Business
Siachen Naturals™ Secures First-ever Equity Funding in Ladakh
Ladakh-based Siachen Naturals™ has recently concluded its pre-seed funding round at a valuation of half a million USD. This milestone marks the first equity financing secured by a startup in Ladakh. This round was led by notable investors, including Anuj Sharma, Founder of Alsisar Impact, Sonali Mehta-Rao of Ahaana Ventures, Urvashi Devidayal, Former South Asia head of Thomson Reuters Foundation, and Manoj Jain, a Silicon Valley-based angel investor and start-up finance leader.
Siachen Naturals crafts authentic Ladakhi natural soup mixes, porridges and other healthy breakfast products using locally grown, organic ingredients, known for their health benefits and centuries-old heritage. Each product is handcrafted and sustainably produced through environmentally-friendly techniques such as solar dryers, glacier water turbines, and eco-packaging.
Siachen Naturals was founded by Tsetan Dorjey, a native of Aranoo village, India’s northernmost village nestled in the breathtaking valley of the Siachen Glacier, the world’s longest non-polar glacier. He has studied at the world-renowned SECMOL alternate school founded by Sonam Wangchuk, and has completed the prestigious Naropa Fellowship. His idea has also been awarded catalytic funding by OYO Rooms Founder Ritesh Agarwal and IIT Mandi Catalyst.
Dorjey aims to empower local indigenous Ladakhi communities, starting with women from Siachen villages, by tackling the socio-economic challenges that lead to migration and unstable livelihoods through sustainable business. Siachen Naturals achieves this by offering fixed-income opportunities, training, infrastructure, and advance payments to enable stable livelihoods and reward regenerative agricultural practices.
Reflecting on his journey, Tsetan states, “Our ambitions for Siachen Valley and Ladakh are boundless. We are laying the groundwork for a prosperous and happy Ladakh where we can conserve our values and traditions while providing equitable economic opportunities for countless Ladakhi youth. With the challenges of climate change, we urgently need to preserve our pristine land, traditions and farmers. While this milestone marks progress, it’s merely the opening chapter of our story. We are taking Ladakh’s flavors worldwide. “
ALSISAR Impact, a pioneer in backing local and indigenous entrepreneurs with a focus on the Himalayan startup ecosystem, has worked with Tsetan since its inception in 2022 and witnessed the company’s growth. With products flying off the shelves in Ladakh and expanding rapidly into the northern India markets, the brand’s popularity is growing steadily. Sold-out exhibitions in Mumbai signal overwhelming demand and validate its potential to grow further.
Anuj Sharma, founder of ALSISAR Impact and investor in Siachen Naturals, believes that Siachen Naturals is providing a blueprint for communities worldwide to responsibly harness their natural resources while preserving cultural heritage and building climate resilience.
www.siachennaturals.com | Tsetan Dorjay : +91 8082009862