Call for Applications: Techtonic- Innovations in AgriTech 2.0 (India)

Techtonic is a collaborative scouting platform that will search for mission driven entrepreneurs, start-ups and innovators that are solving some of humanity’s biggest challenges and provide support in their entire lab to market journey through Social Alpha Accelerator program.

The India Agritech Incubation Network (IAIN) is a collaborative effort between the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and Social Alpha. It aims to establish a conducive ecosystem for innovators and entrepreneurs in agriculture. The network has fostered cooperation among private and public sector stakeholders, created specialised technical infrastructure, provided market access, influenced public policy and facilitated market access for early-stage innovative solutions. The diversity of innovations spans pre-cultivation technologies for soil & crop health, inclusive farm equipment for drudgery-cost-risk reduction, post-harvest technologies for loss elimination, and allied sector innovations for building income resilience. IAIN was conceived and designed to bring science and technology innovations to small and marginal farmers and help improve their productivity, income and quality of life.

Focus Areas

• Small Farm Mechanisation
• Soil Carbon Management
• Feed, Nutrition & Cattle Health
• Forest Bioeconomy
• Post Harvest Value

Program Offerings

• Sandbox facility to test, validate and pilot innovations on the ground in the state of Uttar Pradesh and Odisha.
• Access to Social Alpha’s seed investment and / or other funding opportunities; and facilitated access to a large investor and donor network.
• Product development support via Social Alpha Labs including assistance with designing, rapid prototyping and design for manufacturing.
• Dedicated Agri-business experts to assist with business planning, developing go-to-market strategy and overall business advisory.
• Mentorship by a set of qualified global and local experts; and curated set of capacity building sessions.
• Practical on-the-ground feedback from the farmer community, grassroots non-profits, agriculture experts and corporate and government bodies.
• Access to shared office space and lab infrastructure at Social Alpha Labs.

Duration

The program is a typically a 12-24-month long engagement.

Who should apply?

• Individuals, group of individuals, social enterprises and start-ups registered in India (whether for-profit or not-for-profit) are eligible to apply for the program.
  • TRL 4 – Basic technological components have been integrated to establish that they work together.
  • TRL 5 – Technology has been put together and can be tested in a simulated environment.
  • TRL 6 – Prototype is being tested in simulated operational environment or in a high-fidelity laboratory environment.
  • TRL 7 – Actual system prototype is near completion or ready and has been demonstrated in an operational environment or is at pilot level.
  • TRL 8 – Technology is proven and developed but not yet operational or applied anywhere.
  • TRL 9 – Technology has been applied in its final form and is operational.
  • Solution is already in market and can be scaled and replicated in Uttar Pradesh & Odisha.
• Innovators & Start-ups with solutions that are technologically innovative and have the potential to create an impact in the lives of smallholder farmers of Uttar Pradesh & Odisha and demonstrate business model sustainability.
• Development Stage– Technology is being integrated, tested, validated in controlled and field settings [ TRL 4-6]
• Pilot Stage– Technology has demonstrated technical performance, and is ready for testing early product-market fit, use cases and ROI demonstration [TRL 7-8]
• Scale Up Stage– Technology has demonstrated early market evidence, use cases and ROI, and can scale based on market evidence [TRL 9]

For more information, visit Social Alpha.