Aabesh De, a former Microsoft customer service employee, was hopeless when it came to taking care of house plants. “My dear mother gave me her prized rose bush plant that she had for years,” De said. “And I ended up killing it in eight short days.” Armed with the desire to find a solution to the challenges of plant care, he established Flora, a plant sensor startup known for its innovative approach to houseplant care.
De’s entrepreneurial journey reached a pivotal moment on “Shark Tank,” where the 29-year-old founder and CEO secured a significant investment deal worth $300,000 for his houseplant care solutions. Renowned Shark Tank investor Lori Greiner saw the potential in De’s vision and offered $300,000 for 15% equity and 5% in advisory shares, along with a $2 per unit royalty until her investment is recouped.
The flagship product of Flora, the Flora Pod, is a testament to De’s ingenuity and dedication to solving real-world problems. Priced at $64, the Flora Pod is a compact attachment that goes beneath the soil surface of indoor or outdoor plants, serving as a virtual coach for plant care enthusiasts. By leveraging advanced technology, the Flora Pod provides real-time feedback and alerts, empowering users to nurture their plants with confidence and ease.
Complementing the Flora Pod is the Flora app, a user-friendly platform that has garnered widespread acclaim with over 300,000 users across 190 countries. The app offers a range of features, including customized reminders, plant species identification through scanning, and gamified rewards to incentivize plant care activities. With or without the Flora Pod, users can access valuable resources and support to cultivate thriving plant ecosystems.
Beyond its innovative products, Flora also distinguishes itself through its commitment to sustainability and community engagement. The company offers locally sourced houseplants for sale online, promoting environmental stewardship and supporting local growers. Moreover, De’s journey exemplifies the spirit of entrepreneurship, as he taught himself the necessary skills in electronics and computer science to develop the Flora Pod prototype and code the Flora iOS app from scratch.
As Flora continues to flourish and expand its reach, Aabesh De’s vision of empowering individuals to connect with nature and nurture thriving plant ecosystems resonates more profoundly than ever. With Flora leading the way, the future of plant care looks brighter and greener than ever before.
Image credit: Flora
