Fragaria relocates HQ from Chennai
Chennai-based agritech startup Fragaria is relocating its headquarters to Bengaluru, founder Harish Varadharajan announced in a widely shared post on LinkedIn and X on Thursday.
Varadharajan highlighted multiple factors behind the decision, including Bengaluru’s favourable climate, better market access, supportive agricultural laws, expat-friendly living, and a thriving startup ecosystem. “In Chennai, we gave it our all, building a global product and cultivating strawberries against all odds. But Bengaluru’s advantages made the move inevitable,” he wrote.
Despite the shift, Fragaria will continue to operate its R&D farm in Chennai, with the city remaining “close to the company’s heart,” Varadharajan said.
Founder’s reflections on the move
In his LinkedIn post, Varadharajan shared, “Fragaria is moving to Bengaluru! As a Tamil boy, I dreamt of building a truly global product right from Tamil Nadu. We gave it everything in Chennai — and proved premium strawberries can be grown here against all odds. That said, Chennai will always be our first home. Our R&D farm will continue there, and I hope to find many more reasons to bring farms back to Tamil Nadu in the future.”
The founder emphasised that the move is strategic, aimed at leveraging Bengaluru’s ecosystem of innovation and global connectivity to scale Fragaria’s operations and reach more international markets.
Bengaluru’s growing appeal for startups
Bengaluru has long been a hub for technology and agritech startups due to its well-developed infrastructure, investor base, and talent pool. Experts note that agritech firms increasingly view the city as a launchpad for expanding into national and global markets, while still maintaining operational bases in their original cities.
This move comes shortly after another Bengaluru-based company, BlackBuck, clarified that it was not leaving the city despite logistical concerns in parts of its operational areas. The CEO of BlackBuck, Rajesh Yabaji, reaffirmed the company’s commitment to Bengaluru, highlighting the support provided by the local tech ecosystem since its founding in 2015.
Conclusion
Fragaria’s relocation underscores the strategic importance of Bengaluru as a startup hub in India, especially for agritech and technology-driven companies. While Chennai continues to remain a base for research and innovation, startups like Fragaria are increasingly seeking environments that combine policy support, global connectivity, and a vibrant entrepreneurial culture.