The original idea was born on a scenic farm outside Bengaluru, where Moonrider began with a simple question, “Why not build an electric tractor?” Founded in August 2023 by Anoop Srikantaswamy and Ravi Kulkarni, the company is now rewriting the future of Indian agriculture, and putting farmers at the vanguard of sustainable progress.
India’s agricultural backbone is strained. Small farmers fight shrinking margins, rising input costs, and climate uncertainty. Diesel tractors drain money and they pollute too. The founders of Moonrider, who spent years building machines for Volvo, Ola Electric and Olectra BYD, saw an opportunity to democratize farm productivity through cutting edge EVs. They were masters of vehicle engineering. But they also understood the soul of innovation – solve what matters.
The Seeds of Change
Moonrider’s answer lay in two revolutionary tractor models; the Highforce (50 HP) and Maxforce (75 HP). They are unique feats of engineering, 75% cheaper to run and maintain than their diesel counterparts, yet priced at par with them. The secret is in cutting-edge technology that powers these electric tractors, including an indigenous battery pack, the world’s first oil-cooled thermal system, and active balancer technology, which optimizes battery life and performance by actively redistributing energy between battery cells, ensuring all battery cells are charged to the same voltage level.
But the brilliance goes beyond just hardware. A custom-built app enables real-time diagnostics and troubleshooting, effectively transforming each tractor into a smart command centre. Breakdowns are addressed instantly, and maintenance becomes proactive, not guesswork.
The result? Lower operating costs, zero emissions, and improved yields — a powerful trifecta that’s redefining the economics of modern farming.
Green For Growth
Progress has been swift and visible. At a recent gathering of Farmer Producer Organization (FPO) in Hyderabad, Moonrider was the star of the show. It’s been profiled by national media, and closed a recent $2.2 million funding round as well. The funds it received will be deployed for dedicated deeper battery research, and building better software, and stronger machines.
Moonrider’s real success isn’t just its smart technology or new products. It’s how the company is changing outdated local systems that have failed to help millions of farmers grow, earn, or survive, especially as climate change gets worse.
Moonrider’s machines, built in India and sold globally, represent a shift to productivity without poison, and progress without dispossession. They prove that innovation can speak the language of the land, and that green technology isn’t a luxury, but a necessity to develop the foundations of India’s economy.
To The Moon and Back
Along the way, Moonrider has reaped the rewards of consistent support and guidance of IDFC FIRST Bank, receiving timely advice to enable the company to continue on its upward trajectory. The founders especially commend IDFC FIRST Bank’s role in helping Moonrider meet all compliances, and the promptness of their service, exemplified by the intuitive and user-friendly mobile banking app by IDFC FIRST Bank. As the fortunes of Moonrider rise, their association with IDFC FIRST Bank is set to endure.
For aspiring entrepreneurs, Moonrider’s journey is a masterclass in marrying purpose with pragmatism. It’s a reminder that India’s toughest challenges, like economic disparity and climate change, are also its biggest opportunities. Startups that address these challenges, with the support of trusted financial institutions like IDFC FIRST Bank, don’t just fill gaps - they build bridges.
Looking Up, Looking Ahead
Platforms like Leap to Unicorn embody the scope of possibilities on offer for startups. Created by IDFC FIRST Bank, in association with Moneycontrol and CNBC-TV18, it exists to showcase, nurture and fund audacious ideas that build new paradigms of life and business. If the next generation of founders needed any more proof of the power of big ideas, the story of Bengaluru’s electric tractor wizards should offer them all the inspiration they need.
Moonrider is on the cusp of a future where farmers thrive, and not just survive. Where fields hum with quiet motors, and not rumbling engines. Where progress smells like soil, not diesel. In this future, every harvest becomes a testament to ingenuity. And every tractor rides quietly and powerfully towards a better world.
For more information on Leap to Unicorn Season 3, visit https://www.moneycontrol.com/LTU
Moneycontrol Journalists are not involved in creation of this article.
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