Delhi-based agritech-focused incubator Indigram Labs has announced the launch of Adhunik Gram, a smart village programme to empower agribusinesses in India. Indigram Labs’ smart village programme is focussed on the upliftment of the rural economy in a bid to help India reach the goal of $5 Tn economy.
The concept of smart villages focuses on e-literacy skills, access to e-health and other basic services, innovative solutions for environmental concerns, circular economy applications to agricultural waste, promotion of local products supported by technology and software, implementing and taking full benefit of smart specialization agri-food projects, tourism, and cultural activities, etc.
With the new programme, Indigram focuses on nurturing and promotion of agri-entrepreneurship as well as the development in the village economy. It believes that a smart village provides long-term social, economic, and environmental welfare activities for the village community.
Additionally, it will also ensure proper sanitation facilities, good education, better infrastructure, clean drinking water, health facilities, environment protection, resource-use efficiency, waste management, renewable energy, etc.
The incubator is now looking for startups working across smart village interests, including:
- Smart dairy through remote supervision and monitoring in open fields and barns
- Smart farming through satellite data for farm activities
- Smart agriculture with smart agricultural equipment for crop production
- Smart weather and irrigation with weather forecast water levels in dams
- Smart healthcare through smart beds and equipment to monitor the patient/digital healthcare
- Smart education with interactive learning through videos
- Smart energy through alternative renewable energy
- Smart surveillance system through CC cameras and sensors to detect robbery
- Smart buildings with security cameras, fire safety, electricity management
Dr. Manisha Acharya, CEO, Indigram Labs Foundation said, “It is anticipated that this initiative will be a stepping stone to connect the villages and countryside, and stakeholders and policymakers are invited by this organization to get involved and work with us so that together we can deliver on the promise of a better life in rural areas.”
Indigram Labs said that any student founder can apply. The applications are open till the end of October.
The selected top 10 startups will get the chance to arrange workshops and on demo day, the winner will get cash award as well as chance to pilot test their products.
Indigram Labs Foundation (ILF) a technology-based incubator was founded in 2016 by the Indigram group, the incubator since has been supporting agri-entrepreneurs at the grassroots level. The aim is to uplift farmers in India and give them access to the right technology, mentoring, prototype creation and resources.
With agriculture touted to be a $400 Bn industry in India, the market is big enough for startups in both the organised and unorganised segments to sustain and build scalable models.