Microsoft launches new programme for agritech startups in India
Microsoft will provide technology resources and business skills to help the agritech startups to scale faster.
Microsoft has announced the launch of a programme for agritech startups in India to help build industry-specific solutions, scale, and grow.
The Microsoft for Agritech Startups programme will provide the agritech startups with the latest technology and business enablement resources to help them innovate and scale fast, according to press release.
According to Microsoft, startups can also get access to Azure FarmBeats, which can help them focus on core value-adds instead of the undifferentiated heavy lifting of data engineering. Available on the Azure Marketplace, Azure FarmBeats enables aggregation of agricultural datasets across providers and generation of actionable insights by building AI/ML models based on fused datasets.
Microsoft said, agritech startups in India are transforming agriculture by developing innovative digital solutions to maximise productivity, improve market linkages, increase supply chain efficiency and provide greater access to inputs for agri-businesses.
“Sustainable agricultural technology can transform the global food landscape. Agritech startup innovations are addressing some of our key challenges connected to agriculture and food production. The Microsoft for Agritech Startups programme is among the early steps in our journey towards empowering these startups in India and transforming global agricultural practices,” said Sangeeta Bavi, Director, Startup Ecosystem, Microsoft India.
According to Microsoft, the range of benefits for agritech startups include joint go-to-market strategies, technical support and new sales opportunities with Microsoft’s partner ecosystem, co-creation of solutions with Azure FarmBeats without the need to invest in deep data engineering resources.
“Using Azure FarmBeats, startups can acquire, aggregate and process agricultural data and rapidly develop their own AI/ML models,” the statement said.
According to Microsoft, bringing together startups, corporates, industry bodies, governments and venture capital firms, the programme aims to create a shared platform for learning and innovation.
“With its strong focus on startups, advanced technology resources and a rapidly growing partner ecosystem, Microsoft is uniquely positioned to help agritech startups build solutions, scale across global markets, and grow with industry-leading partnerships,” the statement said.
Edited by Kanishk Singh