aQysta envisions a world where even the smallest farmers can be profitable, while farming in harmony with nature

our Purpose

We improve the livelihoods of small farmers by enabling them to sustain themselves and their families while farming in a sustainable manner

our Mission

We aim to empower 1 million farmers with better access to markets, capital, knowledge, farming inputs and renewable energy technologies by 2030

Our story

aQysta’s inspiration comes from our Nepalese CEO, Pratap Thapa, who grew up in a farmer community in Nepal. His parents had their farm right next to a river but could not get the water from the river to the farm. Instead, they depended on rainfall and tried to ‘catch the rain’ when the first monsoon rains came. The question that stayed on his mind was: “Can the river’s power be used to lift water to nearby farms?”

Pratap grew up to become an engineer and received a scholarship to do an MSc program at the Technical University of Delft, the Netherlands. He met aQysta’s co-founders, Fred Henny and Lennart Budelmann and started working on solutions for his community. Together they developed the “Barsha Pump”, a renewable irrigation pump that uses the power of flowing water sources (like rivers) to lift water to farmlands without external inputs. Today, Pratap’s parents and more than 7,000 smallholder farmers in 27 countries benefit from this technology.

However, work remains to be done. While access to irrigation water is essential to increasing farmers’ productivity, aQysta has seen that many farmers still generate insufficient incomes to sustain themselves and their families with farming. Farmers need proper training, quality farming inputs (like seeds and fertilizers), and a market where they can receive a fair price for their products to further increase their productivity and profitability.

These insights encouraged aQysta to start its Farm Incubator, in which we link farmers to premium markets that provide higher prices for their harvest. We then prepare the farmers to be able to supply to these premium markets by providing the right capital, knowledge, quality inputs, and technology.

Our journey

  • 2012-2013

Founded

aQysta BV was founded in 2013 at the Technical University of Delft
First full-scale Prototype developed of the “Barsha Pump”

Philips innovation Award

1st place

Bearing Point Award

1st place

DOW SISCA Award

1st place
  • 2014-2015

First commercial
production

First pilot of barsha Pump in Nepal
Design improvement based on user feedback
First commercial production of 25 units

European venture competition

1st place
  • 2016-2017

Market
Introduction

aQysta Nepal, founded in Kathmandu, Nepal
Sales and implementation of 25 BarshaPumps
  • 2018-2020

International
expansion

aQysta offices established in Malawi and India
Development and pilot of community-scale HyPump Technology
Sales and implementation of 400 Barsha pumps
Research project on pay-after-harvest financing
  • 2021

Transformation of
business model

Launched the Grown Farm Incubator business model
Incubated 50 farmers in Malawi, Nepal and India
Sold first harvest in Malawi

Our team

International and management team with a strong track record of product development

Today aQysta consists of 47 people from 9 nationalities working from 4 continents, speaking 12 different languages. The shared passion for bringing innovation to enable smallholder farmers and their families to prosper and grow unites everyone.

Inspiring leader with first-hand experience of small-holder farming in Nepal

Msc. Economics and finance with annotation in Entrepreneurship

Previous experience: Bosch, BoP Inc, Kathamndu University

Forbes 30 under 30

Strategy, Business development, Sales, Marketing and Finance

Diligent leader with experience in operations and project management

Passionate to bridge impact and profit

Msc. Supply Chain Management with annotation in Technology in Sustainable Development.

Previous experience: Airbus, Mercedes

Process & People Management, Finance, Strategy, Sales

Inspiring leader with first-hand experience of small-holder farming in Nepal

Msc. Economics and finance with annotation in Entrepreneurship

Previous experience: Bosch, BoP Inc, Kathamndu University

Forbes 30 under 30

Strategy, Business development, Sales, Marketing and Finance

pratap thapa

CEO/founder

Diligent leader with experience in operations and project management

Passionate to bridge impact and profit

Msc. Supply Chain Management with annotation in Technology in Sustainable Development.

Previous experience: Airbus, Mercedes

Process & People Management, Finance, Strategy, Sales

Lennart Budelmann

COO/Founder

pratap thapa

CEO/founder

Lennart Budelmann

COO/Founder

Team Netherlands

Team Nepal

Team Malawi

Team India

Our advisors