After working for several years amidst the hum of servers and the glow of screens, two techies in Kerala have left their high-paying jobs to pursue their passion for mushroom farming. Software engineers Adam Shamsudeen and his wife Raeesa Manaal of Koratty in Thrissur have in fact launched an agri-startup called “GrowtheFunguy,” a one-stop destination to help people grow mushrooms and make a living from it.
Their innovative approach has enabled them to offer services that include grow kits of different types of mushrooms, supplements, and nutrients to increase the yield of the mushrooms, and an AI-driven chatbot, FungAI, to answer all queries related to mushroom farming.
The journey of Adam and Raeesa stands out as a testament to the transformative power of pursuing one’s passion. Leaving behind their high-paying IT jobs, this dynamic duo has embarked on an unconventional journey delving into the world of mushrooms. While Adam, 29, was a software engineer with a US start-up, Raeesa, 26, was working in TCS as a System Engineer.
It was their shared love for nature and sustainable living that drew them to mushroom cultivation. Mushrooms fascinated them when they realised the huge health benefits it could deliver. “I conducted research on the health benefits of mushrooms and found that mushrooms have a lot of medicinal properties and they are good for managing anxiety and other health issues,” Adam told “Open Digest.“
Apart from providing training to grow mushrooms, the grow-kit developed by their startup helps people start mushroom farming on a small or large scale.
While Adam focuses on developing their unique value-added brand from mushrooms, highlighting its nutritional and medicinal benefits, Raeesa is into marketing the products. Currently, their startup has tied up with over 300 farmers who grow different varieties of mushrooms and supply them. “We are working to launch a product that is a combination of chocolate and Lion’s Mane mushroom,” he added.
In a world where success is often measured by financial gains and corporate ladder climbs, Adam and Raeesa serve as an inspiring reminder that true fulfilment can be found by following one’s heart.
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