17 Ventures, 35 Innovators, 48 Mentors, And 28 Enterprises: The Agritech Incubator, Indigram Labs Foundation Is Committed To Farmers’ Upliftment
Agriculture in India is a key component of its GDP, and over 60% of the country’s population relies on it as their means of livelihood. Looking at the huge opportunity in the sector, Indigram Labs Foundation (ILF) a technology-based incubator was founded in 2016 by the Indigram group, the incubator since has been supporting agri-entrepreneurs at the grassroots level.
The aim to uplift farmers in India and give them the access to the right technology, mentoring, prototype creation and resources is ingrained in the very DNA of Indigram Labs Foundation.
“It is wonderful working with Indigram Labs; they have provided us with encouragement, connectivity, linkages to leading figures in the field of Agribusiness,” says New leaf Dynamic Pvt. Ltd.
One of the Key USPs of Indigram Labs is its host institution: Indian Society of Agribusiness Professionals (ISAP) which has set-up more than 1,800 agritech ventures through its ACABC programme and is currently promoting 250 FPOs. The years of experience that ISAP brings with it helps shape the journey of agri-entrepreneurs through Indigram Labs even further. At present, the company is incubating 15 companies and accelerating three more. The duration of the incubation period ranges from three to five years.
To stay ahead in the game, Indigram Labs Foundation has a host of collaborations and tie-ups for its incubatees. It is supported by the National Science & Technology Entrepreneurship Development Board (NSTEDB ) under The Department of Science & Technology (DST), Government of India. And has collaborations with Indian Agriculture Research Institute (IARI) & Central Food Technological Research Institute (CFTRI) to name a few.
“The Good thing about Indigram is that it is into the space of agriculture which helps them connect us to different market players. They also consider our business as theirs, understand our business goals and help us walk the path,” emphasises, Vasumitra Life Energies Pvt Ltd.
Agriculture and farmers’ income in India is a key focus area for the government and the Union Budget 2018 further reiterated the same. The current government has an ambitious aim, that of doubling the average income of farmers by 2022. Both the central and the state governments are proactively pursuing policies to improve the lives of farmers in the country. With all these developments in place, agritech has now become the buzzword in the Indian startup ecosystem, which currently has over 200+ agritech startups.
However, to bring out the complete potential, the government and private sectors need to come together continually to achieve this magnanimous yet opportunistic task. Indigram Labs is one such partner providing the support for a sustainable agro-ecosystem in India. And, is well on its way to becoming the go-to incubator for agritech startups in the country.