Agri-Startups: Reflection of ICAR Technologies in Market

Not AvailableIndia is an agrarian economy with rich resources of traditional indigenous knowledge, biodiversity and human capital. It has a huge potential for promoting agri-based innovations that promise solutions to many of the current challenges faced by the sector. Till recently agricultural innovations of Indian has mainly been driven by public sector. The National Agricultural Research and Education System (NARES) is a major stakeholder in agricultural research with a focus on technology creation and its delivery to other stakeholders such as farmers, producer groups, retailers, corporations, civil societies and private players. The current needs of the stakeholders warrant NARES to transform into a more pluralistic innovation system addressing the needs of the consumers. The success of these technologies can also enhance incomes of the stakeholders including farmers. It is important that these innovative technologies, processes and products from the NARES system utilize in such a way that efficiency in agri-economic system is significantly enhances. The NARES, therefore is, gradually started shifting from 'a supply-driven to demand driven and market-led' agricultural innovation system, involving different stakeholders. In this transition, issues of technology transfers through commercialization from public research, gaps of knowledge in new product development (NPD) processes for the markets by attracting agri-entrepreneurs through agri incubators have started to emerge. Incubators are recognized as “technology-led and knowledge-driven enterprises” as they help in speedy commercialization of innovations and research outputs. Technology business incubators not only help in growth of technology based new enterprises but also improve survival rate of the agri entrepreneurs who are not only required to act as innovator but also for economic growth and job creation. They have immense potential to improve the livelihoods of stakeholders in agri-production and consumption systems in rural regions. The incubators help in mustering support services for start-ups with respect to technology refining, validation, business services including strategy, planning and scale up operations, IP services, help in finding funds etc. Compared to other sectors like engineering, pharmaceuticals, ICT, machinery, consumer goods etc., this concept is at an early stage in the agriculture and food sector. Even at the global level, there is start of evolution of a variety of agribusiness incubators and many are still at early stage levels. The processes of technology transfer from academic institutions to industry have emerged during the last two decades following the “Bayh-Dole Act of 1980”, an amendment to the patent code of United States. It paved way to claiming ownership in intellectual property on research funded by U.S. Government. Soon this led to similar initiatives in India. In the Indian NARES, Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) had taken the stewardship of technology commercialization through the promulgation of IP and technology commercialization policy in 2006. The IP&TM scheme launched during 2008 can be seen as a driver towards implementation of the policy. Under this scheme, Institute Technology Management Units (ITMUs) were established across all ICAR institutes. These initial steps of ITMU scheme grants led to the building of vibrant IP ecosystem in the NARES. In terms of visible gains, the numbers of filings under various IP categories have increased significantly. To upscale the process 22 of BPDs in NARES were established with National Agricultural Innovation Project (NAIP). The overall objective of the project grants was to initiate this new mode in NARS and internalize the scope of incubation into the system. Units under BPD projects sought to provide a wide range of services ranging from incubation facilities, research support and business services such as office space, access to Information and Communication Technology (ICT) services, advisories on management, and marketing, technical, legal and financial issues. The work in this project also evolved new partnerships between NARES institutes and technology seeking companies through technology validation, technology transfer and enterprise development processes. The impact of units under the BPD project can also be gauged through concerted efforts of nurturing and skill development of entrepreneurs along with commercialization of technologies. Ninety one incubates graduated from these centers during the project period. The project also helped the entrepreneurs to commercialize their business ideas using research facilities of the institutes and provided pilot level production facilities for the prospective entrepreneurs. The initial success achieved in the ITMU scheme for initiation of technology transfer process and later through the achievements through the BPD units established under the NAIP laid the basis for providing a continuum in the NARES for technology commercialization, incubation and entrepreneurship development. The experience in these two projects led to the new thinking across policy makers and NARS leading to development of National Agricultural Innovation Fund. Under the component I it is clear that IPTM scheme is now into the next phase to provide a continuum of early work. Under the component II of the NAIF, a target of 50 agribusiness incubators has been envisaged. Till date, 24 ABIs have been granted. These incubators have together helping in more than 150 agri-entrepreneurs from different backgrounds including some companies. With the recent announcement of start-up India policy and startup definition, about 100 entrepreneurs who can be defined as agri-startups supported by ICAR Agri-business incubation centers. This compendium AgRIM (Agri-startups: Reflections ICAR technologies in Market) is the overview of the efforts of these 24 Agri-Business Incubators of ICAR to bring these startups to the market for enhancing the efficiency in the value chain of different agricultural sectors. This compendium is expected to create more network across the canvas of emerging agri-startups. Consolidation of efforts across diverse centers encourage cross learning within each sector.Not Availabl