Rize, a sustainable rice platform co-founded by Bengaluru-based Dhruv Sawhney, announced the close of a $31 million Series B funding round, comprising $20 million in equity and $ 11 million in debt financing, on July 16.
The round brings together a coalition of climate-focused and development finance investors committed to scaling Rize’s model across Vietnam, Indonesia, and the wider region of Southeast Asia.
The raise brings Rize’s total funding to date to $47 million, and will be deployed across export expansion, AI-powered tools for farmers and field teams, carbon and innovation initiatives, and organisational growth. In the two years since its Series A, Rize has scaled operations more than tenfold, according to the company.
The equity raise was led by BNP Paribas Asset Management Alts, and was joined by The Rockefeller Foundation, alongside renewed commitments from existing investors Temasek and Breakthrough Energy Ventures. Debt financing is catalysed by BIDV, Temasek Foundation, and UOB.
“Our platform, and approach for transforming and modernising rice cultivation by small holder farmers is getting a big thumbs up by all — the investors, partners and farmers. The team at Rize has woven together positive climate impact and improving farmer resilience into the fabric and foundation of our solutions and business,” said Dhruv Sawhney, co-founder & CEO, Rize.
This investment would allow the platform to unlock the next phase of growth by further expanding scale, investing in market linkage and exports, and cutting-edge technologies to deliver better decision-making, better productivity, and better outcomes across the whole value-chain, he said.
“This is more than just a funding milestone. It is recognition of the foundation Rize has built, and a clear signal that we are ready to create a more connected, resilient, and sustainable food system for small holder farmers,” Mr. Sawhney said.
Rice cultivation is responsible for approximately 12% of global methane emissions, a climate footprint equivalent to the entire aviation industry. Addressing this at scale requires changing how millions of smallholder farmers grow the crop. Rize claims to have addressed this challenge through Alternate Wetting and Drying (AWD), an irrigation method endorsed by the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) and CGIAR, which reduces methane emissions by up to 50%, cuts water consumption by 20–30%, and increases farmer income by up to 30%, without reducing yield.
The platform also works to ensure its rice meets Maximum Residue Limit (MRL) standards required by premium export markets.
Rize emerged in late 2022 from a shared vision between Temasek, 100x100, and Breakthrough Energy Ventures, with 100x100 playing a key role in the early-stage build. The company now works with 17,000 smallholder farmers across over 50,000 hectares in Vietnam and Indonesia, with a team of 250 people on the ground across technology, agronomy, and field operations.
Published - July 16, 2026 11:50 am IST