Agritech startup Marsh Harrier, backed by IIMA Venture, announced that it has acquired a computer vision company AJA Vision Technologies, based in Ahmedabad, in an undisclosed deal, an official release stated Thursday.
The acquisition will enhance Marsh Harrier’s capabilities in automation and computer vision, crucial for advancing its packhouse solutions. By integrating AJA Vision Technologies’ advanced software stack and experienced team, Marsh Harrier aims to enhance its technological edge, strengthen its market position, and expand into new product categories, the release added.
The acquisition aligns with Marsh Harrier’s strategy to build indigenous solutions for Indian packhouse automation. By integrating AJA Vision Technologies’ expertise, Marsh Harrier plans to accelerate their innovative product lines for integrated solutions for grading, sorting and online packing of fruits and vegetables.
Nitin Gupta, CEO of Sickle Innovations Private Limited (Parent Company of Marsh Harrier), said, “We have seen tremendous growth in the last few years in the packhouse automation business and this is the perfect time and opportunity to strengthen our internal capability to meet the demand of the industry. This move also goes in line with our expansion plans to build new categories.”
Sickle Innovations Private Limited, founded in 2014 with seed funding from IIMA Venture and SID IISc Bangalore, operates under the brand name Marsh Harrier. The company provides optical grading and sorting solutions for apples, kinnows, oranges, pomegranates, and vegetables. Despite being bootstrapped, Sickle Innovations has achieved profitability and has established itself as a leader in the farm automation sector. Both founders are graduates from Indian institute of Science Bangalore.
Jignesh Patel, CEO, AJA Vision, shared his thoughts: “I was surprised to learn that India is the second-largest fruit producer globally, yet post-harvest operations remain largely manual. From an AI/ML use case perspective, this presents an incredible opportunity. We are truly impressed by Marsh Harrier’s team’s practical approach to addressing this challenge.”
AJA Vision Technologies, established in 2017, specialises in industrial automation using computer vision technologies across the pharmaceutical, agricultural, and automotive industries. The acquisition includes AJA Vision’s software stack and its team, including top leadership.