IIT Kanpur hosts first batches of AgriTech Entrepreneurship Development Program under the Advanced ESDP in collaboration with AgroNxt Services and supported by the Ministry of MSME
Noida : In an effort to strengthen the entrepreneurial ecosystem in agri-tech sector, the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kanpur, through its technology business incubator Startup Incubation and Innovation Centre (SIIC), organized an in-depth training on AgriTech-Entrepreneurship Development under the Advanced ESDP Program, in collaboration with AgroNXT Services. The initiative is supported by the Ministry of Mirco, Small, and Medium Enterprises. The first batches under the five-day program were hosted from 6th-10th February at IIT Kanpur’s Outreach Centre, Noida.
The professional training program garnered participation from all over India, that include startups, individuals working on projects, MSME representatives, engineers, MBA, and agriculture graduates, and Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs). Renowned experts from the agri-tech sector imparted knowledge on entrepreneurship and funding.
During the five days, the program’s beneficiaries were exposed to several critical aspects of entrepreneurship in this sector, which include.
• Opportunities for entrepreneurship in Agriculture.
• Agricultural Finance & Credit, Mobile-based financial inclusion applications, Microfinance.
• Support system for Agriculture based startups in India.
A Case Study on the revolutionary Bhu-Parikshak – Smart Soil Testing Device developed at IIT Kanpur, was also shared with the participants. The innovation, which is licensed to AgroNxt Services for marketing, won the STEM Impact Awards 2022 for “Impactful Technology Transfer activities”.
With over 120 people registering for the first batches of the AgriTech Entrepreneurship Development program, the training was a success. This program will be helpful to all who participated, as it emphasized several important aspects of entrepreneurship in specific sectors, and provided access to practical business knowledge frameworks that can enable the entrepreneurs to turn ideas into successful businesses. Selected ideas under the program will get access to funding opportunities from the Ministry of MSME. The next batches of the program are starting from February 13.