Agri-biotech startup GreenGrahi raises Rs 32 crore, led by Avaana Capital

Agri-biotech startup GreenGrahi has raised ₹32 crore ($3.73 million) in a seed funding round led by Avaana Capital, an early-stage climate and sustainability-focused venture capital fund. The round also witnessed participation from Huddle Ventures, Campus Fund, Blume Founders Fund, and angel investors, including Nexus Ventures' Nitin Sharma, Samara Capital's Anchit Gupta, Equilibrium Capital's David Chen, and Northpoint Capital's Sameer Brij Verma.
The fund will be used to build a homegrown Black Soldier Fly (BSF) factory that can process around 150 tonnes of feedstock on a daily basis. The company also plans to expand its team and enter global markets, including the United States, United Kingdom, and the European Union.
Founded by Shivali Sugand and Siddharth Sharma, GreenGrahi is developing an insect biotechnology platform powered by BSF and its microbiome. The company produces high-performance insect proteins, functional oils, and hydrolysates for aquaculture, poultry, and pets, and is already supplying partners in the shrimp, poultry, and pet food sectors.
Alongside, GreenGrahi has built a new generation of biological agri-inputs including biofertilisers, biostimulants, and biopesticides that help improve soil health, boost crop resilience and yield, and reduce the need for chemical fertilisers and pesticides, the company said in a statement.
"As wild fish stocks continue to decline and protein demand rises, the pressure on aquafeed and livestock inputs is only going to grow. We are building a platform that makes high-quality, science-driven feed and agri-inputs accessible, affordable, and scalable for global markets," said Siddharth Sharma, co-founder of GreenGrahi.
According to Shruti Srivastava, investment director at Avaana Capital: "GreenGrahi is creating category-shaping innovation in the food and agri-tech space. Their proprietary insect biotechnology and bioprocessing platform enables the production of high-performance, cost-efficient ingredients at scale—helping build resilient food supply chains for global food security through science-backed, market-ready solutions.'
According to Avaana Capital, the round marked the largest-ever funding round in India's insect biotech space. Avaana Capital had raised $150 million last year, out of which nearly one-third of the amount has already been deployed.

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Learn with AIFact CheckingText to SpeechAI Summary

Related Articles

Time of India

16 hours ago

• Time of India

After Operation Sindoor, Indian Army and BSF officers discuss western theatre, joint border management

1 2 Chandigarh: The annual synergy conference of Army and BSF was held at the Western Command HQ Thursday, bringing together senior BSF leadership of the Punjab and Jammu Frontier and the Western Command. The conference aimed to further enhance operational synergy, reinforce jointmanship, and address critical issues pertinent to border management in the Western theatre. The meeting was co-chaired by Lt Gen Manoj Kumar Katiyar, Army Commander (Western Command), and Satish S Khandare, ADG, HQ Spl DG BSF (Western Command). The conference featured detailed analyses of the challenges encountered in border management, with a particular focus on the recent operational experience of Operation Sindoor . Senior commanders from both forces shared tactical and strategic insights gained during the operation, highlighting areas such as coordination under dynamic conditions, terrain exploitation, and rapid decision-making. The lessons drawn from this operation are being actively institutionalised to enhance preparedness, adaptability, and response mechanisms for future border contingencies. Building upon these insights, the conference deliberated on a range of joint initiatives aimed at fostering greater operational synergy. These included the harmonisation of training protocols and equipment profiles between BSF and Army units to ensure compatibility and seamless coordination during integrated missions. Discussions also focused on measures to enhance resource sharing and supply chain efficiency in forward areas. Building on previous exercises to enhance synergy, a communication architecture was deliberated upon to enable secure, real-time information exchange across operational formations. In view of rising aerial threats, particularly from small unmanned aerial systems, both forces also explored the integration of surveillance platforms and counter-drone capabilities, with an aim to enhance the layered airspace defence mechanism. Satisfaction with various initiatives taken post the last conference in April 2024 was realised as joint training and the establishment of communication protocols leading to increased joint operability were tested during Operation Sindoor. Newer areas for synergy were identified, such as drones, C-UAV, surveillance, and communication for enhanced jointness to fight a coordinated defensive battle. In his concluding address, Lt Gen Manoj Kumar Katiyar, GOC-in-C, HQ (Western Command), emphasised the long-term vision of developing a joint security force culture, reiterating the significance of sustained cooperation and the spirit of jointmanship. He lauded the efforts of both the BSF and the Army in maintaining border integrity and called for continued collaboration to effectively counter modern and emerging threats.

The Hindu

10-06-2025

• The Hindu

Firm treating waste using black soldier flies in Kochi to finetune production of biomanure to meet global standards

The company making biomanure by treating biodegradable waste using black soldier flies (BSF) at the Kochi Corporation's solid waste treatment plant at Brahmapuram is set to make alterations to its machinery to reduce the moisture content in the biomanure to ensure sustained compliance of international standards to give a further boost to its export potential. In the last couple of months, Fabbco Biocycle Private Limited, roped in by the Kochi Corporation, has exported 80 tonnes to a Dubai-based company engaged in sustainable vertical farming, besides another 75 tonnes in the local Kerala market. The export has slowed down with the onset of the monsoon due to the increased moisture content. Minister for Local Self-Government M.B. Rajesh announced the export of the maiden consignment of biomanure during the Vruthi 2025 – The Clean Kerala Conclave held in Thiruvananthapuram in April. 'We are confident of altering the machinery and improving the production of biomanure, matching international standards in a couple of months to help meet the Dubai-based firm's demand for around 200 tonnes in a month,' said P.V. Niyas, chief executive officer, Fabbco Biocycle. The company follows a 16-layer stacking system using trays at Brahmapuram that facilitates the treatment of 425 kg of food waste per six sq ft., thus ensuring maximum productivity in minimal space. Fabbco runs a 50-tonne-a-day unit at Brahmapuram, generating 10 tonnes of biomanure daily. Meanwhile, Mukka Proteins Limited, a listed company that produces fish meal, fish oil and fish-soluble paste, acquired a 51% stake in Fabbco Biocycle a few months ago. The company has so far invested ₹20 crore in Fabbco Biocycle's ambitious project of setting up a 300-tonne capacity BSF unit for the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP), the administrative body responsible for civic amenities and some infrastructural assets of the Greater Bengaluru metropolitan area. 'We have been running a trial phase of 50 tonnes for the last fortnight and are planning to scale it up to 300 tonnes in another six months. We are getting more inquiries from other local bodies like the Chennai Corporation and Erode Municipal Corporation,' said Mr. Niyas. While Fabbco rears black flies in a 20,000 sq sft space at Brahmapuram, it has been assigned 1 lakh sq ft for its Bengaluru project.

The Hindu

05-06-2025

• The Hindu

Technologies to shape airport experience, say experts

With the number of air passengers steadily growing India, transformative technologies like biometric-based Digi Yatra, AI-powered digital twins, integrated multi-modal transport systems, and Net Zero, LEED-certified terminals would shape airport experiences, said experts. They also stressed on the need to strengthen digital ecosystems to manage rising cybersecurity risks which has been identified as a crucial area of focus. 'India's aviation growth presents a dual challenge—securing borders while easing the journey for millions of law-abiding passengers. In Mumbai alone, we clear 22,000–25,000 international travellers daily, averaging 10-minute customs clearance. Our aim is to cut this to 5 minutes,' said Joseph Gouda (IRS), Joint Director, Mumbai Customs while speaking at a round table discussion on 'Reimagining airport passenger infrastructure through innovation, technology and sustainability' organised ahead of the Inter Passenger Terminal Expo 2025 by Media Fusion. 'By adopting AI, ML, RFID, and Advanced Passenger Information systems, we are shifting from manual checks to smarter, targeted interventions. This transformation will make our infrastructure both more secure and passenger-friendly—essential for India's aviation future,' he added. Stating that India has transformed biometric travel with Digi Yatra, where one's face becomes one's boarding pass, Nitin Sharma, DVP – Business Development, of global security group dormakaba, said they were solving complex challenges—like group travel and one-click gate registration—while ensuring data privacy with automatic purging post-flight. 'Innovations like wider gates to prevent tailgating, now powered by AI and ML, were born from India's unique needs and are setting global benchmarks. With under 10% of the population currently flying, we are preparing for exponential growth by scaling smart, cost-efficient technologies. India's rapid pace of innovation is not only enhancing domestic operations but creating airport solutions the world is now adopting,' he said. On the evolving airport infrastructure development in the country, Geetha Priya G, Senior Director – Infrastructure & Airports, JLL India said there was a need to build infrastructure that was resilient, adaptive and efficient. 'Greenfield airports offer the luxury of blank canvas while brownfield sites push us to rethink with constraints for unique, smart and adaptive design solutions. The future lies in modular construction, digital first terminal cores that centralize operations, passenger movement and energy management.' 'Early-stage collaboration is critical—drawing insights from operations, policy shifts, and tech trends helps avoid costly course corrections. We need a terminal design language rooted in sustainability, with built-in readiness for climate volatility, aging demographics, rapid digital changes and hybrid spaces that can handle intensity and downtime with equal ease. Aligning this vision with financial models that attract private investment is key to delivering infrastructure that's future-ready and locally responsive,' she added.