The India Australia Rapid Innovation and Startup Expansion (RISE) Accelerator – a bilateral initiative led by Australia’s national science agency CSIRO and India’s Atal Innovation Mission (AIM) by the NITI Aayog – on Monday invited applications from startups and MSMEs of two countries. The accelerator will focus on enterprises offering solutions to improve agricultural productivity and resilience amid growing climate and environment-related challenges.
Startups and MSMEs with offerings prioritising farmer needs, priorities, and on-farm practices will join the nine-month programme that aims to provide “deep market insights, one-on-one coaching, and mentorship from subject matter experts and industry professionals,” NITI Aayog said in a statement. The programme will be free of cost.
The accelerator will also facilitate connections for startups and MSMEs “with potential partners and customers.” The programme will include a mix of online learning and in-person sessions along with immersion weeks in both India and Australia.
“India and Australia share common agricultural challenges, but the scale and diversity of our farming operations are unique. This cohort will enable participants to achieve product-market fit in diverse markets, and rapidly scale their solutions to meet global demands,” said Tamara Ogilvie, Program Director, CSIRO.
The accelerator will pick 12-18 companies involving six-nine from each country. The enterprises may also be eligible for a non-equity grant of up to Rs 45 lakh.
Speaking on the accelerator programme, Pramit Dash, Program Lead, AIM said, “By fostering innovation and providing a platform for startups to scale their solutions, the RISE Accelerator program not only addresses the immediate challenges in the agriculture sector but also ensures that farmers can access and adopt resilient practices tailored to their specific needs.”
Last year, the government had formulated a National Mission on Natural Farming (NMNF) as an independent scheme from 2023-24 to help farmers in the country adopt chemical-free farming and improve the reach of natural farming.
According to the data shared in the Lok Sabha this year by the former Minister of Tribal Affairs & Agriculture and Farmer Welfare Arjun Munda; 4.09 lakh ha area was sanctioned and Rs 70.13 crore was released as of February 6, 2024 for natural farming or chemical-free farming in eight states under the Bharatiya Prakritik Krishi Paddhati scheme.