Pusa Krishi Incubator

Pusa Krishi Incubator is an Agri incubator that acts as an innovation hub that connects agri-business incubators centre of (ICAR-IARI). The incubators are what the start-ups from Agri Sector are looking for their business growth. It pays a way to gain and acquire immense information on the Government grants and its funding. The purpose of Pusa Krishi Incubator program is to cheer, guard, market and license the technology developed by scientists to the agricultural industry. Pusa Krishi Incubator program focuses on the incubation process, including Start-Ups and Farmer Producer Organisations (FPO). The bonded link of Indian Council of Agricultural Research and The Indian Agricultural Research Institute (ICAR-IARI) connects the Agri-Sector with the corporate world and the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in a business mode.

Objectives of the Program

Incubation refers to the improvement and development of the start-ups in the following:

To be an International Centre of Excellence for agri-business incubation.
To increase the competitiveness of the Indian Agri-Startups on global measure.
To create employment prospects for youth in agriculture and associated sectors.
To build an ecosystem that incubates & fosters innovation and entrepreneurship in agriculture.

Components of the Program

The program features three components:

ARISE, a launchpad for Agri-start-ups
UPJA, a Hostalic Incubation Program
SAMARTH–An Innovation Platform

ARISE

ARISE 2019 is referred as the launchpad for Agri start-ups. Government of India with the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmer’s Welfare was the prime factor for its establishment and execution of the program. The start-ups that are in their initial stage will necessarily be in demand of this unique designed incubation program.

Aim of ARISE

With the uniqueness of its design, the program aims to promote innovation and entrepreneurship of the Agriculture based business and associated sectors. The aim drives with two phases:

Stage I: Data to Product Architype (Early phase of product development)
- ‘The feasibility study’ and ‘the innovative ideas’ both enriches facilitate and develop a feasible product prototype that can be enhanced for,
- Research facilities,
- Technical experts,
- Patent filings,
Wide range of mentoring support.
The already well-established start-ups are linked with the new start-ups.
Eight-week Industrial program is organised for the start-ups for guiding them with advanced ideas detailing on how to emerge as a successful entrepreneur.
An allowance of Rs.10,000 is provided to the selected incubates during the Industrial Program by Pusa Fellowship Remuneration.
A presentation by the selected entrepreneurs is executed at the end of the stage in the presence of an expert panel of industrialists and professionals.

The Expert Panel evaluates the start-ups in the entire Stage-I, and their presentations are analysed for their promotion to the Stage-II of the program. Stage II – Commercial Launch and Funding Support of the Product Prototype.

Start-ups should re-examine and work on the feedback provided by the expert panel from the Stage-I.
Start-ups are guided and assisted with the commercial aspects for their product/service to gloom in the industrial markets.
An initial Grant-In-Aid of Rs.5 Lakhs for product prototype or up to Rs.25 Lakhs for the commercial value is awarded for the start-ups.

The expertise panel continues its immense marketing and mentoring support until the start-up gets certified from the Incubation program.

UPJA

Empowered by the Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana--(RKVY-RAFTAAR), the Government of India along with the Ministry of Agriculture, launched the UPJA, an agriculture-focused incubation program. It is designed under the “Remunerative Approaches for Agriculture and Allied Sector Rejuvenation” initiative of the government. The scheme is organised to promote innovation and entrepreneurship within the field of agriculture production and agriculture-dependent supplementary businesses.
This uniquely designed program functions at a centrally located Pusa Krishi Incubators, a world-class facility and infrastructure located at ZTM-BPD unit of Indian Agriculture Research Institute (IARI), New Delhi. Similar to ARISE, the UPJA is a uniquely integrated incubation and business acceleration program, organised with two stages.
Stage-I, eight weeks intensive “Residency-in-Incubation” program.
Stage-II, a Business Acceleration and Funding Support.

SAMARTH

RKVY-RAFTAAR-Pusa Krishi Incubator at Zonal Technology Management--Business Planning Development (ZTM and BPD) unit of IARI, has organised the inauguration function of SAMARTH, an Innovation & Incubation Induction workshop. This workshop is under the guidance of the “Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana--Remunerative Approaches for Agriculture and Allied Sector Rejuvenation” (RKVY-RAFTAAR). The objective of SAMARTH is to build the incubators under the RKVY-RAFTAR scheme with essential features of agribusiness incubation counting with the planning and management as an incubator, building an ecosystem, engaging stakeholders, streamlining procedures and policies, implementation of the incubation program, funding, and other relevant details. Individual RAFTAR Agribusiness Incubators (R-ABIs) are formed under this scheme. These R-ABIs invites applications from agripreneurs in different stages of the business life cycle (ideation/expansion) and provide them with an opportunity to generate innovations in agriculture and allied sector.

Technology Factors

The program invites the well-established companies and start-ups to pursue the listed technologies available to transform their business. Technological categories carried out under the components are listed below:

The Protection of Plant Varieties Act & Farmers’ Right Act, 2001 (PPV & FRA) is implemented to conserve a number of varieties and hybrids of cereals, pulses, oilseeds, fruits and vegetables.
It employs different types of latest technologies such as Biopesticides, pesticides, Diagnostic KITS and Insect Rearing Diet for the protection of crops.
Incorporating improved methods of Crop Production through Carrier and Liquid-based biofertilizers with liquid formulations, Management of Input Resource, Design support System and Design of Micro Irrigation System (DOMIS)
Implementation of Techno-Equipment such as animal feed making machines, machines for accelerated compost making, machines for vegetable mechanisation and other related agricultural machines and technologies.

IP Spectra: The Facilitation Centre for Agriculture Sector

Intellectual Property plays a crucial role in gaining a viable advantage in terms of technological gains for achieving higher economic growth in a market-driven economy. Many countries have implemented better strategies for implementing strong Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) protection for strengthening industries and trades. Indian industries, particularly the MSMEs, are behind the curve in recognising the importance of IPR and implementing it as a business strategy for enhancing competitiveness. The Indian MSME sector needs to focus more on protecting their Intellectual Powers. Industrial Property consists of rights related to inventions, i.e., patents, trademarks, industrial designs, protection of plant variety (PPV&FV) and geographical indications (GI). While copyright protects rights related to the expression of thoughts in the fields of literature, musical and artistic works. IP rights need to fulfil the requirements specified by jurisdiction to get an exclusive right to the creator for a specified period of time. IP Spectra was initiated at ZTM & BPD Unit, ICAR-IARI by the Ministry of MSME and ICAR-IARI for IP Facilitation to Argo-based MSMEs. It invites the start-ups to help resolve their Intellectual Property Matters. The link to access the IP Services Form is provided here.

List of Services Offered

IP Spectra offers effective and economical one-stop IP facilitation services to Agro-based MSMEs, and some of its services are as follows:

Pre Grant-Services

IPR Training and awareness
Prior art search
Patentability Assessment
Patent landscaping
IP information

IP Protection

Drafting application for Patent
Copyright, Trademark, Industrial
Design, PPV&FV etc.
Filing Application for Patent
Copyright, Trademark, Industrial
Design, PPV&FV etc.

Post Grant Services

Advisory on IP Management
Technology Evaluation and Market assessment
Technology Transfer
Advisory on IP follow up services
Advice on license agreements, non-disclosure agreements etc.

Individual Application Forms can be browsed and accessed in the following the link, where all the Services are detailed with brochures

Benefits to Startups

The start-up will be subjected to the approval of their product/program/method until they are established. This phase of being approved is termed as Pre-Commercialisation. The start-up requires the possibility of utilising the Pusa Krishi Incubators during their pre-commercialisation stage that involves:
- With the testing being carried out with a Minimum Viable Product (MVP) and

The evaluation of the consumer market. Moreover, the innovative element in the Pusa Krishi Incubators evolves with the technology, service or product with a unique value proposition addressing an existing market need. The Pusa Krishi Incubators guides the Agri Start-ups in mounting up their business and commercialise their products in the techno-market.

Features and Benefits of the Pusa Krishi Incubation program

The program ensures the start-up for their successful outings with the following key features and benefits,
A Grant-in-Aid of Rs.25 Lakhs funding is allocated through the Program.
Focused expertise panel comprising of 3–4 professionals is assigned for every start-up.
Dedicated scientists, research and accounts professionals.
Technology filled Lab and Infrastructure support.
Internal and external integration of the Industrial Markets.
Displaying the wide-spread opportunities present across partner events and activities.
Execution of the Term Sheet Documents for the investments and the detailed Business Development Plan
Valued added sessions with the Investors for interaction and
Demo day is organised for the start-ups at the end of the program.

The Zonal Technology Management and Business Promotion Development (ZTM-BPD) Unit provides state-of-the-art facilities to aid the agripreneurs in innovating, testing and authenticating their ideas. The unit has well-planned office space for entrepreneurs with high-end comforts and services including high-speed internet, reception facility and power back-up.