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Engaging panel discussions on the future of agritech, rural commerce, and investment trends in the sector.
High-impact keynote addresses from industry leaders, including Shaji KV, Chairman, NABARD.
Impromptu Pitch Competition featuring cutting-edge agritech innovations.
Showcasing of disruptive business models and agritech startups driving transformation in Indian agriculture.
Delhi, April 3, 2025: Startup MahaKumbh commenced today, bringing together entrepreneurs, investors, policymakers, and industry leaders to propel India’s startup ecosystem forward. The opening day featured thought-provoking discussions, insightful masterclasses, and key initiative launches aimed at revolutionizing India’s agritech sector.
A major highlight was the Inaugural Plenary Session: The Future of Agritech & Rural Commerce: Solving Bharat’s $1 Trillion Opportunity, featuring a keynote address by Shaji KV, Chairman, NABARD, and insights from Vikas Bali, CEO, Intellecap. The session set the stage for exploring transformative trends shaping India’s agritech landscape.
During the session, Shaji KV shared, “Overall, if you look at India’s growth story – India’s growing at around 7%. But if you look at the agriculture sector in recent times, you will see the production is higher in both the levy and tariff, and the rural sector growth is catching up with the urban sector growth. That means the fruits of growth also will percolate to the rural sector, so that almost 50% of the population which is dependent on agriculture will be paid. That is what our larger role is, improving the per capita income in a unified manner. We’re taking the farmers also along in India’s growth story.”
The Impromptu Pitch Competition, a key attraction, invited agritech entrepreneurs to present their groundbreaking solutions, offering them a platform to gain investor attention and industry validation. The winners of the Impromptu Pitch Competition were Everge Agroscience Pvt Ltd, which secured the top spot in the Aavishkaar Ultimate Agritech Pitch, winning a cash prize of 3 lakh rupees, while Agrolt Solutions Pvt Ltd emerged as the runner-up, receiving 2 lakh rupees.
Investment trends in agritech were explored in the Investor Pitch sessions – Business Models Investors Are Betting On – featuring leading voices Rema Subramanian (Co-founder & Managing Partner, Ankur Capital) and Arpit Agarwal (Investment Partner, Blume Ventures). The session provided valuable insights into the investment strategies shaping agritech innovation in India.
The Trailblazing Tales – Agri-Innovations from Sector Disruptors sessions featured pioneering entrepreneurs, including Anil Passary, Managing Director, Urvarak Industries Pvt. Ltd., Nidhi Pant (Co-founder, S4S Technologies), Srinivas Karavadi (President, Absolute AG), and Lt Cdr Naveen Nehra (Retd.), Founder, zestleyorganics, who shared their journeys in reshaping Indian agriculture through technology and innovation.
A critical discussion on Tapping the Carbon Markets for Smallholder Farmers was led by Sanchayan Chakraborty (Partner & CEO, Aavishkaar Carbon Platform) and Santosh Kumar Singh (Partner & Managing Director, Intellecap). The session explored the role of carbon markets in creating new revenue opportunities for farmers while promoting sustainable agricultural practices.
Additionally, the strategic vision of SBI Foundation on supporting startups was outlined in a session titled SBI Foundation’s Strategic Vision on Startups through Innovators for Bharat, featuring Aman Bhaiya (VP & Head of Strategy, SBI Foundation).
Beyond discussions, the Agritech Pavilion showcased a lineup of innovative startups, presenting their cutting-edge solutions to investors, industry experts, and attendees. These startups are driving transformation in areas such as precision agriculture, supply chain optimization, farm mechanization, and climate-smart agriculture. Some of the leading agritech enterprises featured at the Agritech Pavilion included AgroStar, Agrozone Services Pvt. Ltd., AquaExchange Agritech Pvt. Ltd., Compositech Greensol Pvt. Ltd., Dehaat, Edge marketing Pvt Ltd, Heart in Hills Pvt Ltd. (Foreka), Marut Dronetech Pvt. Ltd., Maxgreen Tractors and Agro Equipments Pvt Ltd, and Vattam Health Foods Private Limited.
As Day 1 concluded, the enthusiasm and engagement set a high benchmark for the days ahead. With more impactful discussions, networking opportunities, and major announcements expected, Day 2 promises to be equally dynamic.
