Aabesh De was a self-proclaimed “serial plant killer” who had a high-paying job at Microsoft in Chicago that he quit to launch a houseplant health company Flora. The startup builds a soil meter and an app to alert people about the health of their houseplants.
Recently, the 29-year-old founder and CEO appeared in Shark Tank and won a deal worth $300,000 (about Rs 2.5 crore). The idea for Flora, De said on the ABC show, occurred to him after he ended up killing one of his mother’s favorite plants during the Covid pandemic.
“My dear mother gave me her prized rose bush plant that she had for years,” De said on Shark Tank. “And I ended up killing it in eight short days.”
During his pitch to the sharks, De said that Flora's $64 (about Rs 5,300) soil meter and app takes “the guesswork out of plant care, by telling you exactly what moisture, temperature, light and other vitals your plans need.”
The company also offers perks such as 24x7 “plant diagnosis” support, access to “expert plant doctors” and the ability for one soil meter to support multiple houseplants.
Read more: Bengaluru techie bags a job at Microsoft after applying over 30 times, quits in a year
Discover the latest Business News, Sensex, and Nifty updates. Obtain Personal Finance insights, tax queries, and expert opinions on Moneycontrol or download the Moneycontrol App to stay updated!
