Gramik, a startup transforming rural commerce in India, raises Rs 17 crore

Gramik, an agritech startup focused on transforming rural commerce in India, has raised Rs 17 crore (approximately $2 million) in a bridge funding round. The capital was raised through a mix of optionally convertible debentures (OCDs) and compulsorily convertible debentures (CCDs), ahead of a larger Rs 56 crore Series A round expected within the next five months.

The interim round drew participation from Sammaan Global Ventures and Money Creeper Investment, along with a diverse group of angel investors including Dubai-based entrepreneur Gev Aryaton, social entrepreneur Irfan Alam, Bollywood figure Nikhil Bhagat, social impact investor Salvia Siddiqui, and returning investor Balram Yadav, managing director and CEO of Godrej Agrovet.

Founded in 2021 by Raj Yadav, Gramik aims to enhance rural livelihoods by improving access to quality farm inputs, agronomic knowledge, and modern farm practices. The startup operates a peer commerce distribution model and leverages a full-stack technology platform to facilitate demand aggregation, logistics, embedded credit, and advisory services through local village-level entrepreneurs (VLEs) and rural retailers.

Gramik’s platform currently operates across 12 districts with more than 1,200 active VLEs and over 250 rural retail partners. With the fresh funding, the startup plans to scale operations across Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Jammu, while expanding its private-label product line and deepening its farmer advisory services.

According to Yadav, the startup intends to grow its VLE network to over 3,000 and reach one million farmers by next year. The expansion strategy includes investing in supply chain efficiency, agronomy infrastructure, and technology.

Since its inception, Gramik has raised Rs 20 crore in seed funding from backers including Mercer Mettl CEO Siddarth Gupta, Zivame founder Richa Kar, and venture debt firm NBFC Western Capital.