India Australia Rise Accelerator Invite Startups and MSMEs From India and Australia for Climate Smart Agritech

Nitin Konde, Apoorva Bajj

Aug 19, 2024 — 3 min read

India Australia Rise Accelerator Invite Startups and MSMEs From India and Australia for Climate Smart Agritech

Startups and MSMEs from both India and Australia are being invited to apply for the Climate Smart Agritech cohort of the India Australia Rapid Innovation and Startup Expansion (RISE) Accelerator. This programme is designed to assist businesses that are looking to expand internationally and is a joint effort between the Atal Innovation Mission and the CSIRO in Australia. The development of new solutions to the most critical agricultural problems faced by both India and Australia has reached a major turning point.

The RISE Accelerator's Climate Smart Agritech cohort will begin its mission in October 2024 with a focus on entrepreneurs and micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) that leverage technology to improve agricultural output and resilience in the context of increasing climatic volatility, resource constraint, and food insecurity.

Startups and MSMEs that provide solutions that put farmers' needs, goals, and on-farm practices first are of particular interest to the programme.

What is RISE Accelerator?

Since its inception in 2023, the RISE Accelerator programme has played a pivotal role in assisting startups and MSMEs with the validation, adaptation, and piloting of their products for potential new markets. Climate Smart Agritech is a new cohort that aims to support agritech startups and micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) developing solutions to increase agricultural production and resilience in the context of increasing environmental concerns.

"While our farming operations are distinct in size and diversity, India and Australia share common agricultural challenges," stated Tamara Ogilvie, Programme Director of the CSIRO. Participants in this batch will be able to find their product-market fit in a variety of areas and scale their solutions quickly to meet demand on a global scale.

Participating startups and MSMEs will have access to a variety of resources throughout the nine-month accelerator programme, including online resources, in-person workshops, and even immersion weeks in India and Australia. During these sessions, they will get the opportunity to gain valuable market insights, receive personalised coaching, and receive mentorship from professionals in the field. In order to increase the likelihood of success in new markets, the programme is created to help participants interact with prospective partners and clients.

Field Trials and Technology Pilot

"The RISE Accelerator program not only tackles the pressing issues in the agriculture sector but also guarantees that farmers can access and implement resilient practices that are customised to their unique requirements," according to Pramit Dash, Programme Lead at AIM (Atal Innovation Mission). This is achieved through encouraging innovation and offering a platform for start-ups to scale their solutions.

Increased productivity, decreased emissions, and optimal use of natural resources are just a few of the pressing issues facing the agricultural sector that the most recent cycle of the program is attempting to address.

September 15, 2024 is the deadline for RISE Accelerator applications.

Participation in the programme is free of charge for startups and SMEs, and it offers several chances for travel between India and Australia. Additionally, non-equity grants of up to INR 45 lakhs may be available to certain startups and SMEs.