FIED, IIM Kashipur

RKVY-RAFTAAR supports agribusiness incubation by tapping innovations and technologies for venture creation in agriculture. In this process, incubation facilities expertise already available with participating academic, technical, management & R&D institutions in the country shall be utilized on an individual or collective basis to harness synergies. The existing institutional agribusiness incubators would be strengthened on a need basis by providing grants-in aid. Since 2019, with the generous support of the Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare, IIM Kashipur FIED has incubated sixty plus agri-focused startups under the RKVY-RAFTAAR Agri-Business Initiative, providing financial assistance ranging from INR 5 lakhs to INR 25 lakhs with a significant government grant of INR 9.6 crores over the past five years.

DPIIT has created Startup India Seed Fund Scheme (SISFS) with an outlay of INR 945 Crore to provide financial assistance to startups for Proof of Concept, prototype development, product trials, market entry, and commercialization.It will support an estimated 3,600 entrepreneurs through 300 incubators in the next 4 years. Objective - Many innovative business ideas fail to take off due to the absence of this critical capital required at an early stage for proof of concept, prototype development, product trials, market entry and commercialization. Seed Fund offered to such promising cases can have a multiplier effect in validation of business ideas of many startups, leading to employment generation.

Supported by the National SC-ST Hub (NSSH) Scheme of the Ministry of MSME, Government of India. Conducted in a Blended Mode (Online + On-Campus) for SC/ST Entrepreneurs & their Wards. Program Structure: Total Duration: 72 hours of structured learning (Hybrid Mode) 36 hours On-Campus and 36 hours Online, followed by 6 months of mentoring. Module 1 On-Campus Immersion: One Week residential program at IIM Kashipur. Module 2 Virtual Sessions: Offered remotely (36 Hours spread over 2 months). Mentoring 6-Month Support: Individual Project Pitching and Mentoring/handholding support after completion of Modules 1 and 2. Eligibility: Existing SC-ST Entrepreneurs / Wards (aspiring entrepreneurs) of SC-ST Entrepreneurs. Age must be above 18 years on the day of application. Preference to be given to women SC/ST candidates. Proof required: Udyam/GST/License (for Entrepreneurs) or proof of relation (for Wards). Refundable Fee: Candidates need to pay only ₹5,000, which will be refunded upon successful completion of the training as per NSSH guidelines. * Note: Entrepreneurs with major activity as TRADING in the Udyam registration are not eligible.

Through nine successful editions of Uttishtha, its flagship annual entrepreneurship summit, over 500 agri-tech startups and community-based enterprises have been provided a platform to showcase their innovations to policymakers, investors, government officials, and the general public.

IIM Kashipur FIED has played a pioneering role in launching India’s first Agricultural Entrepreneurship Consortium, bringing together higher education institutions, industry professionals, researchers, and students to foster discussions on emerging trends, best practices, and startup support programs.

FIED’s initiatives such as Uttishtha—The Annual Entrepreneurship Summit, the Agricultural Entrepreneurship Consortium, and Startup Bootcamps have provided platforms for networking, knowledge-sharing, and showcasing agri tech innovations.