Gurugram-based agritech and sustainability startup Pehle Jaisa has raised $300,000 in a pre-Series A funding round co-led by Pantnagar Capital and Climate Angels. The latest round comes after a seed raise of $169,000 and will be used to scale its decentralized rural waste-to-resource model across Indian villages.
Founded in 2022 by Pankaj Pandey, Ehtesham Farooqui, Shabih Abbas, Sumit Suman, Wasim Akhtar, and Mantosh Kumar, Pehle Jaisa is working at the intersection of waste management, agriculture, and rural development. The company focuses on converting organic waste into value-added fertilizers, specifically tailored to regional crop and soil needs.
Pehle Jaisa operates by integrating fertilizer production directly with rural waste centers, eliminating the cost-heavy “first mile” in manufacturing. This localized, community-embedded approach enables the production of high-quality organic fertilizers at competitive prices, directly accessible to farmers.
“We believe that the future of India’s villages lies in self-reliance — generating their own gas, electricity, and fertilizers from local waste,” said co-founder Pankaj Pandey. “Our goal is to build a circular rural economy that drives sustainability and economic independence at the grassroots.”
In just eight months post-launch, Pehle Jaisa claims to have sold over 500 metric tonnes (MT) of fertilizer in FY24. The momentum continued into FY25, with the company selling over 1,500 MT of value-added fertilizers and generating more than ₹2.5 crore in revenue. With this funding, the startup aims to surpass ₹100 crore in revenue in the coming years.
The company started with soil conditioners and bio-stimulants and has built a robust pipeline of customized organic fertilizers, tuned to India’s diverse agricultural ecosystems.
The startup’s mission aligns with growing national and global interest in sustainable agriculture, rural entrepreneurship, and circular economy models — particularly those that empower under-resourced communities with locally produced, environmentally responsible alternatives.
Pehle Jaisa’s latest funding round will support expansion into new regions, the strengthening of its production infrastructure, and investment in R&D for next-generation organic products.
As climate challenges and soil degradation continue to pose serious threats to India’s agricultural future, Pehle Jaisa is positioning itself not only as a fertilizer company — but as a catalyst for rural regeneration and environmental resilience.
