The challenge is open for participants till 8th June 2022 and the final winner would be announced on May 3, 2023. Through SFGC program technical inputs, knowledge of sugarcane cultivation and farms would be provided so that startups can build some breakthrough solutions in this space.

The Software Technology Parks of India (STPI) launches the Smart Farm Grant Challenge (SFGC) in the presence of Shri Arvind Kumar, Director General, Software Technology Parks of India (STPI) and other key dignitaries in virtual mode. SFGC is an open challenge for startups where they are required to identify impactful solutions to address the problem statements identified for sugarcane harvest. Sugarcane is an important commodity for human consumption as well as trade. Information and communication technology in agriculture (ICT in agriculture), has the potential to significantly impact the agriculture sector by utilizing ICT tools. Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) designated STPI as the implementation agency with Neuron Centre of Entrepreneurship (CoE), Mohali as the anchor CoE.

The selected Start-ups at various stages would be supported by MeitY, MeitY Startup Hub (MSH), STPI, Neuron CoE, DCM Shriram Sugar Mills & Directorate of Sugar Mills, in addition to the various mentors and industry experts. The challenge is open for participants till 8th June 2022 and final winner of final stage would be announced on 3rd May 2023.

On the occasion, Arvind Kumar, Director General, STPI underlined, “Agriculture is a significant contributor to the Indian economy; it contributes around 16 per cent of GDP. SFGC will help identify challenges to sugarcane harvesting & other related issues and build innovative solutions, which will lead to enhancing yield. The use of technology gives cost-effectiveness and also increases production. India’s agriculture technology has the potential to grow manifold to reach $24.1 bn in the next 4-5 years. Any innovation in harvesting tech can be game changer in agri sector.”

Through SFGC, Start-ups are expected to develop the solution which:

(a) Should predict optimum time of sugarcane harvest in a given plot area with reasonable accuracy.

(b) Estimate the sugar content of all the plots in its catchment area remotely.

(c) Should identify the plots which are mature/ ready to harvest.

(d) Ensure insights easily interpretable in formats viz graphs, images etc.

For the participating and selected Start-ups at various stages, significant financial support and funding are being provided as follows:

Roshan Lal Tamak, Executive Director & CEO, DCM Shriram in his speech said, “We sincerely believe that technologies like AI, ML, IoT, remote sensing, satellite imagery have benefited other sectors, so agriculture sector should also explore these technologies. Through SFGC program, we will provide technical inputs, knowledge of sugarcane cultivation & farms so that startups can build some breakthrough solution in this space.”

STPI is a premier S&T organization under MeitY engaged in promoting IT/ITES Industry, innovation, R&D, start-ups, product/IP creation in the field of emerging technologies. NEURON is a CoE in Artificial Intelligence (AI), Data Analytics (Big Data), Animated Visual Graphics (AVG) and (IoT).

The Smart Farm Grant Challenge (SFGC) was launched on 9^th May 2022 in the presence of Shri Arvind Kumar, Director General, Software Technology Parks of India (STPI) and other key dignitaries in virtual mode. STPI is a premier S&T organization under MeitY engaged in promoting IT/ITES Industry, innovation, R&D, start-ups, product/IP creation in the field of emerging technologies. NEURON is a CoE in Artificial Intelligence (AI), Data Analytics (Big Data), Animated Visual Graphics (AVG) and (IoT).

Ministry of Electronics & Information Technology (MeitY) has announced the SFGC to identify impactful solutions from startups to address the problem statements identified for sugarcane harvest and designated STPI as the implementation agency with Neuron Centre of Entrepreneurship (CoE) as the anchor CoE for this challenge programme.

On the occasion Shri Arvind Kumar, Director General, STPI underlined, “Agriculture is a significant contributor to Indian economy; it contributes around 16% of GDP. SFGC will help identify challenges to sugarcane harvesting & other related issues and build innovative solutions, which will lead to enhancing yield. Use of technology gives cost-effectiveness & also increases the production. India’s agriculture technology has the potential to grow manifold to reach $24.1 bn in the next 4-5 years. Any innovation in harvesting tech can be game changer in agri sector.”

 Shri Roshan Lal Tamak, Executive Director & CEO, DCM Shriram Limited in his speech said, “We sincerely believe that technologies like AI, ML, IoT, remote sensing, satellite imagery have benefited other sectors, so agriculture sector should also explore these technologies. Through SFGC program, we will provide technical inputs, knowledge of sugarcane cultivation & farms so that startups can build some breakthrough solution in this space.”

Through SFGC, Start-ups are expected to develop the solution which:

(a)    Should predict optimum time of sugarcane harvest in a given plot area with reasonable accuracy.

(b)   Estimate the sugar content of all the plots in its catchment area remotely.

(c)    Should identify the plots which are mature/ ready to harvest.

(d)   Ensure insights easily interpretable in formats viz graphs, images etc.

For the participating and selected Start-ups at various stages, significant financial support and funding are being provided as follows:

The selected Start-ups at various stages would be supported by MeitY, MeitY Startup Hub (MSH), STPI, Neuron CoE, DCM Shriram Sugar Mills & Directorate of Sugar Mills, in addition to the various mentors and industry experts. The challenge is open for participants till 8th June 2022 and final winner of final stage would be announced on 3rd May 2023.

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RSVP

Related document

STPI inks MoUs with IDBI Capital Market & Securities Ltd & MergerDomo

AIC STPINEXT Initiatives (STPINEXT), a special purpose vehicle of Software Technology Parks of India (STPI), an organization under the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) has signed two memorandums of understanding (MoUs) one with IDBI Capital Markets & Securities Limited (ICMS), a well-known investment banking and financial services company and another with MergerDomo, a global online marketplace that enables fundraising and consulting for startups in the country. These partners would play critical role in supporting and handholding the startups in the growth journey through technical guidance & assistance, mentoring, pitching to investors, funding support, and market connect & access etc.

Speaking on the occasion, Shri Arvind Kumar, DG, STPI highlighted, “STPI & STPINEXT have created a strong collaborative ecosystem and are continuously striving to enhance it for nurturing emerging tech startups into self-sustainable and market ready ventures. For addressing the diversified needs of the startups, STPI & STPINEXT have associated with various organization who excel in their functional areas. Moving forward, collaboration will be a critical parameter for success, and STPI’s robust CoE ecosystem is a glaring manifestation of this.”

STPI has announced setting up of 25-plus Centres of Entrepreneurship (CoEs) in specific domains spread across India. To further strengthen the startup ecosystem, STPINEXT is getting into an association with IDBI Capital Market &Securities Ltd. and MergerDomo. The forthcoming support from these organizations will be of immense value to the startup community.

Shri Subodh Sachan, Director, STPI & MD & CEO, STPINEXT cited, “Signing of MoUs with IDBI Capital & Merger Domo is a laudable step towards further galvanising STPI’s startup ecosystem to nurture startups by providing them access to industry, industry associations, and funding partners for scaling up their ventures.”

Speaking on the occasion Shri Vikram Jain, Senior Manager, ICMS highlighted, “Under this collaboration, ICMS may on best effort basis support STPI CoEs’ initiative with regards to supporting and nurturing the selected startups by providing Venture Capital Funding and also through mentoring and knowledge sharing in financial and fund-raising space.”

Shri Hormazd Charna, Founder & CEO, MergerDomo said, “The collaboration will strengthen STPI’s startup ecosystem in particularly through Fund Raising, Market Access, Presenting startups to its investor community on its technology platform, etc.”