Niqo Robotics: Smart Agricultural Robotics
Year: 2015
Founders: Jaisimha Rao (Carnegie Mellon alumnus)
Funding: Seed: $2 M (Mar 2019) Series A: $5 M (Aug 2021), led by FMC Ventures & Omnivore with participation from Blume Ventures; total funding ≈ $7 M
Investors: FMC Ventures, Omnivore Partners, Blume Ventures
Introduction
Niqo Robotics has been established as TartanSense in 2015, and the unique brain behind this start-up is Jaisimha Rao, an alumnus of Carnegie Mellon. Its head office is located in Bengaluru, and it is now leading the show in agricultural automation today in India, building AI algorithms into vision-based robotics systems designed for smallholder farms. These robots will be capable of doing very high-precision agricultural operations like weeding, spraying, and the like, finally reducing the costs and increasing crop yield by technology.
Tackling Agricultural Challenges
In India, numerous farms are burdened with issues such as costly labor, increasing weeding cost, and overuse of agrochemicals. Niqo Robotics comes in with an answer by providing intelligent, ground-mounted robots that employ deep learning to distinguish between weeds and crops. The systems guarantee that herbicides are only applied where necessary, leading to a 45% reduction in the use of chemicals, more effective weed management, and less reliance on human labor—particularly useful for crops such as cotton, chili, and soy.
Key Offerings
- BrijBot / BladeRunner: Autonomous weeding robots embedded with AI and camera systems to identify and remove weeds with high precision.
- Spot-Spray Technology: Proprietary “green-on-green” vision system that targets individual plants, enabling ultra-efficient spraying and minimal chemical wastage.
- Franchise & Leasing Model: Robots are made accessible to farmers through a rental model and local franchise partners, helping smallholder farmers avoid upfront capital costs.
Real Impact
Following total funding of approximately $7 M, Niqo Robotics successfully rolled out its fleet of precision robots by June 2023. The company’s field tests across cotton farms in India demonstrated a 45% reduction in herbicide use, a sevenfold increase in weeding efficiency, and a measurable decrease in operational expenses for smallholder farmers. With global aspirations in sight, Niqo has expanded its offerings, including RoboSpray and RoboThinner , into international markets like North America, further validating its scalable innovation model.
Success Story
One cotton farmer in Madhya Pradesh, after adopting Niqo’s robotic services, reported a significant reduction in chemical application and labor reliance. With fewer workers required during peak season and healthier crop outcomes due to timely weed removal, the farm saw improved profits and better yield consistency. The case underlines the practical value of Niqo’s tech-first, service-based approach.
Lessons for Agri-Startups
- Focus on smallholder-friendly, compact robotic design to ensure rural adaptability.
- Embed AI and frugal innovation principles to build effective, cost-efficient products.
- Use a service-based or rental model to eliminate the financial burden on farmers.
- Demonstrate quantifiable ROI to win farmer trust and scale quickly.
- Strategically rebrand and reposition when shifting from pilot to commercialization or global expansion.
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