To start an Agri Tech Startup Accelerator Program in order to encourage and help young entrepreneurs to excel in the agricultural sector, IIIT-Hyderabad and National Institute of Agricultural Extension Management (MANAGE) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU).
The Agri Tech Startup Accelerator Program will identify, support and facilitate idea-stage enterprises using latest technologies and innovations to solve agriculture specific issues faced in India.
Speaking at the signing of the MoU, P.J. Narayanan, Director, IIIT-Hyderabad said, “IIIT-Hyderabad is looking forward to collaborating with MANAGE to improve India’s agricultural sector and take technology to the masses. As IIIT-Hyderabad believes strongly in applied research, this is a great opportunity for us to take our research from lab to land”.
The collaboration between the IIIT-Hyderabad and MANAGE will help start-ups to develop their ideas with regards to agriculture and they will be provided with proper guidance from research scholars and professors at the IIIT-Hyderabad. MANAGE is known for providing a platform for young entrepreneurs and start-up companies to grow in the agriculture sector.
IIIT-H is an autonomous university that was set up as a not-for-profit public private partnership (N-PPP) and is the first IIIT to be set up under this model in India. The university focuses on the core areas of Information Technology, such as Computer Science, Electronics and Communications, and their applications in other domains.
MANAGE is the National Centre for Management of Agricultural Extension at Hyderabad. It offers services in management training, Consultancy, management education, research and information Services.
Director General of MANAGE, V. Usha Rani said, “MANAGE is very happy to sign this MOU with IIIT-Hyderabad. IT knowledge has helped many sectors, be it health, industry or even the service sector but it hasn’t yet reached grass-root levels in the agricultural sector. There’s huge scope for this, considering agriculture is a complex life science, and technology can play a crucial role in it. By signing this MOU with IIIT-Hyderabad, we are hoping to make a significant impact on farmers’ lives, entrepreneurs and agri-start-ups through the application of cutting-edge technologies that IIIT-Hyderabad is known for”.
