Indian Hempstore: Building India’s First Full-Stack Hemp Economy

India has no structured ecosystem to tap into industrial hemp—a USD 5.49 billion global market and a climate-resilient crop with applications in medicine, nutrition, textiles, sustainable packaging, and wellness. For over 80 years, due to Western pressure and misinformation, India has clubbed hemp, cannabis, and bhaang under the stigma of drugs.

The result? Farmers are stuck with low-value crops, industries depend on polluting materials, and consumers have no access to locally sourced hemp products.

Indian Hempstore is rewriting that story—building India’s first full-stack hemp ecosystem that integrates contract farming, decentralized processing, marketplace access, and institutional collaborations to create a sustainable, inclusive hemp economy rooted in Indian soil.

From Kasol Insight to Green Innovation

Founder Siddharth Gupta began his career with Flipkart, ITC, and a D2C startup, learning the nuts and bolts of value chains, supply systems, and branding. In 2017, during a visit to Kasol and Himalayan villages, he discovered hemp’s potential as both a sustainable crop and a socio-economic catalyst.

That insight became Indian Hempstore—a farmer-first, innovation-led venture committed to making hemp a mainstream crop in India.

Building India’s First Full-Stack Hemp Supply Chain: Inside Indian Hempstore’s Vision

The early challenge was clear: hemp needed legitimacy in formal markets. The team onboarded just five hemp companies and two farmers in its pilot, training them in sustainable cultivation, trading initial batches, and alpha-testing bio-food products. Collaborations with research institutions set the foundation for a science-backed approach.

“Our priority was to build the ecosystem—through education, research, and training—before selling products,” says the founder.

External validation came quickly: representing India at SLUSH 2024 in Helsinki and winning Navbharat Group’s Green Innovation Startup of the Year 2025. Today, Indian Hempstore is one of the most recognised names in the Indian hemp industry.

Key Turning Points

• Built a hybrid B2B/B2C marketplace with 40+ brands and 2,000+ orders.
• Launched a pilot hemp food line, tested for compliance in accredited food labs.
• Secured two government orders—including an ongoing long-term contract.
• Educated 50,000+ youth via campus events and rural workshops.
• Incubated at TCS Digital Impact Square (AgridisQuovery 2025) for on-farm innovation and FPO tech integration.

Scaling for Impact

The startup is now expanding farmer engagement, launching value-added agritech clusters, and building hemp-based food and functional wellness products. Overseas outreach has begun, targeting the UAE and European markets.

Vision: A standardized, traceable hemp supply chain that benefits farmers, industries, and consumers—making hemp a mainstream crop in India.

Key Milestones

• Founded: 2022 under Myna Hemp Store Pvt. Ltd.
• Funding: ₹44.2 lakh entirely from government bodies; no private investment except founder bootstrapping.
• Government Ties: Partnerships with Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, and Punjab; expanding to Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Telangana, and Kerala.
• Performance: 2,000+ orders; ₹12 lakh annual revenue.
• Network: 40+ brands, 5+ farmers onboarded.
• Recognition: Represented India at SLUSH 2024; Navbharat Group Green Innovation Startup of the Year 2025.
• Collaborations: IIT Ropar, UPES, TCS Digital Impact Square, 5 other academic institutions.
• Contracts: Ongoing long-term government supply deal; two completed public procurement orders.

Founder’s Lesson

“Innovation isn’t just about tech—it’s about creating an ecosystem. Understand the regulations, build ground-level trust with farmers, work with government and academia, and focus on value beyond profits. Pivot when needed, but always stay rooted in your mission of regenerative impact and inclusive growth.” - Siddharth Gupta, Founder, Indian Hempstore