ANKURAN - R-ABI Agri-Entrepreneurship Orientation Program

ANKURAN is the entry-level program under the R-ABI (RKVY-RAFTAAR) initiative designed to help founders with innovations in agriculture and allied sectors. It bridges the gap from ideation to product through a one-month residential Agri-Entrepreneurship Orientation Program followed by prototype development support. Participants receive a monthly stipend of ₹10,000 during the training and a non-dilutive grant of up to ₹5 lakh (covering 90% of the project cost) in two tranches. The grant covers product refinement, testing, trials, and test marketing. The program is open to any background as long as the solution addresses agricultural needs. Selected entrepreneurs also gain lab facilities, certification support, training, and mentoring from domain experts. Supported areas include crops, livestock, food processing, supply chain, and rural development. Farmers, students, and youth with promising ideas are especially encouraged to apply.

• Non-dilutive grant up to ₹5 lakh (90% of project cost)
• Monthly stipend of ₹10,000 during the one-month orientation
• Open to farmers, students, and youth from any educational background
• Covers a wide spectrum: crops, livestock, food processing, supply chain, rural development
• Based at R-ABI, IIT (BHU) Varanasi, serving Uttar Pradesh
• Funding in two tranches tied to milestones

ANKURAN is open to farmers, students, and youth with innovative ideas in agriculture and allied sectors. There is no requirement for an existing registered entity at the time of application, but to receive the grant, you must register as a private limited company, LLP, or partnership. All applicants must commit to completing the mandatory one-month residential Agri-Entrepreneurship Orientation Program at R-ABI, IIT (BHU) Varanasi, and show genuine progress during training. Ideas can be in any area relevant to agriculture—education or prior experience does not matter. Existing ventures already receiving a government grant from any ministry for the same activity are not eligible.

ANKURAN - R-ABI Agri-Entrepreneurship Orientation Program is open to startups at the idea stage working in agri food rural. The programme is targeted at startups registered in Uttar Pradesh. Applicants should be registered as private limited, llp and partnership.

The most recent application window for ANKURAN - R-ABI Agri-Entrepreneurship Orientation Program closed on 15 Jun 2026. Many programmes run repeat cohorts, so it is worth checking the official site for the next round.

• Monthly stipend of ₹10,000 during the one-month residential orientation program.
• Non-dilutive grant support of up to ₹5 lakh, covering 90% of the project cost, disbursed in two tranches: 60% upfront and 40% later.
• Money can be used for product refinement, testing, trials, and test marketing.
• Access to R-ABI lab facilities.
• Certification support, expert training, and mentoring from domain experts.

ANKURAN - R-ABI Agri-Entrepreneurship Orientation Program is offered by R-ABI (RKVY-RAFTAAR), a government body. As a government-backed grant, it is publicly funded and open to eligible startups across India. You can verify current details and timelines on the provider's official website before applying.

Applications are submitted via a Google Form and evaluated by the RKVY-RAFTAAR Incubation Committee (RIC), which looks at the quality and relevance of the idea. Shortlisted applicants then attend the one-month orientation program. After the program, RIC reviews each participant's progress against selection parameters. Those that show sufficient promise are recommended by RIC to the Regional Committee (RC). The RC forwards the names to the Nodal Division of the Ministry of Agriculture for final sign-off. Once approved, the grant is released in two milestone-based tranches: 60% initially and 40% later.

Before you apply to ANKURAN - R-ABI Agri-Entrepreneurship Orientation Program, keep these documents ready — note the program-specific requirements at the top:

• Certificate of incorporation showing your startup is registered as private limited and llp
• A pitch deck or short business plan describing the problem, product and traction
• Company registration documents and PAN
• Founder identification (PAN / Aadhaar) and brief profiles
• Recent financial statements or projections
• Product details — a demo, prototype or working link if available

Exact requirements are confirmed on the official application portal — treat this as a preparation checklist.

ANKURAN - R-ABI Agri-Entrepreneurship Orientation Program is best suited for idea-stage agri food rural startups in India seeking non-dilutive funding of ₹5L. If that describes your startup, review the eligibility criteria above before applying.