"Why isn't there much happening for agriculture?"
A 16-year-old turned down a $300,000 offer to drop out of school and run his AI startup full-time.
While meeting with a venture capitalist in 2025, Rudrojas Kunvar was presented with a life-changing proposition.
The Maryland-based teenager had built an AI-powered agriculture tool and was offered significant funding to pursue it full-time.
Rudrojas said: “It was definitely a rough couple of weeks of contemplating. That’s a lot of money.”
He developed Evion, a free AI crop-analysis platform, during the summer before the offer. The tool uses images captured by basic camera drones, allowing farmers to assess crop health without investing in expensive equipment.
The system analyses aerial images and generates a colour-coded crop health map. Green indicates healthy crops, while red highlights areas of concern.
Rudrojas continued: “Farmers can use that to predict the future of their crops.
“You can see what areas need more water or fertiliser, rather than just spraying everywhere.”
The innovation arrives as drone technology continues to reshape agriculture in the United States.
According to researchers at Michigan State University, approximately 5,500 agricultural drones were registered with the Federal Aviation Administration in 2025, up from around 1,000 the previous year.
Rudrojas Kunvar believes Evion can help farmers reduce costs by removing uncertainty. With more precise data, they can limit unnecessary use of water and fertiliser.
Unlike companies that sell high-cost drone systems, Evion focuses on accessibility. Farmers can purchase affordable drones, capture their own images, and upload them directly to the platform.
Rudrojas said: “It’s meant to be a more affordable plan for these low to mid-scale farms.”
The idea for Evion emerged during Rudrojas’ sophomore year at Poolesville High School in Montgomery County. While attending a local community festival, he spoke with farmers about how they detect crop disease.
He explained: “I asked a farmer about how they’re able to tell when a disease is coming or what slight discolouration means.
“Essentially, he said he’s guessing. I spoke to a few other farmers, and I realised there was a common thread among all of their responses.”
Despite rapid developments in artificial intelligence across industries, the teenager noticed a gap in agriculture:
“We’ve had a lot of AI advancements in various verticals and various industries.
“Why isn’t there much happening for agriculture?”
Initially, he planned to develop a fleet of fully autonomous drones. However, after consulting mentors and analysing costs, he shifted his approach.
Rudrojas identified the multispectral camera as the most expensive component in agricultural drones. He began exploring whether similar data could be obtained using standard cameras instead.
“The camera was the leading cost. I wondered, ‘What if there’s a way to get similar data without needing this camera? What if I could use a simple camera?'”
After developing the AI model, Rudrojas Kunvar partnered with Jacob Lee, who has experience building technology tools, to expand Evion’s reach. The initial pilot launched in the autumn.
The founders initially sought clients through cold emails and LinkedIn outreach. They later found more success by working with agriculture-focused organisations and non-profits to connect with farmers.
Evion is now being used by farmers across North America, Southeast Asia, and India.
Despite the lucrative offer, Rudrojas ultimately decided to remain in school. He said he wanted to ensure Evion stayed accessible and was not driven solely by profit.
Looking ahead, he plans to grow the platform while exploring opportunities in AI infrastructure.
Rudrojas added: “There’s so much ambiguity in entrepreneurship, especially in startups, but I’ve learned there’s beauty in ambiguity.
“There’s been times where nothing’s working out, and then you have the tiniest win, and it’s like, ‘Wow, maybe I can do this’.”
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