Deadline: 31 March 2026
Applications are now open for MANAGE-CIA Incubation Program.
The MANAGE‑Centre for Innovation and Agripreneurship (CIA) at the National Institute of Agricultural Extension Management in Hyderabad has opened applications for Cohort 15 of its agri‑entrepreneurship programs under the RKVY‑RAFTAAR initiative, offering students, agripreneurs, and startups a chance to develop, validate, and scale innovative ideas in agriculture and allied sectors.
The Student Orientation Program invites students with an innovative agribusiness idea to join a structured mentoring and hands‑on internship experience, allowing them to learn business concepts, industry nuances, market strategies, and practical problem‑solving skills while working with established startups. Participants who successfully complete the initial one‑month training can pitch their idea for a grant‑in‑aid of up to ₹4.00 lakh to help convert their concept into a prototype, product, or service.
The Agripreneurship Orientation Program offers a similar opportunity for early‑stage innovators to refine their ideas with guided mentorship and practical exposure. After completing the one‑month orientation, agripreneurs can present their ideas for a grant‑in‑aid of up to ₹5.00 lakh to progress their concepts toward tangible outcomes. Both programs aim to nurture entrepreneurial talent, provide technical and business insights, and build a pipeline of innovators ready for incubation support.
For more advanced ventures, the Startup Agri‑Business Incubation Program supports startups that have developed a minimum viable product with grant‑in‑aid support of up to ₹25.00 lakh. This assistance helps startups launch, test, and scale their products or services in the market, refine business models, attract investment, and build sustainable operations. Funding is aligned with each project’s genuine needs as evaluated by the selection committee.
Across all components of the Cohort 15 program, shortlisted participants receive over 30 hours of initial training, hands‑on engagement with startups, and access to expert mentoring that helps them refine technical, operational, and strategic aspects of agricultural innovations. Focus areas cover a wide range of agribusiness domains including agriculture extension, digital agriculture, food technology and value addition, artificial intelligence, biotechnology, farm mechanization, supply chain management, natural resource management, and more, ensuring broad scope for innovative solutions that address real sector challenges.
For more information, visit MANAGE-CIA.
