Applications Invited for Techtonic: Innovations for Agriculture and Rural Livelihoods

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About the Organization

At Social Alpha, we believe that science and technology innovations and entrepreneurship has the potential to bring about a positive change in the life of masses. We search for entrepreneurs and innovators who are on a ‘mission to create social, economic and environmental impact’ and support them through their ‘lab to market’ journey, as they create compelling solutions to fight poverty and address India’s intractable developmental challenges.

Social Alpha architecture is built around a not-for-profit platform, Foundation for Innovation and Social Entrepreneurship (FISE) and operates through a nationwide network of technology and business incubation infrastructure, sponsored and enabled by the Government of India and a number of academic, philanthropic and corporate partnerships.

About the Grant

The future of food security will depend on a combination of the ecological prudence of the past and the technological advances of today”- DR. M. S. Swaminathan.

The essence of Sustainable Agriculture Technology for Resilient Food Systems is the balancing of ecological traditions with cutting-edge technology. In an era marked by rapid population growth, environmental degradation, and increasing climate instability, the challenge of securing a stable and sufficient supply of food has never been more urgent. Addressing this complex issue requires more than just innovation; it calls for a thoughtful integration of the ecological wisdom practiced by traditional farming communities with the cutting-edge technologies of modern agriculture.

In honour of his legacy and with a commitment to carry forward this mission, Social Alpha and M. S. Swaminathan Research Foundation (MSSRF) are proud to launch Techtonic: Innovations for Agriculture and Rural Livelihoods.

This program seeks to identify, nurture, and scale breakthrough innovations that address some of the complex challenges in agriculture and rural development, such as soil degradation, declining crop productivity, and labour-intensive farming practices, by focussing on science-led solutions that are user-friendly, environmentally sustainable, and tailored to the real-world needs of small and marginal farmers across India.

Focus Areas:

• Soil Rejuvenation
• Biogas
• Small Farm Mechanisation

Who Should Apply:

Innovators and start-ups with innovative technology-based solutions that have the potential to create a sustainable and scalable impact in the lives of small and marginal farmers of India. Innovations are sought in the domains of Soil Rejuvenation, Biogas, and Small Farm Mechanisation.

• Development Stage – Technology is being built, integrated, tested, and validated in controlled and field settings [TRL 1 – 4].
• Pilot Stage – Technology has demonstrated technical performance and is ready for testing early product-market fit, use cases, and ROI demonstration [TRL 5-8].
• Scale Up Stage – Technology has demonstrated early market evidence, use cases, and ROI, and can scale based on market evidence [TRL 9-10].

Program Offerings:

• Pilot Deployments – Sandbox facilities to test, validate, and pilot the innovation, including on-ground feedback from the community, grassroots organisations, agriculture experts, and corporate and government bodies, along with non-dilutive pilot funding from Social Alpha of up to INR 50 lakhs.
• Market Access Opportunities – Access to more than 200,000 farmers and 150 FPO networks through a large network of implementing partners in different states, such as Uttar Pradesh, Odisha, Maharashtra, Jharkhand, etc., along with access to non-dilutive deployment funding from Social Alpha of up to INR 2 crores.
• Leverage MSSRF’s Village Knowledge Centres (VKCs) for technology awareness to rural communities. Use research internships or fellowships for design, joint field studies, trials, and impact studies.
• Mentorship and Workshops – Assistance of dedicated agri-business experts with business planning, developing go-to-market strategies, overall business advisory and mentorship, and capacity-building sessions.
• Incubation Support – Access to lab infrastructure and product development support via Social Alpha Labs, including assistance with design, rapid prototyping, and manufacturing.
• Financial Support – Opportunity to access seed investment from Social Alpha and its partners, subject to Social Alpha’s due diligence.

How to Apply

Application Deadline: 15th November, 2025

Apply Now

For more information please check the Link

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Tags Food, Agriculture and Nutrition Innovations and Technology Rural Development Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Others