BoreCharger: Reviving India's Borewells with Innovative Recharge Technology

BoreCharger, developed by Pune-based Urdhvam Environmental Technologies Pvt. Ltd., is a cleantech startup addressing India's groundwater crisis by recharging dried-up borewells. Founded in 2017 by Rahul Suresh Bakare and Vinit Moreshwar Phadnis, the company has introduced a patented robotic technology that enhances the recharge and water yield of existing borewells by at least 50-90%.

Rahul Bakare, the CEO, holds a B.Sc. in Geology from Shivaji University, an M.Sc. in Geology from the University of Pune, and an M.Sc. in Tropical Hydrogeology from Eberhard-Karls-University Tübingen, Germany. His co-founder, Vinit Phadnis, is a serial entrepreneur with prior ventures in environmental technology.

The BoreCharger technology involves a robotic tool that performs "angioplasty" on borewells by perforating the casing pipe at hydrogeologically appropriate depths. This process facilitates the artificial injection of rainwater from surficial unconfined aquifers into deeper confined aquifer systems, significantly increasing borewell recharge. The technology has been deployed in over 4,000 borewells across 12 Indian states and Benin, West Africa, with a reported 90–95% success rate.

In March 2025, BoreCharger appeared on Season 4 of Shark Tank India, seeking ₹75 lakh for 1.5% equity, valuing the company at ₹50 crore. Despite showcasing their innovative approach to water management, the startup did not secure funding. The sharks expressed concerns about the niche market and capital-intensive scaling.

As of March 2023, BoreCharger reported annual revenue of ₹2.78 crore ($346K) with an 8% profit margin. The company has raised a total funding of $252K over four rounds, with investors including Villgro, CIIE, and Social Alpha. Their latest funding round was a grant of $51.1K in June 2023.

BoreCharger aims to expand its franchise model to over 50 franchises by 2026, integrating AI and machine learning for aquifer mapping. The company is also collaborating with government initiatives like AMRUT 2.0 and Jal Shakti Abhiyan to scale its impact on sustainable water management.