24 agri startups recommended for support from pool of Rs 20 cr: Govt

In a boost to the agri-tech sector, experts have recommended 24 start-ups for both technical and financial support from a dedicated fund of Rs 20 crore, an official release said on Saturday.

This initiative, aimed at accelerating promising ideas, innovations, and technologies, was announced during the ATMAN ( Agri sTartup deMo And funding) 2023 program, organized by the Department of Science and Technology (DST) in collaboration with four Technology Innovation Hubs, read the Ministry of Science and Technology press release.

The Technology Innovation Hubs, established under the National Mission on Inter-disciplinary Cyber-Physical Systems (NM-ICPS) at prominent Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) - Ropar, Bombay, Indore, and Kharagpur, played a pivotal role in identifying and nurturing these agri-start-ups.

A total of 55 start-ups presented their innovative solutions across five panels that focused on precision farming, agro IoT, agri 4.0, mechanization, automation, market intelligence, yield prediction, farm advisory, and communication during the ATMAN 2023 program.

The jury identified and recommended 24 start-ups as potential beneficiaries of the Rs 20 Crore fund.

Furthermore, to recognize excellence in innovation, the program awarded the "Best Pitch Award" to top presentations, underscoring the importance of these emerging technologies in agriculture, read the press release.

Additionally, the event showcased 20 key agri-tech technologies developed by the four Technology Innovation Hubs, fostering innovation and collaboration within the sector.

Dr Jitendra Singh, Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science and Technology, emphasized the need for synergy between research, academia, start-ups, and industry, read the press release.

He highlighted the significance of such collaborations in not only developing innovative products but also effectively branding and marketing them on national and global stages.

Dr Rajesh Gokhle, Secretary of DST, outlined the potential of the ATMAN program to support the development and commercialization of innovative technologies, products, and services in the AgriTech marketplace.

He stressed its role in providing start-ups with opportunities to showcase their technologies to government and industry stakeholders.

Dr Akhilesh Gupta, Senior Adviser at DST and Secretary SERB, highlighted the relatively low number of deep tech start-ups in agriculture and expressed optimism about the growth of this sector, read the press release.

He explained how this initiative aimed to bridge that gap and extend its reach across the country, potentially involving agricultural universities and colleges in the future, read the release.

The program also launched several initiatives, including the Grand Challenge and Competition (GCC) for Internet of Things (IoT) technologies, "SAMRIDHI 2.0," focusing on holistic innovation and development for ICPS Startups, and the release of the Quantum Enabled Science and Technology (QuEST) compendium and ATMAN booklet.