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MANUSH LABS

Sustainability Accelerator 
2020 - 21

Applications for this program are closed.

COMBATTING THE PROBLEMS OF CLIMATE AND AGRICULTURE SECTOR

What is Manush Labs Sustainability Accelerator? 

Manush Labs presents its first impact program - Sustainability Accelerator 2020. Innovative startups and SMEs will get a chance to scale their innovations to help address India's critical socio-economic challenges faced by the climate and agriculture sectors.   

The program provides a platform for innovative early-stage social startups, SMEs, and creative innovators with guidance, knowledge access, tools, partnerships, and due diligence information needed to build their venture ideas. After the program, selected teams will get to work with our supporting organizations (incubation centers and investors) to launch or scale their ideas.

sustainability accelerator
agronomist with farmer at cotton field.j

SECTOR
OUTLINE

Climate and Agri sector is one of the prime sectors contributing to the Indian economy. The agriculture sector alone contributes about 15% of the national Gross Domestic Product (GDP). India has been an agrarian society for time immemorial, with almost half of its population directly or indirectly involved with agriculture. With the growing agriculture sector, India’s food ecosystem is another area that is on the rise. The food sector in India offers huge growth opportunities in areas like food processing, storage, retail, marketing, and others. Innovative advancements in food and agriculture sector would empower the lives of millions of people engaged directly or indirectly with the sector.

We look forward to working with innovators to overcome challenges across India's food and agriculture value chain in ways that promote affordability,  accessibility to markets and inputs, resource efficiency, preservation of natural systems &  favorable user experience for stakeholders.

PROBLEM STATEMENTS
CALL FOR INNOVATIONS

TRACK #1 

How we produce

Sustainable food production is critical to  India’s rising population given that agriculture is mainly carried out in small farms. Small farm size, lack of technological advancements in farming techniques, conventional farming practices, etc have led to decrease in agriculture productivity. Conventional farming techniques exhibit challenges in economies of scale, wastage, nutrient leakage, and a high tax bill on fertilizers that damage produce, farmers' and consumers' health. 

 

Suggested solution areas: 

  • Urban farming: Improving current methods and exploring possible alternatives 

  • Improving ergonomics in agriculture through Agritech innovations   

  • Bolstering local and organic food production and distribution

  • Sustainable manufacturing of raw materials (fertilizers, pesticides, etc.)  

Image by Prince Abid

OFFERINGS 

PROBLEM DIAGNOSIS

Problem diagnosis sessions with field experts

PITCHING

Opportunity to pitch to program partners, global and local investors, critical business leaders, and local role models   

TECHNOLOGY

Technology and domain
expertise from local and global mentors

PEER TO PEER
ASSESSMENT 

Feedback sessions with peers, investors, and successful startups and SMEs in the food and agri sector of India 

FUNDING OPPORTUNITY

Startups: Opportunity to receive seed funding of upto Rs. 1 crore from our investment partners. 

SMEs: becoming eligible to win a share of Rs 100 crore funding from Wadhwani Foundation.

MARKET AND NETWORK

ACCESS

Startups: Access to Social Alpha's incubation programs.
 
SMEs: Access to Wadhwani Foundation's Advantage Program. 

HUMAN-CENTERED APPROACH

Inculcating Manush-Centered thinking and developing interpersonal skills 

CONSULTING

Opportunity to refine business-plan through intensive user-research activities 

WHO CAN APPLY

We are looking for Start-ups and SMEs (Social Enterprises) that have developed or are developing technology-based innovations that have the potential to create an impact in the Food and Agriculture Sector and demonstrate business model sustainability. 

 

The SME sector has gained recognition from the United Nations. According to the United Nations, SMEs act as first responders to the needs of society, provide a safety net for inclusiveness, and are a primary driver of poverty alleviation and development

THE MANUSH WAY
WHAT MAKES US DIFFERENT

Cultivating Systems Thinking

Manush Labs focuses on inculcating systems approach in problem-solving. We will help startups and SMEs build an ecosystem around their ideas. Teams will get to learn from the experienced experts of relevant impact organizations.  

Working with tier 2 cities of India. 

Manus Labs recognizes that the huge socio-economic challenges of post covid India can’t be solved by a handful of people from a handful of urban areas. To utilize the full potential of India's entrepreneurship ecosystem, our aim is to find solutions from the nooks and corners of the country. 

TIMELINE

15 OCTOBER
Program Launch

10 NOVEMBER
Application Deadline

18 NOVEMBER
Results Announced

1 DECEMBER
Program begins

22 FEBRUARY
Demo Week

Image by Clay LeConey

FAQs

For more info about the program, 

Click here!

CONTACT US

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