Landscape of Agri startups in India with Special Reference to Assam

The agricultural sector in India is undergoing a remarkable transformation, driven by innovation, entrepreneurship, and the entry of agri-startups. This presentation titled “Landscape of Agri-Startups in India with Special Reference to Assam” provides a comprehensive exploration of how startups are reshaping farming practices, agribusiness, and rural livelihoods.

The discussion begins with an overview of the agri-startup ecosystem in India, tracing its evolution and examining the growth rate of new ventures in this sector. It highlights how entrepreneurs are leveraging technology, digital platforms, supply chain solutions, and value-added services to bridge the gaps between farmers, markets, and consumers. From precision farming and agritech solutions to food processing and logistics, startups are playing a vital role in making agriculture more sustainable, profitable, and efficient.

A key section of this presentation focuses on case studies of agri-startups in Assam, which demonstrate how local innovation and resource utilization can create scalable business models. These real-life examples showcase how young entrepreneurs in Assam are addressing region-specific challenges such as fragmented landholdings, limited access to technology, post-harvest losses, and market linkages. The presentation highlights how these ventures are not only empowering farmers but also generating employment opportunities and contributing to rural development.

Government support and initiatives are another major theme of this study. The presentation outlines various schemes and policies introduced by both the central and state governments to encourage agri-entrepreneurship. It explains how financial incentives, incubation programs, startup funds, and policy reforms are enabling young innovators to take bold steps in this domain. Special emphasis is given to schemes applicable in Assam, demonstrating the region’s growing importance in the agri-startup landscape.

By combining statistical insights, growth trends, and practical case studies, this presentation offers a holistic understanding of the opportunities and challenges in the agri-startup ecosystem. It aims to inspire students, researchers, policymakers, and aspiring entrepreneurs to recognize the potential of this sector. Ultimately, the discussion emphasizes that the future of Indian agriculture depends on a strong synergy between innovation, government support, and grassroots entrepreneurship, with Assam emerging as a promising hub of agri-startup activity.

1. TANMOY KR SARKAR 2023-AMJ-145 Department of Agricultural Economics & Farm Management MASTER’S CREDIT SEMINAR LANDSCAPE OF AGRI STARTUPS IN INDIA WITH SPECIAL REFERENCE TO ASSAM

2. Objectives TABLE OF CONTENTS Introduction State wise number of Agri startup in India Investment in Agri Startups in India Case study Challenges Strategies Conclusion Future Prospects Funding stages of a startup Key sectors in Agri startup Sector wise number of Agri startup in India Growth stages of a startup

3. INTRODUCTION Startup means an entity, incorporated or registered in India not prior to Five years, with annual turnover not exceeding Rupees 25 Crores in any preceding financial year, working towards innovation, development, deployment or commercialization of new products, processes or services driven by technology or intellectual property. The landscape of Agri-startups in India is rapidly evolving, with significant growth in investments and government support (K. N. R. Kumar et al., 2024). These startups leverage advanced technologies to address challenges in food security, rural livelihoods, and environmental sustainability (K. N. R. Kumar et al ., 2024).

4. Regions like Maharashtra, Karnataka, Gujarat, and Uttar Pradesh have emerged as hotspots for Agri-startup activity (K. N. R. Kumar et al ., 2024), while Rajasthan has become a hub for tech-driven entrepreneurs ( Beniwal & Mathur, 2023). The government has launched various initiatives to promote entrepreneurship in agriculture, including access to resources and market linkages (Beniwal & Mathur, 2023). Agri-startups are creating opportunities in areas such as crop production, supply chain improvement, and market linkages (Vijayan & Shivkumar, 2020). Despite challenges like limited access to capital and regulatory complexities (K. N. R. Kumar et al ., 2024), these startups continue to play a crucial role in transforming Indian agriculture and supporting farmers (Yadav et al ., 2022). (Contd.)

5. Analyses trends and growth patterns in the Indian startups OBJECTIVES Identify existing startups, their focus areas, and the challenges they face in scaling operations To propose strategies/suggestions for fostering a robust Agri-startup ecosystem in Assam

6. (Source: Anand and Raj, 2019) Stage-I : Ideation Stage – II : Concept Development Stage – IV : Validation Stage – V : Scaling Up GROWTH STAGES OF A STARTUP Stage – V : Establishment of startup Stage – III : Commitment

7. ( Source: Anand and Raj, 2019 ) FUNDING STAGES OF A STARTUP

8. (Source: Startup India, 2024 ) KEY SECTORS IN AGRI STARTUPS

9. ( Source : Startup India , 2024 ) SECTOR WISE NUMBER OF AGRI STARTUPS IN INDIA

10. (Source: Startup India, 2024) TOP DPIIT RECOGNIZED STATE WISE AGRI-STARTUPS IN INDIA

11. The Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of Funding is 28.68% (CAGR is calculated for the period from 2015 to 2023) INVESTMENT IN AGRI TECH STARTUPS IN INDIA FROM 2016-2022 (Source: Tracxn)

12. YEAR WISE NUMBER OF AGRI TECH STARTUPS IN INDIA The Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) is 0.0921 (CAGR is calculated for the period from 2015 to 2023) ( Source: Tracxn )

13. GOVERNMENT SCHEMES TO PROMOTE AGRI STARTUPS IN INDIA

14. (Photo Source: Startup India) STARTUP INDIA (Photo Source: Slideshare.net)

15. (Photo Source: M/O Ag. & FW, Govt. Of India) (Photo Source: MANAGE-CIA) INNOVATION AND AGRI- ENTREPRENEURSHIP DEVELOPMENT” PROGRAMME UNDER RASHTRIYA KRISHI VIKAS YOJANA (RKVY) ( Photo Source: agristartup.gov.in)

16. (Source: PIB, 2024) Top States with Agri & allied startups supported under “Innovation and Agri-Entrepreneurship Development” program under RKVY

17. Financial Year Total number of startups supported Total funds released to startups (in instalment) ₹ in Million 2019-20 58 31.30 2020-21 588 274.30 2021-22 277 203.40 2022-23 253 243.50 2023-24 348 310.00 Total 1708 1062.50 YEAR WISE FINANCIAL SUPPORT PROVIDED TO STARTUPS UNDER “INNOVATION AND AGRI-ENTREPRENEURSHIP DEVELOPMENT” FROM 2019-20 TO 2023-24 ( Source- PIB, 2024) ( CAGR 31.52%)

18. AgriSURE Fund

19. ATAL INNOVATION MISSION DBT-BIRAC (Photo source: manoramayearbook.in) (Photo source: birac.nic.in)

20. ACABC PMMY (Photo source: x.com/AgriGoI) (Photo source: unnatbharatabhiyansrmist.com)

21. ASPIRE (Photo source: M/O MSME)

22. Boneej Scheme SCHEMES IMPLEMENTED BY ASSAM GOVT. Sarothi scheme Assam Agribusiness and Rural Transformation Project (APART) Chief Minister's Atmanirbhar Asom Abhijan 2.0

23. (Logo Source: Jeevanksh.com) Location: Guwahati, Assam Focus Area: Supply Chain Management Name of Founder: Gunajit Brahma Started in the year : 2012 Fund Support: 20 Lakh (by NEATEHUB, AAU) TECHNICAL BRIEF: Forward market linkages for organic food products and organic farmers of Northeast India, using digital technologies. Providing technical and technological support to farmers on Sustainable Agriculture . CASE STUDY ON JEEV ANKSH ECO PRODUCTS (P) LTD.

24. IMPACT No. of products launched in the market 50+ including Black rice, Red rice, Assam Joha Rice, Whole leaf green tea, Assamese pepper etc. Number of farmers benefitted 10,000+ small land holder farmers practicing organic farming Services offered Organic food, Organic farm inputs, Consultancy on organic farming, Contract farming, Farmers training, Eco tourism Achievement Won the National Entrepreneurship Award for 2016-17, awarded by MSME, Govt. of India. 12 years of business experience with strong presence over 10 countries. No. of direct employment generated 5 Economical Brief Paid up share capital : ₹ 1109000 Accumulated loss: ₹ 179355

25. Red Rice Black Rice Assam Joha Rice Whole leaf Gren Tea SOME OF THEIR ORGANIC PRODUCTS Assam Pepper Eco Tourism (Photo Source: jeevanksh.com) Turmeric Cinnamon Bark Black Peppercorn Sichuan Pepper

26. Location: Jorhat, Assam Focus Area : Food Processing & Value Addition Name of founder: Dr. Priyangshu Sharma Year of incorporation: 2018 Fund support : 50 lakh (From NEATEHUB, AAU) TECHNICAL BRIEF: current focus is on innovations and technologies related to three sectors : clean technologies, low carbon technologies and agriculture. In the agriculture space they are keen to work with farming communities and farm livelihoods to form mutually beneficial associations. Engaging with the bio-based economy for the development of bio-energy and bio-chemicals is also a core area of work. CASE STUDY OF INNOTECH AGRI POSTIKAM PVT. LTD. ( Photo Source: innotechin.in)

27. It is a brand working under Innotech Agri Postikam Pvt. Ltd. TECHNICAL BRIEF: They have developed a technology for producing mushrooms fortified with Vitamin D. It would be the first non-GMO and natural vehicle for vitamin D supplementation. The proof of concept was established and the enhancement of over 200 % was validated by third party accreditation laboratory. WOODBERRY Button Mushroom Milky Mushroom Shiitake Mushroom Oyster Mushroom

28. It has been funded by BIRAC (BIG), Department of Biotech, for the initial laboratory and academic studies. This patented process do not require any post-harvest modifications and the mushrooms retain the enhanced Vitamin D even after 20 days of storage. It retains 86 % of the concentration in various styles of Indian cooking. IMPACT: No. of product launched in the market: 30+ No farmers benefitted: 1500+ No. of direct employment generated: 6 Shiitake powder (Picture Source: woodberryin.com) White fungus mushroom (Picture Source: pngtree.com) Dry black fungus (Picture Source: bmmushroom.shop)

29. Remarks: The balance sheet was filed on March 31, 2023, and it clearly indicates that the company is operating at a loss. According to the balance sheet report, they expect a net cash flow loss of ₹0.18 lakh for 2022-23, a loss of ₹32.07 lakh for 2023-24, and anticipate a net cash flow gain of ₹111.37 lakh for 2024-25. Year (2021) In Lakhs (₹) Year (2022) In Lakhs (₹) Total Income 35.11 Total Income 23.17 Total Operating Cost 48.23 Total Operating Cost 23.39 Current Assets 11.42 Current Assets 13.36 Current Liabilities 25.78 Current Liabilities 30.11 BC Ratio for 2021 is 0.72 and for 2022 is 0.99 Valuation as per 2023 is INR 315 lakhs CONTD. (INNOTECH AGRI POSTIKAM PVT. LTD.)

30. Location: Jorhat, Assam Focus area : Supply Chain Management Name of founder: Alok Hazarika Year of incorporation: 2019 Fund Support: 5 lakh ( From NEATEHUB, AAU) TECHNICAL BRIEF: Problem they are solving : The startup is building a tech-enabled, alternate, and value-added supply chain of agro products through a direct-to-consumer brand, working to streamline the supply chain of vegetables, fruits, fish and meat market by implementation of technology ranging from cold chain, pack house, sorting & grading, production inputs, doorstep delivery, cloud inventory management software, production management software etc. Case Study of Pasoli Agro Industry Pvt. Ltd. (Logo source : facebook/pasoli.agro.industry)

31. IMPACT: Products launched in the market: 1 No. of farmers directly benefitted: 110+ Number of direct employment generated: 4 ECONOMICAL BRIEF: Paid up share capital: ₹ 100000 Accumulated loss:₹ 115776 (As per 31 st March,2022) CONTD.

32. HOW AI CAN SOLVE ISSUES FACED BY FARMERS Drones equipped with sprayers and cameras featuring computer vision can be used to spray pesticide and fertilizer with precision and grater efficiency. Can get to known about weather condition using weather forecasting applications . AI-POWERED STARTUPS REVOLUTIONIZING AGRICULTURAL INNOVATION IN INDIA: A COMPREHENSIVE OVERVIEW - Haridas and Pawar (2024)

33. An application driven by AI has the ability to recognize soil nutrient deficiencies, identify plant pests and diseases, and offer farmers recommendations on fertilizer usage to improve the quality of their crops. CONTD. Data Source : Primary (100+ respondents) as well as secondary sources. Some AI driven Agri startups in India Agrostar, Cropin, BharatAgri, Captain Fresh, Bighaat, Dehaat.

34. According to this chart ,we understand that there is a lack of awareness amongst the Indian people about the new technology AI used in agriculture. This research paper helps people to get idea about AI tools used in agriculture, start-up projects, Government initiatives. RESULTS

35. AI-based enterprises can play a crucial role in accelerating agricultural innovation in India, fostering sustainable development, and catering to the evolving requirements of the agrarian sector. CONCLUSION It is crucial to acknowledge the obstacles and constraints linked to the implementation of AI in agriculture. These include challenges such as lack of awareness among individuals, the expenses and accessibility of necessary infrastructure, affordability concerns, and the level of digital literacy . Through harnessing the transformative power of AI, India can unlock new prospects for growth, resilience, and prosperity in agriculture, ultimately contributing to food security, rural livelihoods, and environmental sustainability.

36. Access to new technologies and solutions alongside traditional methods Collaboration foster Cost-effective innovation Boosting innovation culture Increased access to funding opportunities Market reach expansion fill specific skill gaps Greater job creation Leads to proper management and business strategy More favourable govt. policies to promote collaboration NEED FOR LINKING MSMEs WITH STARTUPS

37. Supportive Government policies Access to t alent Pool Well developed Infrastructure Market Access Entrepreneurial Culture Geographic Advancement Thriving financial ecosystem Reason for STATES LIKE MH, GJ ARE HAVING MORE STARTUPS COMPARED TO OTHER STATES

38. Lack of business knowledge of entrepreneurs Lack of Seed fund Lack of mentorship and less number of incubation centres Limited access to markets Investors apathy towards high scale business Uncertain return on investment Limited knowledge of available technology Lack of proper government support CHALLENGES FACED BY AGRI STARTUPS

39. Adaption of innovation and technology Fostering public private partnership Creating ecosystems for startup sustainability Strengthening incubation centres More policy implication by government Access to new market system Enhancing access to funding STRATEGIES/SUGGESTIONS FOR STARTUPS

40. Agri startups are making significant progress each day by adopting sustainable approaches that extend from production to the end consumers. These efforts contribute to more efficient supply chain management . With government support, public-private partnerships , increased investor interest in small startups, and foreign collaborations, the path for Agri startups towards sustainable long-term development is being strengthened, ultimately contributing a substantial share to the economy. CONCLUSION Additionally, incubation centers play a crucial role for entrepreneurs by fostering innovation and providing essential support, which benefits both the enterprises and society as a whole.

41. FUTURE PROSPECTS There are very few studies, articles, or publications that provide current information about Agri startups. Most of these startups are still in their initial phases, but they have the potential to diversify agriculture and increase farmers' incomes by utilizing innovative technologies. In India, there are about 19 soonicorns and 40 minicorns startups, and many others are focusing on digital agriculture, market linkages, and greater access to inputs and financing. These areas are gaining popularity among investors, who are showing interest in small Agri-tech startups, thereby enabling them to grow rapidly.

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