Business Remedies | Rajshree Upadhyaya | June 11,2025 | Seeing the lack of tools to detect early signs of illness in animals, two young engineers, Sreeshankar S. Nair and Romeo P. Jerard, developed a deep tech startup using AI technology and made a mark for themselves both in India and globally. Residing in central Kerala, Nair and Jerard were driven by more than ambition. When Sreeshankar lost his cow to an unidentified illness, the pain wasn’t just personal, it highlighted a larger issue within India’s dairy ecosystem. Despite their dedication, farmers lacked the tools to detect early signs of illness in their animals. This incident became the catalyst for a solution that blended empathy with innovation.
Tracks vital parameters and behavioral patterns of animals
This solution emerged as Brainwired, a deep tech startup focused on transforming livestock health monitoring. Their flagship product, WeSTOCK, is a smart, AI-based wearable device that tracks an animal’s vital parameters and behavior patterns. It works much like a Fitbit. A small, durable ear tag collects real-time data on an animal’s body temperature, rumination, and movement, which is transmitted via a reader station to a cloud-based platform. This data is then processed through AI and machine learning algorithms to detect early signs of illness, determine fertility, and even predict pregnancy. Farmers receive alerts through a mobile app, enabling timely intervention and potentially saving both livestock and farmer income.
System works offline in remote areas
Unlike high-cost global solutions, WeSTOCK is built with affordability in mind. Priced at around Rs. 20,000 per unit, it is significantly cheaper than its international counterparts. What sets it apart is its adaptability, the device has been customized for various animals like cows, goats, and even camels and horses. The system operates offline in remote areas and can be run through a simple smartphone interface, making it accessible across rural India. It doesn’t just monitor, it empowers. A turning point came in 2022 when Brainwired appeared on Shark Tank India. Their pitch balanced tech demonstration with emotional appeal. Asking for Rs. 50 lakh for 5% equity, they impressed the Sharks with their clarity and compassion. Eventually, they secured Rs. 60 lakh for 10% equity from four Sharks, Aman Gupta, Namita Thapar, Peyush Bansal, and Ashneer Grover. The impact of the show was immediate and far-reaching. Within weeks, their website saw over 150,000 visits, and the company’s monthly revenue surged from Rs. 2 lakh to over Rs. 70 lakh. Inquiries started pouring in from all over India and even globally, including from regions like Africa and Australia.
Target to tag over 5 lakh animals
After Shark Tank, Brainwired rapidly expanded. They partnered with Godrej Maxximilk and Tech Mahindra, collaborated with multiple state governments, and began deploying their solution in dairy farms and rural communities. The company now aims to tag over five lakh animals in the coming years, ensuring better health outcomes and increased productivity for farmers. Their total funding has surpassed Rs. 2.5 crore over multiple rounds, with an estimated current valuation of over Rs. 25 crore. Brainwired’s story is remarkable not just because of the technology, but because of the intent behind it. In a market dominated by large agritech players and imported solutions, they created something entirely Indian, affordable, resilient, and designed for the real-world challenges of farming.
Meaningful innovation can start not just in labs, but also in cowsheds
Most importantly, they achieved all this without losing the human element. Their journey proves that meaningful innovation doesn’t always begin in a lab, it can start in a cowshed, with a moment of loss and a desire to ensure no other farmer has to go through the same. Brainwired has shown that the future of farming isn’t just in big machinery or chemical solutions, but in smart, empathetic technologies that understand the rhythm of rural life. This is not just a device, it is the silent guardian of India’s livestock. A promise to farmers, and a glimpse of how technology can touch even the most traditional corners of our economy.
Written & Edited By:
Rajshree Upadhyaya
