Key Highlights
- Mitti Labs raises $9.5 million in Series A funding.
- Round led by Saudi Aramco’s venture arm, Aramco Ventures.
- Startup combines AI, satellite data and field operations for rice farming.
- Platform claims to reduce water use by 40 percent and methane emissions by over 50 percent.
- Company plans to expand to the Philippines later this year.
Indian climate-tech startup Mitti Labs has raised $9.5 million (around Rs. 83 crore) in a Series A funding round led by Aramco Ventures, the investment arm of Saudi energy giant Saudi Aramco. The funding will help the startup expand its AI-powered platform across Asia to make rice farming more water-efficient while reducing methane emissions. The investment also marks Aramco Ventures’ first backing of an Indian startup.
AI and satellite data power smarter farming
Founded with headquarters in Bengaluru and New York, Mitti Labs develops AI tools for rice farming using satellite imagery, synthetic aperture radar (SAR) data and years of field research.
Its GeoAI platform creates digital twins of individual rice fields, allowing farmers and organisations to monitor crop health, flooding, soil moisture, water usage and methane emissions remotely.
According to the company, the platform helps farmers adopt alternative irrigation techniques that significantly reduce water consumption without affecting crop yields.
Growth accelerates across India
Mitti Labs says it has expanded rapidly since launching its first programmes in 2023.
The startup worked with around 8,000 farmers during its first farming season in 2024. Today, it supports more than 100,000 farmers across multiple Indian states and aims to reach millions of smallholder farmers by 2030.
The company now employs over 150 people, with most of its workforce based in India, where field teams work directly with farmers to promote water-efficient irrigation methods.
Funding to fuel Asia expansion
Besides Aramco Ventures, the funding round also saw participation from Lightspeed India, Godrej Industries Group, Cisco, Francis Family Fund and Volta Circle.
With this latest investment, Mitti Labs has raised a total of $12.5 million, including a $3 million seed round secured in 2024.
The startup plans to use the fresh capital to enter the Philippines later this year before expanding into Indonesia and other Southeast Asian markets in 2027.
Carbon credits create another revenue stream
Apart from helping farmers save water, Mitti Labs also generates carbon credits through reduced methane emissions. These credits create an additional income source for participating farmers.
The company also earns revenue by providing GeoAI analytics to organisations such as Cool Effect, rice producer Ebro Foods and agricultural company Syngenta, helping them improve sustainability across their supply chains.
Founder Xavier Laguarta said partnering with Aramco Ventures could also open opportunities to collaborate on carbon market initiatives and future sustainability projects.
