labor markets. By fostering collaborative governance and innovative technology deployment, the company sets an inspiring precedent for integrating digital solutions into traditional farming practices. The vision put forth by Bharat Intelligence suggests a promising future, as they continue to refine their technological offerings and expand their reach within India's rural economy. With an increasing need for sustainable solutions in agriculture, Bharat Intelligence is poised to have a transformational impact on India’s agrarian industries.