Kheyti, an Indian startup based in Hyderabad, has won a prestigious award and a cash prize of $ 42,000 in Israel for developing an affordable modular greenhouse. The aim of the modular greenhouse is to provide farmers with a steady and dependable income. Kheyti, along with Sukriti which developed a smart toilet cabin employing hygiene maintenance systems to enhance user experience in sanitation, were two of the top ten startup finalists in the MassChallenge Israel contest. The contest saw a participation of over 500 companies from 40 different countries.
The agricultural startup Kheyti, provides technology solutions for small farmers using low cost farming solutions to help the farmers increase yield and predictability of produce. After a rigorous three month process, they shared the honor with an Israeli startup as the “diamond winners” of this year’s contest. Both startups were awarded a cash prize of $ 42,850. Speaking about the startup’s success, the Indian Ambassador to Israel, Pavan Kapoor said he hopes Kheyti’s win will motivate and encourage more Indian startups to innovate and work in the social sector and lead to a further collaboration between India and Israel.
Kheyti was started by Sathya Raghu V. Mokkapati and Kaushik K. The startup has 3 other members with strong entrepreneurial backgrounds who design and implement affordable and end to end farming solutions that help farmers increase yield and predictability of produce. The aim of the startup is to offer farmers a seamless path to increase their income by using innovative technological solutions. The team developed a modular greenhouse called the ‘greenhouse-in-a-box’ with full stack services that uses 90% less water and grows seven times more food while protecting the farmers’ crops from wind, rain, hail, heat and pests.
Since its inception, the startup has also won the People’s Choice Award at the Wharton India Startup Competition 2015 in Mumbai and bagged a prize money of $ 5000. Their greenhouse in a box solution was developed over the past eight months and according to co founder Satya Raghu V. Mokkapati, proof of the concept will be ready by the end of this financial year. The startup also plans to develop a model that suits multiple geographies and protocols to meet the farmer’s needs, over the next 2 to 3 years.
The MassChallenge Israel is a startup friendly accelerator that selects startups from multiple countries and works across a range of industries including future mobility and visual technologies, among others. This week, the company awarded $ 143,000 zero equity cash prizes to four of the highest impact startups from its 2017 cohort. The cash prize winners will have the opportunity to take part in the first MassChallenge Israel US Trek in November, which is a curated business trip to the innovation ecosystems in Boston and New York.
Eat Better, a Jaipur-based D2C snacking brand, has raised ₹17 crore in a Pre-Series A funding round co-led by Prath Ventures and Spring Marketing Capital. Founded by Vidushi Kanoria, Mridula Kanoria, and Shaurya Kanoria in 2020, Eat Better specializes in healthy snacks like dry fruit ladoos and nuts.
Key Highlights:
Investment Use: Funds will expand Eat Better’s product line and enhance its presence on quick commerce platforms.
Market Position: Competes with brands like Happilo and Yoga Bar in the healthy snacking space.
Operational Milestones: Fulfills over 2 lakh orders monthly.
Financial Performance: Revenue grew nearly threefold to ₹14.47 crore in FY24, with a reduced net loss.
Market Opportunity:
The Indian food and beverages market is projected to reach $68 billion by 2030, positioning Eat Better favorably to capitalize on the demand for healthy snacks. With this funding, Eat Better aims to strengthen its market presence and product offerings.
Bengaluru-based D2C fashion startup Outzidr, co-founded by Nirmal Jain, Mani Kant Mani, and Justin Mario, has secured ₹30 crore in seed funding led by Stellaris Venture Partners, with participation from angel investors like Ramakant Sharma (Livspace) and Ghazal Alagh (Mamaearth).
Launched in February 2025, Outzidr targets Gen Z women aged 17–27 with affordable occasion-specific apparel such as partywear and travel outfits. The brand introduces over 2,000 new designs monthly and uses a “test-and-react” model to scale popular styles based on early sales data. With an agile inventory cycle of less than three weeks, it plans to shift 90% of manufacturing to India within two years for sustainability.
The funds will bolster supply chain efficiency, technology development, team expansion, and brand-building. Outzidr aims to achieve ₹100 crore annualized revenue within 6–8 months through its D2C platform and marketplaces like Myntra, Nykaa Fashion, and AJIO.
Led by industry veterans with expertise in fashion and logistics, Outzidr is poised to capitalize on India’s growing D2C market fueled by Gen Z’s demand for trendy and affordable fashion.
Agritech startup Greenikk has announced its closure, attributing the decision to funding challenges and adverse market conditions. Founded in 2020 by Fariq Naushad and Previn Jacob Varghese, Greenikk aimed to create a digital ecosystem for banana cultivation, addressing issues throughout the value chain from farmers to bulk buyers. Despite raising around $1 million from investors, including 100Unicorns and IIM A Ventures, the company struggled to secure additional funding, particularly for a planned $5 million Series A round.
Reasons for Shutdown
Several factors contributed to Greenikk’s decision to wind down operations:
Funding Challenges: Initially thriving during a period of low-interest capital availability in 2022, the startup faced difficulties as market dynamics shifted. Naushad admitted that the company pursued “the wrong metrics” for growth during its early success, ultimately leading to unsustainable practices.
Loan Defaults: Greenikk extended loans totaling ₹6 crore but encountered significant defaults from borrowers. Naushad reported spending six months attempting to recover about 80% of these receivables, highlighting ongoing challenges within the agritech sector regarding loan recoveries.
Lack of Product-Market Fit: Cofounder Jacob Varghese noted that despite developing a comprehensive app and ecosystem, Greenikk struggled to establish itself beyond being seen as a vendor for working capital. This failure to find a sustainable product-market fit hindered its scalability and revenue generation.
Investor Impact
In light of its closure, Greenikk plans to return 50% of the capital to investors. The funds recovered from liquidation will primarily be used to repay its lead investor, 100Unicorns. The founders have also committed to using their own resources to pay back angel investors, reflecting an effort to maintain transparency amid the shutdown.
Employee Welfare
Greenikk has pledged support for its employees during this transition by providing two months’ severance pay and job placement assistance for nearly 25 affected staff members. At its peak, the company employed around 30 individuals but had been reducing its workforce in response to ongoing financial difficulties.
Broader Agritech Landscape
The challenges faced by Greenikk are indicative of broader trends within the agritech sector, which has seen a significant decline in venture capital interest. In 2024 alone, agritech startups raised only about $150 million across more than 30 deals—a stark contrast to the $772 million raised in 2022. This downturn underscores the increasing difficulties startups face in securing funding as market conditions evolve.
As Naushad and Varghese look toward their next entrepreneurial ventures, Greenikk’s story serves as a cautionary tale for other startups navigating the complexities of agritech investment and operational sustainability.