What Oorja Development Solutions does

Oorja Development Solutions is a Farming-as-a-Service company, founded in 2014 by Amit Saraogi and Dr. Clementine Chambon, that delivers solar-powered irrigation and climate-smart agronomy advisory to smallholder farmers in India. Its core product, Oonnati, is a Pay-Per-Use solar irrigation service that deploys community-shared 5 HP BLDC and AC submersible pumps (capable of ~250 m³/day and irrigating up to 25 acres each), with water billed volumetrically through flowmeters at INR 2–4 per cubic meter — 20–60% cheaper than diesel alternatives — and a INR 1,000 one-time membership fee per farmer. Group sizes of 15–20 farmers per pump and trained local pump operators handle operations and cash/digital collections. Adjacent products include Oorvar (climate-smart advisory), Oodyam (B2B2C end-to-end deployments for agribusinesses, FPOs, CSR institutions), the Dhoop mobile app, and 2024-vintage EPC and Fixed Monthly Installment (FMI) ownership-based verticals; a solar-powered cold-storage offering was launched in 2021 with Ecozen.

The company operates across six Uttar Pradesh districts (Bahraich, Barabanki, Hardoi, Sitapur, and others) with 326 deployed solar pumps serving 5,508+ direct users and impacting 61,100+ lives. Capital structure is venture-backed and impact-aligned: a $1M seed (Oct 2021, with Schneider Electric Energy Access Asia), a $1.5M Pre-Series A (Aug 2024, Acumen/elea/Artha/Echoing Green/PG Impact/1to4), plus a CHF 500,000 REPIC/BASE grant and a $300,000 Swiss Re Foundation grant. The holding company is Oorja Development Solutions Limited (UK), with the operating entity being Oorja Development Solutions India Private Limited (Delhi, CIN U40108DL2016FTC309253). Reported impact metrics include 5,815–6,300+ tonnes CO2e abated, 87–96% of customers transitioned off diesel, 93% reporting higher incomes, 97% satisfaction, and 4.35x social return on investment per 60 Decibels and 4th Wheel assessments.

Revenue is generated through a mix of usage-based water fees (Oonnati), Cooling-as-a-Service cold storage, B2B2C EPC and hardware deployments (Oodyam), FMI financing, and freemium climate advisory. The model targets low-income smallholders who cannot afford upfront solar equipment and is differentiated by the elimination of capital barriers for the end user, community-shared infrastructure economics, and integration of agronomic advisory with energy access. Distribution is direct-to-farmer in rural Uttar Pradesh through Business Development Officers and district supervisors, complemented by institutional B2B sales, with development-finance and research partnerships (Aga Khan Foundation, GIZ, IWMI, Imperial College London, WE4F, SELCO Foundation, Schneider Electric, Partners Group, Climate-KIC, DOEN) underwriting the field operation and product roadmap.

Name

Oorja Development Solutions

Legal name

Oorja Development Solutions India Private Limited

Website

https://oorjasolutions.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2014

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Oorja Development Solutions is a Farming-as-a-Service company that delivers Pay-Per-Use solar-powered irrigation and climate-smart agronomy advisory to smallholder farmers across six districts in Uttar Pradesh, India, using community-shared pumps and volumetric billing to remove upfront equipment costs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Solar Irrigation Services

NAICS

Water Supply and Irrigation Systems (22131), Solar Electric Power Generation (221114)

SIC

Agricultural Services (700)

akta.pro primary industry

Irrigation Scheduling & Advisory Services (ET/Soil-Moisture Based) (AFACAFAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Water-Smart Irrigation & Water Stewardship (Drip/Micro, Scheduling, Water Harvesting) (AFAGAMAD), Distributed & Commercial Renewable O&M (Rooftop Solar, C&I Wind, Small Hydro) (EUAMAGAB), Controller/Timer & Smart Irrigation Setup (Wi‑Fi, Sensors) (HSAIAEAD)

Keywords

• Solar irrigation services
• Farming-as-a-service
• Decentralized renewable energy
• Climate-smart agriculture
• Pay-per-use solar

Headquarters

HQ city

New Delhi

HQ country

India

HQ region

Asia

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Irrigation-as-a-Service (Oonnati): Farmers pay a one-time non-refundable membership fee (INR 1,000 per person) plus volumetric charges for water consumed (INR 2-4 per cubic meter). The Pay-Per-Use model eliminates upfront costs for farmers while providing recurring revenue through usage fees.
2. Cooling-as-a-Service: Solar-powered cold storage services offered on a pay-per-use basis. Farmers and traders can store produce without upfront cost for technology acquisition.
3. Oodyam B2B2C Solar Irrigation: End-to-end solar irrigation deployments for agribusinesses, FPOs, CSR institutions, and NGOs. Includes system design, installation, commissioning, farmer onboarding, training, and optional AMC for performance continuity.
4. EPC and FMI Solutions: Engineering, Procurement, and Construction services for solar irrigation pumps and rooftop solar systems, plus Fixed Monthly Installment solutions for individual farmers and businesses.
5. Climate-Smart Farmer Advisory: Agronomy advisory services provided to irrigation customers, potentially including digital advisory via Dhoop app.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Oorja deploys, owns, and operates shared solar-powered irrigation pumps that deliver water to smallholder farmers on a Pay-Per-Use basis, charging a one-time membership fee plus volumetric tariffs measured through digital flowmeters. The company bundles this irrigation service with climate-smart agronomy advisory, sells end-to-end solar irrigation EPC and Fixed Monthly Installment solutions to institutions and individual farmers, and operates solar-powered cold storage in partnership with Ecozen. Its technology backbone includes BLDC/AC submersible pumps, flowmeters, smart meters, digital payments, and the Dhoop mobile platform.

Product overview

Oorja Development Solutions is a Farming-as-a-Service company offering a portfolio of solar-powered agricultural solutions for smallholder farmers in India. The core offerings include Oonnati (Irrigation-as-a-Service with Pay-Per-Use solar irrigation), Oorvar (Climate-Smart Farmer Advisory services), and Oodyam (EPC solutions for institutions). Additional services include Fixed Monthly Installment (FMI) financing solutions, solar-powered cold storage via Ecozen partnership, the Dhoop mobile app (unified farmer digital platform under development), and Research & Consultancy services. The company operates primarily in Uttar Pradesh across multiple districts.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Oonnati: Pay-Per-Use solar irrigation service providing affordable water access to smallholder farmers without upfront investment. Uses community solar pumps with volumetric billing.
• Oorvar
• Oodyam
• Dhoop

Quantifiable outcome

• 27% increase in farmers' incomes; Farmers save up to 60% on irrigation costs; 93% of customers report higher incomes after using Oorja services
• +7 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

Partnerships

21 partnerships are on record, tiered core, strategic and flagship.

• Aga Khan FoundationcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 1 January 2024Implementation partner working with Oorja to extend services to broader rural communities. Provides on-ground implementation support in operational districts.
• South PolecoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 1 January 2024Strategic partnership aligned with Oorja's mission for climate action and sustainable agriculture implementation.
• GIZ (Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit)coreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 1 January 2024German development agency partnership for implementing solar solutions in agriculture sector.
• HCL FoundationcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 1 January 2024CSR foundation partnership for implementing solar irrigation solutions with rural communities.
• Santa Clara UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Research partnership with university for conducting joint research on agricultural practices and clean energy solutions.
• Amrut Mody School of Management (Ahmedabad University)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Academic research partnership for studying business models in agricultural water sector.
• CLEAN (Clean Energy Access Network)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Industry alliance network for clean energy access. CEO Amit Saraogi served on CLEAN Governing Body.
• We4F (Women for Energy)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Partnership focused on gender mainstreaming and digitisation efforts. Featured in WE4F Annual Report 2023 for innovative use of digital technologies.
• AVPN (Asian Venture Philanthropy Network)strategicStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Published case studies on Oorja's initiatives including 'Affordable Solar Energy Sources for Low-Income Farmers' and 'Resilient Food System Through Climate-Smart Agriculture'.
• GOGLAcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Featured in GOGLA report 'Powering Progress For PURE' exploring how decentralised renewable energy enables productive use technologies. Partnership for knowledge exchange and thought leadership.
• Climate Policy InitiativecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Partnership for policy research and analysis on climate and energy issues affecting Oorja's operations.
• SE4RL (Solar Energy for Rural Livelihoods)flagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 December 2023Benchmark study with IWMI and Sustain Plus Energy Foundation to understand drivers of performance and impact of off-grid solar irrigation pumps on rural livelihoods in eastern Uttar Pradesh.
• Imperial College LondonstrategicStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 September 2023Jointly developed irrigation scheduling mobile app with researchers from Imperial College London. Mobile app designed for weather forecasting, water output forecasting, and optimal scheduling of farmers' water requests.
• University of SouthamptonstrategicStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 September 2023Collaborated with Oorja on development of irrigation scheduling app, providing technical expertise and research support for the mobile application.
• International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD)strategicStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Partnered to understand the impact of incorporating secondary use of unutilised energy potential of solar irrigation pumps by setting up solar mills. Focus on gender and economic benefits for marginalised communities.
• International Water Management Institute (IWMI)strategicStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Collaborative action research project SE4RL (Solar Energy for Rural Livelihoods) benchmarking performance of off-grid solar irrigation pumps in eastern Uttar Pradesh. Joint tariff reduction experiments in Bahraich, Barabanki, and Hardoi.
• Sustain Plus Energy FoundationstrategicStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Collaborative partner in SE4RL action research project studying off-grid solar irrigation pump performance and rural livelihood impacts.
• 60 DecibelsstrategicStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Conducted independent impact assessment of Oorja's irrigation customers and solar pump operators. Findings validated Oorja's impact claims and informed strategic improvements in service delivery.
• 4th Wheel Social ImpactcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Conducted 2024 annual impact assessment evaluating Oorja's services and their impact on farmer livelihoods.
• SELCO FoundationstrategicImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 1 January 2022Implemented CatalyzeTech project in Spring 2022 to train 500 smallholder and marginalised farmers. Partnership for deployment and implementation support.
• EcozenstrategicTechnology or Integration · 12 October 2021Collaboration to launch solar-powered cold storage service. Ecozen provides technology for decentralised cold storage solutions enabling post-harvest management for smallholder farmers.

Scale indicators24 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights7 records

Direct peers

• SunCulture: SunCulture sells Pay-Per-Use solar irrigation systems to smallholder farmers in East Africa. The most direct comparable: identical servitization model, similar BoP smallholder target market, and usage-based revenue structure applied to solar pumps.
• Claro Energy: India-based decentralized solar solutions company offering solar irrigation pumps to farmers and rural customers. Competes head-to-head with Oorja in solar irrigation for Indian smallholders with similar pay-per-use and ownership models.
• Simusolar: Uganda-based Pay-Per-Use solar irrigation provider for smallholder farmers. Highly comparable business model—rented solar water pumps with mobile-money payments—targeting similar BoP agricultural customers in sub-Saharan Africa.
• Ecozen Solutions: India-based climate-smart agriculture company providing solar-powered cold storage and irrigation products. Direct partner of Oorja on cold storage; overlapping customer base of smallholder farmers and complementary product portfolio.

Broad incumbents

• d.light: Global Pay-As-You-Go solar company serving off-grid and under-electrified customers across Africa and Asia. While focused on lighting and home systems, d.light's distribution model and BoP financing expertise are directly relevant to Oorja's Pay-Per-Use approach.
• Sun King (Greenlight Planet): Large-scale distributed solar company selling PAYG solar home systems and productive-use appliances across Africa and India. While broader portfolio, Sun King's expansion into solar water pumps and productive-use equipment directly overlaps with Oorja's addressable market.
• SELCO India: Pioneer in India providing affordable solar energy solutions to underserved households, including solar pumps and productive-use equipment. Oorja has partnered with SELCO Foundation; they serve a closely overlapping customer base with broader energy offerings.
• Shakti Pumps: Leading Indian manufacturer of submersible pumps and solar pump systems. Competitor at the hardware level with significant scale and government tender access (PM-KUSUM); represents a major supply-side competitive threat to Oorja's hardware component.

Emerging players

• Promethean Power Systems: India-based maker of solar-powered milk chillers and cold storage for rural dairy value chains. Comparable in the solar-as-a-service model applied to agricultural post-harvest needs; complementary rather than directly competing with Oorja's irrigation focus.
• aQysta (aQai Holding): Developer of the Barsha Pump—a hydro-powered irrigation pump for smallholder farmers across South and Southeast Asia. Operates in overlapping geographies with similar mission of low-cost irrigation for smallholders, though using water-powered rather than solar technology.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/oorjasolutions
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/oorjasolutions
• Facebookfacebook.com/oorjasolutions

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds6 records

Investors10 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Oorja Development Solutions