SOP (Student Orientation Programme)

The Student Orientation Programme (SOP) is a dedicated initiative by the Agri Food Business Incubation Centre (AFBIC) at IIT Kharagpur. It aims to foster innovation among students by providing crucial early-stage support for technology or business ideas within the agri-food and allied sectors. This programme is designed to identify and nurture promising student innovators, helping them transform their concepts into viable ventures.

AFBIC, operating under the prestigious Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur, leverages its extensive academic and industry network to support emerging agri-food entrepreneurs. The SOP specifically targets student innovators who are either based in West Bengal or whose innovative ideas originate from the state.

Through this programme, AFBIC seeks to empower the next generation of agri-food leaders, offering not just financial assistance but also comprehensive guidance to navigate the challenges of early-stage startup development. It serves as a vital stepping stone for students looking to make an impact in the agricultural and food technology landscape.

• Grant-in-aid of up to ₹4 lakh for student innovators.
• Focus on agri-food and allied sectors.
• Open to student founders from West Bengal or ideas originating from the state.
• Provides non-dilutive funding, meaning no equity is taken.
• Includes technical and business mentoring from IIT Kharagpur and AFBIC.
• Application deadline is 30 May 2026.

The Student Orientation Programme is open to student innovators who possess a technology or business idea within the agri-food or allied sectors.

Key eligibility criteria include:

• The applicant must be a student innovator.
• The innovative idea should be in the agri-food or allied sectors.
• There must be a strong connection to West Bengal: either the student founder must be from West Bengal, or the idea or venture itself must originate from West Bengal.
• Applications are welcomed from both individual student applicants and student teams, providing flexibility for different innovation setups.

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

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

The Student Orientation Programme offers significant support to selected student innovators, primarily in the form of financial assistance and comprehensive mentorship.

Recipients can receive up to ₹4 lakh as a non-dilutive grant-in-aid. This means the funding is provided without requiring any equity stake in the student's venture, allowing innovators to retain full ownership.

Beyond financial aid, selected students benefit from invaluable technical and business mentoring. This guidance is crucial for refining their ideas, developing prototypes, and understanding market dynamics. Additionally, participants gain access to extensive networking opportunities within AFBIC's vibrant agripreneur ecosystem and the broader IIT Kharagpur faculty network, opening doors to collaborations and further support.

SOP (Student 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 Student Orientation Programme involves several distinct stages, designed to identify the most promising student innovators and their agri-food ideas.

• Application Submission: Interested student innovators must submit the AFBIC Cohort 3.0 application form. The deadline for this submission is 30 May 2026.

• Initial Screening: Following the application deadline, AFBIC conducts an initial screening of all submissions. This stage assesses applicants for their eligibility based on the program's criteria and evaluates the fit of their proposed idea for the SOP track.

• Training and Performance Evaluation: Shortlisted students proceed to a structured training phase. This is followed by a performance evaluation process, which likely assesses the development of their idea, their commitment, and potential.

• Final Recommendation: Based on the performance evaluation and overall assessment, the AFBIC committee makes a final recommendation for the disbursement of the grant-in-aid to the selected student innovators.

Before you apply to SOP (Student 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.

SOP (Student Orientation Programme) is best suited for startups in India seeking non-dilutive funding of ₹4L. If that describes your startup, review the eligibility criteria above before applying.