In the heart of Mumbai’s bustling startup ecosystem, Bharat Intelligence is pioneering an agritech revolution that places rural communities at its core. Launched in 2024 by agritech veterans Azhaan Merchant and Gourav Sanghai, the company has secured ₹7 crore in pre-seed funding from Sahyadri Farms, with over 22,500 farmers becoming shareholders and gaining real governance through board representation. This unique model ensures that those who sow the seeds also reap the rewards of innovation.
Tackling India’s Hidden Labor Crisis
India’s agricultural sector faces a chronic labor shortage, especially in Maharashtra’s grape, banana, tomato, and pomegranate belts. Seasonal shifts leave farmers scrambling for skilled workers at critical times, while rural laborers struggle with inconsistent demand and low wages. Bharat Intelligence addresses this by embedding its Labour OS platform into the fabric of village life.
Unlike generic labor-matching apps, Labour OS learns from local trust networks, migration rhythms, and handshake agreements that define rural economies. Farmers post their labor requirements in vernacular interfaces, and AI predicts demand patterns and mobilizes workers precisely when and where they are needed.
AI Rooted in Rural Reality
“True intelligence for India must be grounded in its villages,” explains Merchant. Bharat Intelligence’s team spent months living in farming communities—mapping seasonal work flows, economic relationships, and social structures often invisible to conventional data. This context layer ensures the AI recommendations align with community norms and practical needs.
As a result, farmers gain reliable access to skilled crews on the right days, boosting yields and reducing crop losses. Workers secure fair, consistent employment and can build year-round livelihoods rather than chase sporadic gigs. The platform thus strengthens trust between farmers and laborers, turning technology into a community enabler.
Farmer Ownership and Shared Prosperity
Bharat Intelligence’s funding structure flips the usual startup narrative. By making farmers shareholders, the company fosters genuine ownership and accountability. Vilas Shinde, Chairman of Sahyadri Farms, now sits on the board, ensuring that strategic decisions reflect farmer priorities. This inclusive governance model has already won widespread trust, driving rapid adoption across Maharashtra’s horticulture belt.
Scaling Impact and Future Horizons
With fresh capital, Bharat Intelligence is scaling across Western Maharashtra’s orchards and vineyards. The team is enhancing the Labour OS platform with embedded finance and commerce features—enabling direct payments, micro-loans, and input procurement within the same ecosystem.
Looking ahead, the company envisions expanding beyond labor matching to become a holistic rural economy platform. Plans include AI-powered crop advisory, marketplace connectivity, and logistics orchestration—bridging farmers to buyers and processors with unprecedented efficiency.
Transforming Agriculture with Human-Centric AI
Bharat Intelligence proves that technology excels when it respects human intelligence and local wisdom. In a world where AI often feels disconnected, this Mumbai startup offers a refreshingly grounded alternative—one that listens, learns, and grows with the very communities it serves.
By tackling the farm labor crisis head-on and giving farmers a voice in governance, Bharat Intelligence is sowing the seeds of a more equitable, productive, and sustainable agricultural future for India.
