Rotimatic, An Automatic Roti Maker Created By an Indian Couple Gets $11.5M Funding for International Expansion

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Rotimatic

It is said that necessity is the mother of all inventions.

Pranoti Nagarkar-Israni, an Indian housewife in Singapore must have felt the pain of making roti, also called chapati, an Indian flat bread made of flour. This pain is similarly felt across by most of the housewives and cooks, as it takes considerable amount of time and effort to make it worthwhile.

This pain gave rise to a necessity, which Pranoti, along with her husband Rishi Israni converted into their first and only invention: an automatic Roti Maker, which can make one roti a minute.

They launched a prototype 6 years back, which won them an award at ‘Startup Singapore’ in 2009.

After the successful demonstration of their prototype, Israni couple named their invention Rotimatic, and in order to market their product, created a product design company called Zimplistic.

This week, Pranoti and Rishi Israni have successfully convinced investors to pour in money for their international expansion. After their beta launch last year, more than $5 million worth of Rotimatic were sold at a price of $599 (Rs 35,000). They had to stop pre-orders, 5000 orders are still waiting to be fulfilled, along with hundreds of distributor partnership around the world.

Southeast Asia-based NSI Ventures and Germany-based Robert Bosch Venture Capital will pitch in $11.5 million into their invention, as their second round of VC funds. NSI Ventures had previously invested $1 million in 2010.

Rishi Israni said, after confirming the news: “It has been an amazing year for us and these new partnerships will only help to improve what we see as a revolutionary product that enables families to eat healthier,”, adding, “With this funding, Zimplistic plans to finish the Rotimatic beta, accelerate manufacturing rollout and set up operations in international markets to fulfill the big demand,”

Pranoti Nagarkar-Israni, is a mechanical engineer from the National University of Singapore; and her husband Rishi is a serial entrepreneur, who had earlier founded tenCube, a mobile security company which was acquired by McAfee.

How Does Rotimatic Work?

User interface of this almost magical device is as simple as clicking a photograph from a digtal camera.

Step 1: User needs to insert flour, water & oil in the given containers

Step 2: Press the start button

Step 3: The process takes 5 minutes to warm up, and after that, flat, circular rotis slide out of the machine at a rate of one roti a minute.

Robotic Technology For Making Roti

This simple interface and the 16 square inch footprint packs a punch when it come to technology and innovation. This appliance has 300 tiny machine parts, out of which 10 components are small motors, which receive intelligence from 15 different sensors and save data such as temperature, position, consistency and more.

Infact, Israni couple have patented 8 technologies for Rotimatic, which includes the subtle way flour and water is mixed to create the batter. When we manually mix flour and water, we need to keep adding little proportions of water to make the batter consistent with our expectations. Using the same logic, Rotimatic maintains the consistency by testing the velocity with which dough is getting mixed, along with the plate deflection to make that perfect batter.

Users can also customize the roti with settings such as thickness, how much brown the rotis need to be and quantity of rotis.

Although roti seems like a pretty simple bread to make, but in reality, it takes much science and art to make one, consistently. With Rotimatic solving this puzzle, there seems a new hope for all Indian housewives, bachelors and lovers of Indian food.

Do you justify the price of $600 (Rs 35,000) for this first kitchen appliance using Robotic technology? Do share your views by commenting right here!

60 Comments
  1. Narendra Dixit says

    I have already purchased Automatic Rotimatic in Chicago.Now I want to present it to my daughter in India.The price in India is good & afordeble to my daughter.If it is true that price is Rs.35000/-in India pl.let me know soon.
    Thanks,
    Narendra Dixit.

    1. Ramana says

      can you give me address where did you buy this product for Rs.35K? Really I am interested.

  2. Satpal jaglan says

    I am from kurukshetra haryana india i want topurchase it please update me where i can collete it

  3. Sanjana says

    I really wanted a product like this which solve my roti making problem. I am not very good at making them and don’t even like making. The process of making rotis is very messy and stressful. I am happy that Rotimatic has come to my rescue.

    1. Jayasankar says

      Highly expensive product

  4. Jayasankar says

    Unless this Product is manufactured in India, Cost will not comedown. Many House Wives in India will not buy this product due to High Cost. May be small Hotels can buy.

    Many Elite families have Cooks at home. It may suit people those who can afford in Singapore or Else where in US or UK , \\

    This is my Opinion.

  5. Pradeep says

    I am interested to purchase rotimatic, please inform the price in India.

  6. Chand chopra says

    Only Sh Mukesh Ambani ji can help in this matter if he takes the initiative for their country people it will b available every where in india excisting price is to high for indians middle class

  7. Dheeraj says

    Hi there,
    I am interested in roti maker for my temple in India,Kerala. Can you please let me know how to buy them.
    Many thanks

  8. Jasmine Chhada says

    My aunt has been using Rotimatic for 3 months and she says its amazing. I had visited her last week in Singapore and tasted the rotis made out of it with my favorite paneer butter masala. I just loved it. The rotis were same like we get in hotel. It is definitely a good bid. And I hope it is soon available in New Zealand.

  9. Kartik says

    If roti is your staple food and if you or someone in your family does not have time to cook rotis then I guess investing in a product like Rotimatic will be profitable. It is pricey but we all buy washing machines and dish washers which are approximately around that price. So yeah if you need it, then you should go for it. I am considering to buy it myself.

  10. Sachin says

    Excellent Technology .Where to buy and at what price in India .

    1. Jayashankar says

      Price is Rs 64000 plus Tax in India.

  11. Prashant says

    This product ‘Rotimatic’ looks good in video but the price is too high for Indian market. Price range should be around 8000/ – to 12000/- then only you can capture Indian market.

  12. Hari says

    35000 is too cost in india.if ambani deals it,buy every one at reasonable price 3-5 thousand.

  13. Umlesh Kumar says

    Please make the rotimatic which uses gas as well with electronic gadgets controlling the heat given by gas could this product be manufactured in China so that the price becomes cheap for us. Could I know when will it be available in Fiji island.

  14. ANN says

    The price is too high, and not worth ad the machine is just for making rotis, the only single product as its output. May be the machine will go on high demand in Higher class households, but I doubt even they would prefer it as evry household will have maids to prepare the food. Its mainly the middle class working women would get highly benefitted, but the price makes it unthinkabke for them.

  15. sanjeev says

    If they are unable to sell at low cost atleast sell tecnology to some one who can manufacture in large scale thus reducing price

  16. Mumtaz says

    I want to buy but price is too high. It should be around Rs. 12000/-

  17. Siva says

    I need rotimatic machine.how much price

  18. R.pnkjj says

    Its Amazing.. but it is too costly to purchase every indian..the price should be between 8,000 to 10,000..

  19. priyanka says

    i stay in mumbai and i want to purchase it please update me from where i can get it.

  20. Rathijeet says

    I want this product, I am waiting form 1year.

  21. zaheer says

    Product is good but price is too too high. Price should be between 5000 -10000.

  22. Leela says

    Hi there,
    I am interested in roti maker for my temple in United Kingdom. Can you please let me know how to buy them.
    Many thanks

    1. Ramadosa says

      It is manufactured in singapore.This machine costs 1000/ $ in US.,imported from singapore.

  23. Saran says

    The product is absolutely very good. But the price is too high to afford in a middle class family. Please reduce the price so most of the hearts will praise you. Don’t sell this only for money, think for the women suffering in the kitchen for preparing this roti.

    1. Pai says

      Do not decrease price

  24. Sandeep says

    It’s very good innovation for households but the price of $ 600
    May be OK for USA but for India which will be biggest market for this product the price has to be competetive

  25. Pavan says

    If it is true which i truly wish to please advertise in indian popular tv channels, and price is too high kindly workout on that. I am sure it will sell like hot cakes. When sales are high price reduction is not going to effect your profits. As you are Indian i request you to help the vast population suffering from diabetes, who are advised to eat rotis, I am also one among them.

  26. V G Gajjar says

    Rs.35000/- cost is looks high as the roti concern may be. but who is required that there is no alternative they can purchase. Now a days the best automatic machine cost is also about to 40 to 45000.the retired house wife whom can not take stain this is affordable.

  27. D.Agnihotrudu says

    What about service after sales if one should buy such an expensive item

  28. knv satyanarayana says

    The product seems to be Good and I feel that it should be sold in India in between the price range of Rs.4,000/- to 8,000/- only than the product can be purchased by many people..

    1. Mitesh says

      I agreed with you. Please let me know it is available in UK or not

      1. p k gupta says

        ONLY GOD KNOWS, WHERE THIS IS AVAILABLE. TRIED IN UK..NO, TRIED IN DUBAI NO…

  29. Sand Piper says

    Technologically – very good. A real boon for the Working couple short of time for Home made Indian Bread aka ROTI. Must compliment the inventor for the ingenuity. Since it is aimed at domestic market (e.g. householders), price of USD 999 is rather too steep for ANY household in which case the ROTIMAKER is no longer ROMANTIC! Yes, the Initial Cost is rather high and the company needs to recoup its initial investment in INGENUITY, EFFORT, TIME and MONEY. Perhaps the price can be brought down to an affordable level once a certain level of production is achieved and SOLD. If Mass scale production for sale is to be achieved, Price is the deciding factor vis-à-vis other alternatives of eating. One would not like to invest in a machine that would become a white elephant. The company should aim to fill the householders’ Kitchen by making it affordable to the masses and NOT just target the Niche and the Moneyed (who throw financial weight around and boast of having the item even if it is becomes a museum piece after a couple of uses). Hopefully we will see more of THIS in many domestic kitchens.

  30. sanjay says

    When will it hit Indian market for retailers

  31. Noor says

    I want purchase this product. where it is?

  32. abhishek says

    I want to purchase that automatic roti maker where can u get that product. how i get it early . I from Kanpur u.p.

    1. suhail Ahmad says

      Last year we know from your sites that rotimaker will launche in india till December 2015. The December 2015 has passed and this is Sept. 2016 but the rotimaker could not launch in India. It means that we can not believe neither you nor your product.

  33. Celine Chacko says

    Is it available in India ? If yes, details please.

    1. naresh Kumar says

      We also need pl sent Price were available India

  34. SRK says

    I want to purchase that automatic roti maker where can u get that product. how i get it early Thank u

    1. Gaurav gupta says

      I want to purchase that automatic roti maker where can u get that product. how i get it early . I from delhi.

    2. sgs says

      I want to buy this automatic roti maker . I from delhi how i get it early.

      1. suhail says

        I want to purchase one touch rotimatic machine in Delhi. Please inform the list of suppliers and rate in Indian currency

  35. S S Deol says

    Appears to be good addition to the kitchen but high price tag. In Indian market if priced Rs 3000-5000 , it will sell.

  36. Ravindra Kumar k says

    I want to purchase that automatic roti maker where can u get that product and what will be the price plz let me know. Thank u.

  37. sana says

    It is a very unique and innovative product but it’s price is to high for Indian kitchen it’s price should be between 15000-20000 rupees

  38. Ramana rao says

    Not for Indian market who cannot afford as roti is eaten by 80% of people .It should be affordable.

  39. D K Mishra says

    I want be distributor in Pune India .What I have to do.

  40. Rajesh Deswal says

    35000 is too costly but I want to purchase rotimatic

  41. SL Rao says

    Price is the main factor. 35000/- in India is exorbitant. Good Chapatis itself is available for Rs. 3/- to 5/- A t best machine to be priced betn. Rs. 3000/- to 5000/- all inclusive.

  42. Apn says

    Still not available in Australia, I dont mind spending the money if i can keep watching netflix and someone else is making roti’s for me.

  43. nitin says

    They took pre-orders in the US delivery for which is delayed by a year! I guess all the pre-orders helped in someway to raise investment.

  44. Sanjiv says

    Good invention and worth for many who can afford it. It is worth if it gives warranty of miniumum 36 months considering that you can get a Baai at Rs 1000 per month to cook Roties and this rotimatic cost justify this logic for common family to make it superhit in India.

  45. sabina says

    i too am looking for something like rotimatic. im sure once the purchase go about the price wil drop low due to more demand but the first time price is ok should be little lesser if needs to be in the market as it has a big future.

  46. Jitendra says

    35,000 is too costly in India

    1. chadha says

      I want purchase one minute roti maker

    2. Mohammed says

      waiting since 2014 to buy . no one bought single pc yet. they are just rolling price and advertizment.
      pls adivse if anyone got anywhere in the world. i will buy from him.

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