By Andi Anderson
Ag is tackling a common pain point for farmers: managing complex landowner relationships. Launched in January 2024, their cloud-based platform aims to streamline communication, document management, and payments between farmers and landowners.
Shashi Raghunandan, founder and CEO of Oaken.Ag, identified the need for a centralized system after witnessing farmers struggling with manual methods like spreadsheets and paper files. "This not only wasted time," he explains, "but also created issues during farm succession planning."
Oaken.Ag goes beyond simply storing lease agreements. It helps track landowner family members, facilitating smoother transitions during inheritances. Raghunandan emphasizes the importance of building relationships not just with the current landowner but also with potential future decision-makers. This fosters a collaborative environment and increases the chances of keeping the land in farming use.
The user-friendly platform requires no software downloads. Farmers can access it from any computer with a login and password. Oaken.Ag offers onboarding assistance to ensure users get the most out of the program. "We set you up and provide two months of hand-holding to ensure you're comfortable using the platform," says Raghunandan.
Kassi Rowland of Tom Farms in Kosciusko County is among the early adopters of Oaken.Ag. Her collaboration with Raghunandan's team helped shape the platform to meet the specific needs of landowners and farm managers.
Purdue University played a crucial role in Oaken.Ag's journey. Funding from Purdue DIAL Ventures provided the necessary capital to launch the business. Raghunandan highlights the valuable mentorship and industry validation Purdue offers to startups. "Purdue DIAL doesn't just provide funding," he says, "they also connect us with potential customers, which has been instrumental in our initial success."
With its focus on simplifying landowner relationships, Oaken.Ag positions itself as a valuable tool for farmers seeking a more organized and efficient way to manage their land use agreements.
For more information, visit Oaken.Ag.
Photo Credit: gettyimages-scharfsinn86
Categories: Indiana, Business, General