The ‘Boot Camp on Business Development and Capital Raising’ conducted by ICRISAT’s Agribusiness and Innovation Platform (AIP) helped 24 prospects secure business incubation support and three prospects secured funding from participating banks.

The camp was to help start-ups explore opportunities in agri-business, farm opportunities and food processing ventures, and provide a platform for sharing and exchange of ideas and innovations in availing incubation services, funding assistance and marketing support.

“This boot camp gave me a deep insight on the tools necessary to analyze my idea and feel confident about it. This camp has helped build my network, work on new opportunities available in the agricultural sector and learn from my peers,” said, Mr Manjunath from Gulbarga, a participant.

Mr SM Karuppanchetty, COO, Agri-Business Incubation (ABI) Program, ICRISAT-AIP, discussed the role of ICRISAT-AIP in promoting start-ups, agribusiness ventures and nurturing innovations.

Dr Saikat Datta Mazumdar, COO, NutriPlus Knowledge (NPK) Program of ICRISAT-AIP presented the various opportunities that small and medium entrepreneurs can avail in various sectors of the rapidly growing food industry. He also highlighted on the schemes available under Ministry of Food Processing Industries, Government of India.

Mr Aravazhi Selvaraj, COO, Innovation & Partnership (INP) Program of ICRISAT-AIP discussed the funding opportunities available from the Technopreneur Promotion Program of the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research, Government of India, banks and venture capitalists.

The camp was held on 5 August at ICRISAT-India. More than 40 agribusiness innovators and entrepreneurs from the Indian states of Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, and Karnataka, explored new opportunities in farm opportunities, food processing ventures, funding assistance and marketing support.