Using AI devices with sensors powered with renewable energy, AI-Genix is helping farmers with pest management. Co-Founder Khalil J. Shaikh recently shared insights on their impact and future goals with EFY’s Aryaman Raghuvanshi.
Q. Could you share your company’s background, the origin of the idea, and your journey in this business so far?
A. Certainly. Our startup focuses on research, design, development, and manufacturing of sustainable farming products, emphasising crop protection. The concept for our company stems from our personal experiences as a farming family, facing challenges with insect pests and toxic incidents from conventional pesticides affecting both our dairy animals and farm workers. These incidents inspired us to develop a non-toxic and environmentally friendly solution.
We began this project in 2001 with Shahnaz, who brought valuable insights from her experience as a junior scientist specialising in microbiology and entomology despite not being from an agricultural background. By 2006, we had developed our prototype and initiated trials on our farm. After several iterations and expanded trials across various locations in India, by 2013, we were ready for commercialisation. However, we focused first on validating our minimum viable product (MVP) through MicroBiz Network India, deploying around 4500 devices in eight countries to gather feedback from stakeholders like farmers and plant protection professionals.
By 2018, the product had received positive feedback, leading to the incorporation of AI-Genix International Private Limited in 2019, based out of Mira Road, Mumbai. Though the COVID-19 pandemic slowed our progress from 2019 to 2021, we officially started commercial sales in July 2021. Since then, we have deployed over 100 devices targeting small farmers and larger corporate clients like plantation and seed production companies. Our products have been sold in India, Japan, African countries, and the UK, marking significant achievements in our journey.
Q. Could you provide an overview of your product lines and their pricing?
A. Certainly. We offer three main series of agricultural technology products. The first is our SmartRavager series, which includes products like SmartRavager Standard, SmartRavager HQ, and SmartRavager HQLA. It utilises insect communication technology to target over 1200 species of harmful pests while preserving beneficial insects like bees. The standard model is priced at INR 31,000, the HQ is INR 36,000, and the HQLA is INR 42,000, excluding GST and transportation costs.
Our second series is the BraveHawk range. It features BraveHawk Monza and BraveHawk Monza GH. These AI-driven systems are equipped with sensors to identify and manage herbivorous and omnivorous insects harmful to crops, 99.9% safe for beneficial species. Monza and Monza GH are priced at INR 350,000 each, plus additional costs for GST and transportation. They are powered by wind and solar energy and require no maintenance over a seven-year lifespan. They can cover up to 1.01 hectares (2.5 acres) per device.
The third range is called eBionic. It includes eBionic FlyStar, eBionic FruitStar, eBionic WevStar, and eBionic All-Star. This range has been designed to target specific pest species that are difficult to manage with conventional methods.
Additionally, we supply biological control agents like predatory insects and Crawl Trap, a product designed for managing crawling pests on fruit and nut trees.
Q. Can you provide details about the upcoming products your company is developing?
A. We are launching several advanced systems aimed at enhancing agricultural productivity. First, we are introducing the third generation of SmartHawk, an insect communication system designed to manage over 4800 types of diurnals, crepuscular, and nocturnal insects and pests. Following that, we will release SentryHawk, our fourth-generation system capable of managing over 5500 species of insects and pests. Both systems feature broad-spectrum capabilities.
Additionally, we are developing PathoShield to manage bacterial, fungal and viral plant diseases, marking our expansion from insect to disease management. Another innovative product in our pipeline is a portable laboratory that instantly measures various parameters of soil, water, fertigation solutions, and plant tissues—significantly reducing the typical seven to ten days required for such analyses.
We are also developing fertigation software that provides tailored advice based on soil parameters, crop stage, and yield goals. For example, this system can guide a farmer on the fertigation patterns needed to increase their pomegranate yield from an average of seven to eight tonnes per 0.4 hectare (one acre) to up to 15 tonnes. This suite of products and tools is designed to provide real-time, actionable data to farmers, enhancing their ability to meet specific agricultural needs effectively.
Q. Can you explain how your technology helps farmers manage pest issues, especially for those unfamiliar with high-tech solutions?
A. Yes! For example, if a farmer is growing wheat and faces pest issues, they would use our SmartRavager device. This device is simple to deploy—one per 0.4 hectare (one acre)—and requires no further intervention. Once installed before sowing, it handles all major pests without pesticides.
Q. What are the installation requirements for these devices?
A. The installation is straightforward. The device comes with a stand that you plug into the ground, attach it, and then operate automatically. Maintenance is minimal, involving weekly cleaning of the insect grid and the solar panel.
Q. How are you integrating AI to enhance your products?
A. Unlike the more common computer vision systems, our AI system primarily focuses on speech recognition. It incorporates various sensors, including ultrasonic and acoustic sensors, to listen to environmental sounds. Once deployed, the system uses a noise cancellation feature to filter out irrelevant noise and detect specific signals from insects and pests. Each device has a single board computer loaded with datasets for over 4850 types of insects, including beneficial species and various pests. The AI analyses these sounds to identify nearby insects. Based on this data, it then emits communication signals to attract only herbivorous and omnivorous insects towards an electrocution grid, which effectively manages these pest populations while sparing beneficial insects like predators and pollinators.
Q. Do these AI devices require an internet connection to operate?
A. No, our devices do not rely on cloud storage or internet connectivity. Each device has a single-board computer with its own storage memory where all data is locally stored. We employ hardware and software security measures to enhance security and prevent data breaches. If an unauthorised attempt to access the data is detected, the system will initiate a self-destruct protocol, erasing all stored data and rendering the device inoperable. This ensures our data remains secure and contained within the device itself.
Q. Is the data collected used to identify patterns or for other purposes?
A. The data we collect is proprietary and used solely within our systems. We do not use third-party data, nor is our data available to external parties. This exclusivity ensures the integrity of our processes and maintains the proprietary nature of our technological advancements. The data is crucial for our AI algorithms but remains strictly confined to our devices.
Q. Could you detail the lifespans for different products in your line?
A. Yes, our products have varying life sparks based on the model. The SmartRavager standard has a three-year lifespan, while the SmartRavager HQ and HQPLA models last six years. The BraveHawk and eBionic series are designed to last seven years. So, different products are tailored to specific lifespans to suit varying customer needs.
Q. What about maintenance and warranties for these devices?
A. Our products come with a one-year warranty from the purchase date. If any issues arise during this period, we replace or repair the malfunctioning device. Beyond the warranty, we still offer repairs, but charges will apply. Although these devices are engineered to achieve or exceed their specified lifespans with minimal failures, electronic systems can sometimes encounter issues. Regardless of the warranty status, we ensure that all devices, whether in or out of warranty, receive necessary repairs to meet our durability and performance standards.
Q. Can you tell us about the geographic distribution of your audience in India? Are they concentrated in specific regions?
A. Our customer base is spread across India, particularly in regions with significant agricultural activities. This includes most states, although some areas like Lakshadweep, where agriculture is not intensive, are exceptions. Additionally, we are expanding internationally, focusing on African countries and exploring markets in South and North America.
Q. How do you distribute your products? Are they sold directly to farmers, or do you use a different method?
A. For the retail market, we partner with multiple companies that have direct relationships with farmers. We distribute our products through these partners rather than selling directly to farmers. However, we handle sales directly to ensure tailored service and support when dealing with corporate customers.
Q. Considering the pricing might be steep for small-scale farmers, do you offer any financing options?
A. We are in talks with several non-banking financial companies (NBFCs) that work directly with farmer-producer organisations. These NBFCs will serve as intermediaries, providing the necessary financing to farmers and enabling them to purchase our devices in the future.
Q. Can you share a success story about a farmer who has benefited significantly from using your product?
A. Certainly. One remarkable example is Mr Sachin Deshmukh, a former textile engineer who transitioned to organic farming after working in India and abroad. Initially, he practised conventional farming, growing crops like pomegranates, oranges, vegetables, and turmeric, and spent about 12,000 rupees per 0.4 hectare (one acre) per month on crop protection. After adopting our insect pest management device, his expenses were drastically reduced to 1000 rupees per 0.4 hectare (one acre) annually. Our products have not just reduced the cost of production but also increased the yields by 30-40%. This enhancement reduced his costs on pesticides and labour and improved the quality of his produce. As our device manages pests without chemicals, his produce is residue-free, garnering a higher market value than conventionally grown crops. This dual benefit of cost reduction and yield increase has transformed him.
Q. Could you share your future milestones, whether in product development, volume targets, or new ventures?
A: Certainly. Regarding product launches, we plan to release our third-generation insect communication system in 2028-2029, followed by the fourth generation in 2030-2031. Before these, we will introduce the portable laboratory and PathoShield, a business management system, in 2026-2027. As for volume targets, we are currently collaborating with customers on product testing and evaluation. Assuming successful qualification, we anticipate reaching a sales volume of around one million units in the fiscal year 2027-28.As for volume targets, we are currently collaborating with customers on product testing and evaluation. Assuming successful qualification, we anticipate reaching a sales volume of around one million units in the fiscal year 2027-28.
