TBI membership (Categories A-D)
A programme by ABIS-TBI, TNAU Coimbatore
The way in to everything else: paid membership in one of four categories, open to agri ventures from students to companies.
At a glance
| Best for | Agri founders, companies, FPOs, NGOs and students who want ongoing incubation support |
|---|---|
| Stage | Idea – Early revenue |
| Duration | Continuing, renewed annually |
| Format | In person |
| Cost | Paid, no equity |
About TBI membership (Categories A-D)
The incubator extends services only to members who pay the membership fee, so membership is the first step for most founders. Any individual with an innovative idea or a product at R&D stage who wants to start an agri-based enterprise can join, and incubation continues until the entrepreneur is self-sustaining.
What you get
- Product development support, quality testing and certification
- Patent, trademark and branding services
- In-house office space at the incubator for an infrastructure usage fee, with broadband and Wi-Fi
- Licensing of TNAU technologies after signing an agreement, and testing at TNAU laboratories at concessional rates
- Market linkages, capacity-building training and introductions to banks, angel investors and venture capitalists
Who can apply
- Category A: individuals without a registered company, and students
- Category B: firms including proprietorships and partnerships, LLPs, FPOs and FPCs, NGOs and SHGs
- Category C: private and public limited companies
- Category D: multinational and foreign companies
- Agriculture and allied ventures only — the incubator does not take non-agri ventures
How to apply: download the registration form for your category from the incubator's members page, submit it with the registration and membership fees, and renew annually. Questions go to tbi-abis@tnau.ac.in.
Where to apply
Other ABIS-TBI, TNAU Coimbatore programmes
- RKVY-RAFTAAR Agribusiness Incubator (R-ABI)Cohort-based agribusiness incubation sanctioned by the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, with orientation tracks for beginners and a seed track for startups with a product.
- NIDHI Entrepreneur-in-Residence (EIR)A one-year DST fellowship for people who want to leave a job or course and work full time on a technology-based agri venture.
- NIDHI-PRAYASPrototype support for innovators who have an idea but no working product yet, with a fab lab to build it in.
- Startup India Seed Fund Scheme (SISFS)ABIS-TBI is an approved seed fund incubator, so DPIIT-recognised agri startups can name it as their incubator on the national portal.
- Spices Incubation CentreA Spices Board-funded centre at the incubator that supports a small number of spice processing and value-addition startups each round.
- TBI Incubatee Product Promotional Centre (TIPPC)A retail-style space at the incubator, opened in May 2024, where incubatees keep their products on permanent display for visitors and buyers.
- Government scheme partner supportHelp applying to central and state schemes the incubator partners on, from micro food processing to Tamil Nadu seed grants.