Croppico’s Homie brings smart hydroponics to your living room

Who doesn’t wish to have some greenery in their house? Whether you have a large or small space, having plants in the house definitely improves one’s mood and adds a touch of nature to this urban concrete landscape.

Modern gardening equipment like hydroponics systems makes it much easier for urban dwellers to grow their own food at home or plant indoor plants in corporate buildings.

Chennai-headquartered urban farming startup Croppico, founded by Shamil Bicha, offers smart hydroponic systems powered with artificial intelligence (AI) to manage and automate various aspects of plant growth.

From electronics to agritech

After spending four years in the US and over two decades in India’s electronics sector, Bicha’s responsibilities shifted to managing his late father-in-law’s coffee plantations in Wayanad and Coorg.

This experience exposed him to the inherent vulnerabilities of traditional agriculture, particularly in the face of climate change and resource constraints.

However, it was the COVID-19 pandemic that set him on the path to hydroponics farming. Seeking an engaging activity for his mother, who was diagnosed with dementia, Bicha experimented with home gardening.

"I started hydroponics as a way to keep my mother engaged, but soon realised that the existing solutions were highly manual and cumbersome," Bicha, Founder of Croppico, tells YourStory.

This got him started on Croppico in 2024, intending to integrate technology to simplify and enhance urban farming. The startup is bootstrapped with an investment of Rs 2 crore, supported by contributions from friends and family.

Introducing Homie

Homie, the flagship product of Croppico, is an automated hydroponics system that features a four-tier vertical structure, which supports 72 plants and includes a nursery for 80 saplings. Its modular design optimises space, making it ideal for homes, offices, and commercial spaces.

"Urban gardening is often seen as complex and time-consuming. Homie makes it effortless while ensuring high-quality, fresh produce," he explains.

It comes with a 40-litre reservoir with sensors monitoring levels that require weekly refills. Homie automates irrigation through a scheduled cycle that circulates nutrient-rich water, ensuring optimal plant growth. The system’s smart dosing mechanism precisely delivers nutrients.

Meanwhile, the smart sensors within the hydroponics track pH levels, nutrient concentration, temperature, humidity, and flow rates, ensuring a well-regulated growing environment.

The startup has also developed a FarmAssist app, where customers can regulate water, nutrients, lighting, and fertigation (a process to deliver nutrient-rich water directly to plant roots via irrigation) in the system.

The app provides real-time alerts, plant care recommendations, and notifications, as well as recipe suggestions based on harvested produce. "Our goal is to make urban farming accessible to everyone, regardless of prior experience," says Bicha.

Homie enables year-round production and supports a variety of plants, including leafy greens (lettuce, spinach, kale, arugula), herbs (basil, mint, cilantro, thyme), vegetables (bok choy, celery, amaranth), and fruiting plants like cherry tomatoes. It claims to produce up to 10 kg of leafy greens monthly.

"We are targeting families and corporates looking for fresh produce year-round, setting ourselves apart from hobby kits and large-scale farms," says Bicha.

Croppico’s Homie is priced at Rs 1.25 lakh for urban homes and Rs 1.45 lakh for corporates. The founder adds that the company aims to reduce its production costs to Rs 1 lakh as it scales further.

At present, the startup has installed about 45 systems, generating a revenue between Rs 30 and 40 lakh. It has a booking of an additional 25 systems.

By the end of FY25, Croppico aims to deploy 100 systems to drive growth. Once it deploys 500 units, the startup plans to seek strategic investors for expansion in India and globally.

While hydroponic solutions already exist in the market, most are designed for large-scale farms rather than urban or corporate use. "We have yet to encounter a competitor offering a fully automated, standalone system specifically for indoor environments," he adds.

Homie is the result of a collaborative effort by multiple teams, Bicha says. Croppico’s in-house team comprising 10 people designed the controller, working alongside an external development team. A software partner developed the app, while a digital marketing firm handles customer outreach.

"The key to our success is collaborating with experienced hydroponic farmers and urban farming experts to ensure optimal plant growth with minimal user intervention," says Bicha.

Homie has been tested for over three years in Chennai’s humid climate, successfully growing crops without air conditioning for most of the year. During peak summer months, adjusting crop selection helps maintain steady yields.

The future ahead

Beyond residential markets, Croppico is exploring partnerships with corporate catering services, educational institutions, and wellness centres to integrate hydroponic farming into larger ecosystems.

"Croppico is not just selling a product; we are building an ecosystem that makes fresh, homegrown food a practical and desirable choice for urban consumers," Bicha emphasises.

The company has also attracted international interest from markets like the Middle East and Southeast Asia, where climate constraints drive demand for indoor farming solutions.

Meanwhile, the startup plans to introduce Farming-as-a-Service (FaaS) to offer a seamless growing experience with subscription-based seedlings, providing a variety of leafy greens and herbs delivered every grow cycle.

Croppico aims to expand its offerings by introducing new products or variations of Homie tailored to different customer segments and urban farming needs.