KSHITIJ – ICAR-CIRCOT Startup Incubation Programme

KSHITIJ is a pan-India Startup Incubation Programme supported by IP&TM unit of ICAR under National Agricultural Innovation Fund (NAIF).

Under this programme ICAR–Central Institute for Research on Cotton Technology (CIRCOT), Mumbai through Agri Business Incubation Centre (ABIC), is an implementing agency (Hub institute) for incubation of start-ups in the domain of Farm Mechanisation and Post-Harvest Technology. The other five ICAR institutes (Spoke Institutes) supporting mentoring and regional outreach include ICAR-CIAE Bhopal, ICAR-NINFET Kolkata, ICAR-CAZRI Jodhpur, ICAR-CCARI Goa and ICAR-IIFSR Meerut.

The objective of the KSHITIJ programme is to strengthen the agribusiness innovation ecosystem and provide structured incubation support, technical guidance, mentoring, and assistance in testing, and field-level validation of technology to develop practical, scalable, and commercially viable solutions for addressing agricultural & allied sector problems. Participants also receive assistance in business modelling, market linkage, and IP advisory.

Under this programme applications are invited from innovators, entrepreneurs, and early-stage start-ups with ready Proof of Concept, Prototype, or Minimum Viable Product. The programme covers areas such as farm mechanisation, precision agriculture, robotics, smart harvesting, post-harvest processing, storage, digital agricultural solutions, etc.

Selected applicants undergo a one-month intensive training and mentoring programme with technical support from ICAR scientists, academia and industry experts. Applications can be submitted only through online mode by filling online application form through the website or by scanning the QR code.
Last date for application is 20 January, 2026.

For further details, applicants may contact ICAR-CIRCOT, Mumbai.