SBI Foundation and social enterprise incubator Villgro have announced the launch of the ‘Innovators for Bharat’ portfolio, committing Rs 6 crore to support 14 innovative agri-tech startups. The cohort of startups is addressing critical sustainability issues such as reducing post-harvest losses, creating value from agricultural waste, and mitigating CO2 emissions, according to a press release.
The selected startups include Bharat Rohan, RAAV Techlabs, Navork Innovations, Marut Drones, GreyMatter (Upaz), Carbon Masters, Raheja Solar, Ekosight, Pasidi Panta, Agrosperity (Kivi), Krimanshi, RuKart, GreenSupply, and E-Feed. The 14 startups were felicitated at an event held at the Bangalore International Centre.
‘Innovators for Bharat’ is an initiative to accelerate social innovation in India by finding indigenous, impactful, and cutting-edge solutions to the country’s most pressing problems. The initiative aims to help early and growth-stage startups address agricultural challenges and the impact of climate change.
The program aims to make a significant environmental and social impact. Over the next two years, it seeks to prevent 15,000 tonnes of CO2 emissions, promote sustainable practices across 60,000 acres, and benefit 10,000 individuals.
Speaking at the launch event, Sanjay Prakash, MD and CEO of SBI Foundation, highlighted the foundation’s commitment to fostering tech solutions that improve the income and sustainability of smallholder farmers.
The collaborative design of the program involves funding support from the SBI Foundation, which will also provide a network of banking and financial institutions for mentorship, as well as partnerships with civil service organizations for field trials and pilots.
Maithili Rege, Associate Lead for Agriculture & Climate Action at Villgro, said, "With the program’s initial funding of Rs 3.25 crore, an almost equal amount of catalytic capital is being unlocked through our NBFC partner, NABKISAN, benefiting startups with a total of Rs 6 crore."
Villgro will play a crucial role by offering mentorship, technical assistance, and market linkages. Together, this financial and technical support aims to help startups scale their solutions, making them more accessible to end users and creating lasting social and environmental impact.