MIT Professor Kripa Varanasi Honored with UN WIPO Global Award for Agri-Tech Innovation

Key Takeaways

MIT Professor Kripa K. Varanasi won the 2026 WIPO Global Award for his startup AgZen, which focuses on advanced agrochemical spraying technology.
AgZen’s technology, RealCoverage, offers precise measurements for pesticide application, improving efficiency and reducing costs for farmers.
The technology is rapidly adopted, now deployed on over one million acres, leading to significant chemical savings and increased crop yields.

Innovation Rooted in Research

MIT Professor Kripa K. Varanasi has been awarded the 2026 United Nations World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) Global Award for his startup, AgZen, which has developed innovative technology for efficient agrochemical spraying. The award honors startups utilizing intellectual property to tackle significant global challenges, and Varanasi received it from WIPO Director General Daren Tang at a recent ceremony.

The inception of AgZen traces back to a 2009 presentation at the U.S. Department of Agriculture, where Varanasi became aware of the inefficiencies in agricultural spraying. Despite a global expenditure of over $75 billion annually on pesticides, farmers endure crop yield losses of 20 to 40 percent due to pests. Varanasi’s curiosity led to years of research at MIT, resulting in technological breakthroughs that could significantly enhance agricultural practices.

AgZen’s pivotal technology, RealCoverage, integrates interfacial science, fluid dynamics, and AI to offer real-time insights into how spray droplets interact with plants. This innovation replaces traditional methods with data-driven insights, moving from measuring sprays in gallons per acre to droplets per leaf. Varanasi emphasized that RealCoverage transforms agricultural spraying by providing detailed intelligence on every droplet, enabling farmers to optimize pesticide use without compromising crop protection.

The technology has experienced remarkable uptake in the agricultural sector, now applied on over one million acres—an impressive 15-fold increase within a single growing season. The platform benefits a wide range of stakeholders, including crop protection companies and growers. Farmers utilizing RealCoverage have reported chemical savings of 30 to 50 percent while boosting crop yields, with a 6 percent savings equating to about $1 billion in cost reductions for farmers. Due to overwhelming demand, AgZen is currently sold out for the upcoming year.

Varanasi’s commitment to innovation is evident throughout his career. He has taught at MIT since 2009 and has led the Varanasi Research Group in various fields, including materials, energy, and food production. He holds degrees from IIT Madras and MIT, co-founded several technology ventures, and received numerous accolades, affirming his influence on economic development and quality of life.

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