AOP (Agripreneurship Orientation Programme)

The Agripreneurship Orientation Programme (AOP) is an initiative by the Agri-Food Business Incubation Centre (AFBIC) at IIT Kharagpur. This program operates under the RKVY-RAFTAAR scheme, supported by the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Government of India. Its primary goal is to foster innovation among entrepreneurs in the agriculture, food, and related sectors, specifically targeting those at the idea or prototype stage of their ventures.

Participants selected for the AOP can receive a non-dilutive grant-in-aid of up to ₹5 lakh. This financial support is disbursed following a rigorous selection, training, and performance evaluation process conducted by AFBIC. Beyond funding, the program also offers structured mentorship and crucial market linkage support, designed to assist founders in validating their concepts and developing a functional prototype.

Eligibility for the program extends to founders from West Bengal or ventures that originate within the state. Importantly, the grant is non-dilutive, meaning AFBIC does not acquire any equity in the participating startups. Applications for Cohort 3.0 are open until 30 May 2026.

• Grant-in-aid up to ₹5 lakh for agri-food startups.
• Non-dilutive funding; no equity taken by AFBIC.
• Supports idea-stage and prototype-stage entrepreneurs.
• Open to founders and ventures originating from West Bengal.
• Includes mentorship and market linkage support.
• Application deadline: 30 May 2026.

This program is designed for entrepreneurs who are at the idea-stage or prototype-stage of their venture. Applicants must be focused on concepts within the agriculture, food, or allied sectors.

Geographically, eligibility requires that either the founder themselves is from West Bengal, or the venture's origins are rooted in West Bengal. The program welcomes applications from both individual founders and early-stage teams.

AOP (Agripreneurship Orientation Programme) is open to startups at any stage. It is open to startups registered anywhere in India.

The most recent application window for AOP (Agripreneurship Orientation Programme) closed on 30 May 2026. Many programmes run repeat cohorts, so it is worth checking the official site for the next round.

Recipients of the Agripreneurship Orientation Programme benefit from a non-dilutive grant-in-aid of up to ₹5 lakh. This funding is specifically allocated to support agripreneurs at the idea or prototype stage, helping them advance their innovative solutions.

Beyond financial assistance, AFBIC provides comprehensive mentorship to guide founders through their development journey. Additionally, the program offers crucial market linkage support, which is instrumental for validating concepts and establishing initial traction with customers or partners.

AOP (Agripreneurship Orientation Programme) is offered by Agri Food Business Incubation Centre (AFBIC), IIT Kharagpur, an academic institution. It is delivered directly by Agri Food Business Incubation Centre (AFBIC), IIT Kharagpur as a grant. You can verify current details and timelines on the provider's official website before applying.

The selection process for the Agripreneurship Orientation Programme involves several key stages, ensuring that promising agripreneurs are identified and supported.

• Application Submission: Interested applicants must submit the AFBIC Cohort 3.0 application form by the deadline of 30 May 2026.
• Initial Screening: AFBIC conducts an initial screening of all applications to assess eligibility criteria and suitability for the AOP track.
• Training and Evaluation: Shortlisted applicants are invited to participate in a structured training program, followed by a performance evaluation process.
• Final Recommendation: Based on the evaluation, the AFBIC committee makes a final recommendation for the disbursement of the grant-in-aid to selected agripreneurs.

Before you apply to AOP (Agripreneurship Orientation Programme), keep the following documents ready:

• 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.

AOP (Agripreneurship Orientation Programme) is best suited for startups in India seeking non-dilutive funding of ₹5L. If that describes your startup, review the eligibility criteria above before applying.