Of late, India is fast emerging as one of the fastest growing startup ecosystems in the world, with multiple unicorns emerging out of the country each year. While many individuals are embracing entrepreneurship with open arms, this is easier said than done, as running an organization successfully, especially in a dynamic and hypercompetitive market such as India, requires exceptional management skills and business acumen. As a result, we are witnessing a heightened demand for management courses in recent times. Spread across India, the 21 IIMs are spearheading the management education and business studies in the country today by offering undergraduate, postgraduate, doctoral and executive education programs across niche areas such as HR, finance, accounting, marketing, economics and many others.

While the list of young entrepreneurs who are part of the vast IIM alumni network and have successfully marked their presence in the business community is long, it would definitely be deemed incomplete without the presence of Dhairya Bajaria, Founder & CEO, Sky Blix. Dhairya started his career working with Rajesh Exports, and in the meantime, went on to pursue his MCom from University of Mumbai and MS in Finance from NMIMS. To further sharpen his business skills, he also took-up his management degree in FinTech from the prestigious IIM Ahmedabad.

Taking the Entrepreneurial Route

Hailing from an agricultural family, Dhairya had witnessed first-hand the plight of farmers in India and the various difficulties that they face despite being exceptionally skilled at their work. Driven by the burning desire to improve the scenario for the farmers across India, he decided to leverage his career experience and management skills that he had garnered at IIM Ahmedabad and setup Sky Blix in 2021 with a vision to revolutionize the agriculture industry in India through cutting-edge tech integration.

“Sky Blix was born from a vision to make agriculture more efficient, sustainable, and accessible. Although the majority of India’s population is engaged in farming, agriculture contributes only a small fraction to the national GDP, highlighting significant inefficiencies and a substantial potential for improvement. These factors motivated me to leverage innovative technologies like AI, ML, Robotics and IoT to address these challenges, ensuring higher yields and better resource management. My goal was to enhance productivity and sustainability in agriculture by bridging the gap between conventional methods and modern technology. My education at IIM Ahmedabad, NMIMS, and the University of Mumbai

provided a robust foundation in finance, technology, and business management. These experiences enhanced my analytical skills, strategic thinking, and leadership qualities, which have been pivotal in my entrepreneurial journey”, says Dhairya Bajaria, Founder & CEO, Sky Blix.

Tech-driven Innovative to Reshape Farming Practices

Based in Mumbai, Sky Blix is a next-generation agritech company focused on developing and implementing modern agricultural cultivation systems, harvesting lines, and turnkey solutions for future farming. SKY-Ponics, a highly advanced, patented technology, was conceived and developed through the combined efforts of the company’s teams in Mumbai, Israel, and Dubai. This innovative system allows farmers to have complete control over critical factors affecting plant growth, including temperature, humidity, water, essential nutrients, and more. For the first time in India, by utilizing advanced cameras and sensors to scan each plant daily, SKY-Ponics can detect and cure various plant diseases. The technology is equipped with numerous cameras and sensors that enable farmers to identify even the smallest variations within these controlled environments, and the system automatically takes the necessary measures to optimize plant growth.

Always passionate about contributing towards the betterment of the society, Dhairya plans to provide the spirulina produced through his bioreactor to malnourished kids in Maharashtra at absolutely no cost!

“SKY-Ponics is a revolutionary, made in India, patented farming system that harnesses natural sunlight, renewable energy, and advanced AI to optimize plant growth. Some of the key advantages that it offers over regular farms are soilless farming year-round irrespective of climate or season, 2x crop growth speed, 90 percent less water consumption, and chemical-free produce that has higher safety & purity standards than organics. A powerful combination of AI, robotics, and IoT drives SKY-Ponics’ efficiency. These cutting-edge tools were once considered unattainable for small-scale Indian farmers due to their high cost. However, through Dhairya’s innovative approach, these sophisticated technologies have been made accessible and affordable, empowering farmers with the means to significantly enhance their crop yields and live lihoods”, adds Dhairya.

Contributing towards a Social Cause

Currently, Dhairya along with his team at Sky Blix are working on their flagship project, a very unique urban photobio reactor named ‘PrakritiVriksha’, which has been proposed to the Maharashtra government to solve two critical problems, namely air pollution and malnutrition. This award winning bioreactor absorbs pollutants from the air and creates a superfood called spirulina which is being used by NASA and European space agencies to feed their astronauts. Additionally, spirulina is also being used by WHO and UN to feed malnourished kids in Africa. Always passionate about contributing towards the betterment of the society, Dhairya plans to follow the same path and provide the spirulina produced through his bioreactor to malnourished kids in Maharashtra at absolutely no cost!

Sharing is secret to a healthy work-life balance and advising upcoming entrepreneurs, Dhairya says, “Juggling the demands of a high-tech leadership role with personal life can be challenging. Effective time management and delegation, coupled with a strong team and prioritization of family time, can create a healthier work-life balance”.

The Way Forward

Explaining the future roadmap, Dhairya elucidates, “While I’m very excited about expanding the Prakriti Vriksha project, I’m also looking forward to starting premium agricultural retail outlets and start an energy drink brand based on Spirulina. We’re also working on enhancing AI capabilities in SKY-Ponics and developing more sustainable farming solutions tailored to different climatic conditions”.