Indonesia-based AgriTech startup, Eratani picks $3.8 million to empower farmers

An end-to-end farm management business from Indonesia, Eratani has closed a $3.8M seed investment. AgFunder, Trihill Capital, and B.I.G. Ventures joined TNB Aura, a Singapore-based venture capital firm that invests in Southeast Asian firms, in leading the round.

The agriculture sector is significant to Indonesia’s economy, making for 13.5% of the GDP. However, the upstream agricultural market is incredibly fragmented, and the value chain for agrarian inputs is disorganized.

Eratani was founded in 2021 by Andrew Soeherman, a former executive of Gojek, Kevin Juan Tanggo Laksono, a former executive of Oyo, and Angles Gani, the company’s chief strategy officer. Today, over 10,000 Java farmers use Eratani to manage a total of 8,000 hectares that yield 52,000 tonnes of rice.

More than 50,000 farmers are looking for new employment. With this support, Eratani anticipates empowering over 50,000 foster farmers by the end of 2024.

The money will help Eratani expand into new areas of Indonesia, boost its business, foster teamwork, and streamline farm management operations.

In addition to funding, Startup Studio Indonesia, which has the backing of the Indonesian Ministries of Communication and Informatics, Agriculture, and State Logistics Agency, has provided government assistance to further develop Indonesia’s agricultural ecosystem, according to Eratani’s announcement in the company press release (BULOG).

The difference Eratani is already making in the lives of our farmers is tremendous. The Eratani team is eager to continue our path toward creating the ecosystem that our nation’s farmers deserve with the traction, investment, and support we have thus far received, according to Eratani CEO Andrew Soeherman.

“Due to the extremely fragmented structure of the Agri value chain in the region, TNB Aura believes Eratani’s farmer-centric strategy spearheaded by a mission-driven team is vital to expedite the transformation of sustainable food security in Indonesia,” noted Vicknesh R. Pillay, Founding Partner of TNB Aura.

Eratani’s mobile platform provides upstream and downstream solutions, including data-driven farm and supply chain management, data-driven agronomic knowledge for farmers, and downstream solutions like the distribution of agricultural produce.

Image Credit: Eratani