Centre Awards 12 Startups for Innovation in Animal Husbandry, Dairy Sector

NEW DELHI: The government on Friday gave awards to 12 startups for finding innovative solutions to address problems faced by the animal husbandry and dairy sector, a statement said. Minister for Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying Giriraj Singh announced the winners of ‘Startup India-Animal Husbandry Grand Challenge’. The ministry in partnership with Startup India had launched the ‘Animal Husbandry Startup Grand Challenge’ to scout for innovative and commercially viable solutions to address the problems faced by the animal husbandry and dairy sector.

The challenge was launched by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi in September last year at a national animal disease control programme in Mathura. As many as 157 applications were received in this competition. “The 12 startups will be given cash grants worth Rs 1,02,00,000,” the statement said. Under value-added products category, the winner was Krushak Mitra Agro Services Pvt Ltd, Mumbai, while Studio Carbon, Ahmedabad, was the runner-up. In the category of eliminating milk adulteration, White Gold Technologies LLP, Mumbai & Micro Life Innovations, Chennai were selected.

For breed improvement, Adis Technologies, Belagavi, Karnataka and CisGEN Biotech Discoveries Pvt Ltd, Chennai were awarded. Under animal nutrition,  Krimanshi Technologies Pvt Ltd, Jodhpur and Cornext Agri Products Pvt Ltd, Hyderabad were selected.

For finding e-commerce solutions, MoooFarm, Gurugram, Haryana and AKM Technologies Pvt Ltd, Cuttack got the award. Under product traceability, EmerTech Solutions Pvt Ltd, Mumbai and NebulARC Technologies Pvt Ltd, Delhi were selected.

No startup got an award in the category ‘single use plastic alternatives’. “Two winners under each problem awarded with cash grants worth Rs  10 lakh (Winner) and Rs 7 lakh (Runner-up),” the statement said. The winners will be provided incubation offers.

The incubator would be responsible for physical incubation of these startups for up to 3 months, mentor matchmaking, lab facility and testing facilities. The activities of the startups will be tracked for up to nine months after the completion of the programme.

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Source: The article is extracted from The New Indian Express, May 9, 2020.