Govt Pledges Rs 20 Cr to Empower 24 Agri-Tech Startups, Support Innovation in Agri Sector

On Saturday, experts have recommended 24 agricultural technology start-ups for essential technical and financial support, drawing from a dedicated fund worth Rs 20 crore, as announced by government officials.

The move is part of an initiative backed by the Ministry of Science and Technology, designed to fast-track promising ideas and innovations unveiled during the ATMAN (Agri Startup Demo and Funding) 2023 program. This program was organized in collaboration with four Technology Innovation Hubs, established under the National Mission on Interdisciplinary Cyber-Physical Systems (NM-ICPS) at renowned Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs), including Ropar, Indore, Bombay, and Kharagpur.

These Technology Innovation Hubs played a crucial role in identifying and nurturing the selected agri-startups. During the ATMAN 2023 program, a total of 55 start-ups showcased their innovative solutions across five distinct panels, which focused on different aspects including mechanization, automation, precision farming, agro IoT, agri 4.0, market intelligence, forecasting crop yields farm advisory, field prediction, and communication.

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The expert jury subsequently identified and recommended 24 start-ups as potential beneficiaries of the substantial Rs 20 Crore fund. The program also recognized excellence in innovation by presenting the "Best Pitch Award" to the top presentations.

In addition to promoting these innovative start-ups, the event featured the exhibition of 20 key agricultural technology solutions developed by the four Technology Innovation Hubs, fostering innovation and collaboration within the sector.

Dr. Jitendra Singh, Union Minister of State for Science and Technology, stressed the significance of fostering synergy among research, academia, start-ups, and industry. He emphasized that these collaborations will play a pivotal role in not just creating innovative products but also in successfully promoting and marketing them at both the national and global levels.

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Dr. Rajesh Gokhle, Secretary of the Department of Science and Technology, highlighted the vast potential of the ATMAN program in supporting the development and commercialization of groundbreaking technologies, products, and services in the AgriTech sector. He also stressed the program's aim to bridge the existing gap and extend its influence across the country, possibly involving agricultural universities and colleges in the future.

Dr. Akhilesh Gupta, Senior Adviser at the Department of Science and Technology and Secretary SERB, noted the relatively low number of deep tech start-ups in agriculture but expressed optimism about the sector's growth potential. He underscored its vital role in providing these start-ups with opportunities to present their technologies to government and industry stakeholders.

The program introduced several initiatives, among them the release of the ATMAN booklet and the Quantum Enabled Science and Technology (QuEST) compendium. Additionally, it featured the Grand Challenge and Competition (GCC) dedicated to Internet of Things (IoT) technologies and "SAMRIDHI 2.0," which places a strong emphasis on unique innovation and development for ICPS Startups.

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