16-Year-Old Turns Down $300K Offer to Build AI Farming Tool

Rudrojas Kunvar built Evion, an AI-powered crop analysis app, while still in high school.

Mar. 22, 2026 at 8:19pm

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Rudrojas Kunvar, a 16-year-old high school student from Germantown, Maryland, built an AI-powered crop analysis tool called Evion while still in school. Last year, he received a $300,000 offer from a venture capitalist to drop out of school and run the startup full-time, but he declined, wanting to keep the product accessible and avoid getting wrapped up in chasing profits.

Why it matters

Kunvar's story highlights the potential for young innovators to disrupt traditional industries like agriculture through the use of emerging technologies like AI and drones. His decision to turn down a lucrative offer to stay in school also demonstrates a commitment to his principles and a desire to create an affordable solution for farmers.

The details

Evion is a free AI tool that uses images from basic camera drones to generate crop health maps for farmers. It can help them identify problem areas and optimize water and fertilizer use. Kunvar developed the idea after talking to local farmers and realizing there was a lack of affordable AI-powered tools in the agriculture industry. He partnered with Jacob Lee, who has tech experience, to expand Evion's reach. The tool is now helping farmers in North America, Southeast Asia, and India.

  • Kunvar built Evion during the summer before his junior year of high school.
  • Kunvar received the $300,000 offer from a venture capitalist last year.
  • Kunvar launched the initial Evion pilot in the fall.

The players

Rudrojas Kunvar

A 16-year-old high school student from Germantown, Maryland who built the AI farming tool Evion.

Jacob Lee

An individual with experience creating tech tools who partnered with Kunvar to expand the reach of Evion.

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What they’re saying

“It was definitely a rough couple of weeks of contemplating. That's a lot of money.”

— Rudrojas Kunvar

“Farmers can use that to predict the future of their crops. You can see what areas need more water or fertilizer, rather than just spraying everywhere.”

— Rudrojas Kunvar

“It's meant to be a more affordable plan for these low to mid-scale farms.”

— Rudrojas Kunvar

What’s next

Kunvar plans to continue growing Evion while also exploring opportunities in different fields, including AI infrastructure.

The takeaway

Kunvar's story demonstrates the potential for young innovators to disrupt traditional industries through the use of emerging technologies, while also highlighting the importance of maintaining principles and creating accessible solutions, even in the face of lucrative offers.