Greenovation Agri Mechanization Challenge
Check your eligibility
Create a free account and we'll tell you whether your startup qualifies for this grant.
Quick Answer
A national challenge supporting climate-smart agricultural innovations for smallholder farmers in India, offering prizes, mentoring, market access, and opportunities for acceleration and significant follow-on funding.
- Funding amount
- Up to ₹1 Cr
- Funding type
- Competition
- Provider
- Greenovation Hub
- Application deadline
- Rolling
- Location
- Open to startups registered in India
About this competition
The Greenovation Agri Mechanization Challenge is a national initiative aimed at identifying and nurturing climate-smart, affordable, and scalable agricultural innovations. The program focuses on solutions that enhance productivity, mitigate labor requirements, and fortify agricultural value chains, specifically benefiting smallholder farmers across India. It serves as a vital platform for startups, SMEs, and Farmer Producer Companies (FPCs) to bring their innovative solutions to the forefront. The challenge seeks to drive tangible impact by supporting technologies and business models that address critical rural and peri-urban agricultural challenges. Through this program, participants gain access to a comprehensive ecosystem of support, including expert guidance, strategic partnerships, and pathways to further funding and market integration. The challenge is structured into two main tracks: one for Startups & SMEs and another for Farmer Producer Companies (FPCs), both culminating in a shared Challenge Finale. This dual-track approach ensures that innovations from both established and emerging entities receive tailored support. Solutions are sought across diverse focus areas, including farm mechanization, precision agriculture, dairy and livestock management, natural resource management, circular agriculture, water conservation, irrigation, post-harvest management, storage, processing, logistics, and broader agricultural value chains. The program is designed to create a significant ripple effect, improving agricultural productivity, reducing post-harvest losses, strengthening farmer institutions, increasing the adoption of climate-resilient technologies, and ultimately enhancing farmer incomes through scalable, community-based solutions.
Eligibility
See if you're eligible
Full eligibility criteria — entity type, stage, sector, founder profile and registration requirements — plus your fit for this program. Create a free account to view.
Organizers
Greenovation Hub is a climate and sustainability-focused innovation initiative run under the EarthON Foundation — a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit that democratizes funding for grassroots organizations and early-stage ventures across India and the Global South. Greenovation…
Learn morePrizes & Awards
- Amount
- Up to ₹1 Cr
What You Get
The Greenovation Agri Mechanization Challenge offers a comprehensive support package designed to accelerate agricultural innovations. Winners will share in a prize pool of up to ₹20 lakh, providing crucial non-repayable capital to further develop and scale their solutions. Beyond the direct funding, participants gain access to a highly valuable three-and-a-half-day residential bootcamp, offering intensive training, expert mentorship, and invaluable networking opportunities with industry leaders and potential partners. High-potential startups may also secure an opportunity to access the EarthON Gurukul acceleration program, which includes significant funding support of up to ₹1 crore. Additionally, eligible FPCs can pursue debt funding of up to ₹25 lakh through the ONganic Accelerator. The program also facilitates pilot opportunities, market access support, strategic partnerships, and provides enhanced industry visibility, enabling ventures to scale their impact across India's agricultural landscape.
- Disbursement
- Lump Sum
- Cohort size
- 10 startups
- Bootstrap friendly
- Yes
Timelines & Process
Applications
Rolling basis
Selection Process
Applications for the Greenovation Agri Mechanization Challenge are evaluated through a multi-stage process. Initially, submissions are screened based on key criteria including the innovativeness of the solution, its scalability potential, demonstrated climate impact, commercial viability, and direct relevance to critical agricultural challenges faced by smallholder farmers. A selection committee, comprising experts from Greenovation Hub and its partners, reviews these applications. Shortlisted candidates proceed to a residential bootcamp, where they receive intensive mentorship and further refine their proposals. The final selection is made after presentations at the Challenge Finale, where a jury assesses the ventures based on their progress, pitch, and overall potential for impact and growth.
Application Process
- 1
Apply Online
Submit your application through the official F6S platform, detailing your innovation and its impact.
You - 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
How to apply
Four steps from draft to disbursement — one action each.
- 1
Submit on the official portal
Use the official application link and verify all details before final submission.
- 2
Follow up
Reach out 5–7 days after submitting to confirm receipt and ask about the review timeline.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What kind of innovations is the Greenovation Agri Mechanization Challenge looking for?
A: The challenge seeks climate-smart, affordable, and scalable agricultural innovations that improve productivity, reduce labour, and strengthen agricultural value chains for smallholder farmers. This includes solutions in farm mechanization, precision agriculture, dairy, livestock management, natural resource management, circular agriculture, water conservation, and post-harvest technologies.
Q: What is the maximum funding I can receive through this program?
A: Winners of the challenge will share in a prize pool of up to ₹20 lakh. Additionally, high-potential startups may gain an opportunity to access further funding up to ₹1 crore through the EarthON Gurukul acceleration program, and eligible FPCs can access debt funding up to ₹25 lakh through the ONganic Accelerator.
Q: Who is eligible to apply for the challenge?
A: The challenge is open to registered startups and SMEs incorporated within the last 10 years with prototype, pilot-tested, or market-ready solutions. Farmer Producer Companies (FPCs) with at least two years of operations and active farmer membership are also eligible, specifically if located in Maharashtra or Madhya Pradesh for the FPC track.
Q: Is there any equity taken by the program?
A: No, the Greenovation Agri Mechanization Challenge awards prizes and facilitates access to further funding opportunities without taking any equity from participating startups or FPCs. The primary funding mechanism is non-repayable prize money, with an optional debt funding opportunity for FPCs.
Q: Is this challenge open to startups from all over India?
A: The Startup & SME track is open to applicants across India, though pilot focus areas are in specific states. The FPC track, however, is exclusively open to Farmer Producer Companies located in Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh.
Q: What stages of startups are you looking for?
A: We are looking for solutions that are at a prototype, pilot-tested, or market-ready stage. This includes startups that have an MVP, initial users, or are generating early revenue, focusing on pre-seed to growth-stage innovations.
Sources
Data on this page is compiled from official program and provider references.
