Dr Ashutosh Agnihotri, CEO, FIRST IIT Kanpur, delivered the Welcome: The wider industry impact

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HEAD: 24_Kan_AM_IIT Kanpur Byline: Abhinav Malhotra First iit kanpur is designated knowledge partner for rkvy raftaar scheme FIRST IIT Kanpur Designated Knowledge Partner for RKVY-RAFTAAR; MoU Announced at IIT Kanpur Noida Outreach Centre Kanpur—-7 (Abhinav) Times News Network Kanpur: The Foundation for Innovation and Research in Science and Technology (FIRST), IIT Kanpur, through its incubation arm, the Startup Incubation and Innovation Centre (SIIC), was formally designated as the Knowledge Partner for the RKVY-RAFTAAR (Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana – Remunerative Approaches for Agriculture and Allied Sector Rejuvenation) scheme under the Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers’ Welfare, govt of India. Dr Ashutosh Agnihotri, CEO, FIRST IIT Kanpur, delivered the Welcome Address and formally announced the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU). The announcement was made during a Launch and Stakeholder Engagement Event held at the IIT Kanpur Noida Outreach Centre, presided over by Devesh Chaturvedi, IAS, Secretary, Department of Agriculture & Farmers’ Welfare, as Chief Guest. The vision and framework of RKVY-RAFTAAR were presented by Surbhi Awasthi, General Manager, FIRST IIT Kanpur. As Knowledge Partner, FIRST IIT Kanpur will play a pivotal role in driving agri-startup incubation, structured mentorship, funding linkages, and strategic coordination with RKVY Agri-Business Incubators (RABIs) across the country. The collaboration aims to strengthen innovation across precision farming, agri-biotechnology, post-harvest technology, and allied agricultural sectors, creating a robust pipeline of scalable agritech solutions.

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We are committed to channelling IIT Kanpur’s 2-decade-long expertise in deep-tech incubation into transforming India’s agritech sector,” said Dr Ashutosh Agnihotri, CEO, FIRST IIT Kanpur. A key highlight of the event was the Agri-Startup Showcase, featuring 5 promising ventures from the IIT Kanpur innovation ecosystem, namely ScaNxt, Fruvetech, Regenerix F2DF – Kisan Ki Online Dukan, and OpenSpectrum AI. MSID:: 128756931 413 |

This partnership will meaningfully accelerate agritech entrepreneurship and create lasting impact for India’s farming communities,” said Devesh Chaturvedi, IAS, Secretary, Department of Agriculture & Farmers’ Welfare. “FIRST, IIT Kanpur brings world-class academic rigour and a proven innovation ecosystem to RKVY-RAFTAAR. K Vijayendra Pandian, IAS, Commissioner Kanpur and Vice Chancellor, Chandra Shekhar Azad University of Agriculture & Technology, Kanpur, addressed the gathering as Guest of Honour and emphasised the importance of strong university–startup linkages in strengthening India’s agricultural innovation pipeline. Pankaj Kumar, Chief General Manager, NABARD Regional Office Lucknow, delivered the Special Address and reaffirmed NABARD’s commitment to financing agritech innovation and supporting startups emerging from the RKVY-RAFTAAR ecosystem. “Agriculture is the backbone of India, and agritech innovation holds the key to making it more productive and resilient. The startups presented innovative solutions spanning precision agriculture, post-harvest technology, and rural supply chain optimisation. The pitches drew strong engagement from policymakers, highlighting the depth of agritech innovation being nurtured within India’s academic institutions. The event concluded with a Vote of Thanks by Piyush Mishra, COO, FIRST IIT Kanpur, followed by an Open House Interaction and Networking Lunch designed to foster meaningful collaborations among stakeholders. About RKVY-RAFTAAR RKVY-RAFTAAR is a flagship scheme of the Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers’ Welfare, govt of India, aimed at promoting innovation, entrepreneurship, and value addition across agriculture and allied sectors through a nationwide network of RKVY Agri-Business Incubators.