Mysore/Mysuru: CSIR-CFTRI recently inaugurated a “Food Business Accelerator” to augment its Startup Innovation System in the Campus. 

Speaking on the occasion,  Dr. KSMS Raghavarao, CFTRI Director (who retired from service on Aug.31, 2020), said that the centre would be a boon to budding entrepreneurs and Startups who have the Proof-of-Concept ready. 

He also opined that Prime Minister-Formalisation of Micro Enterprise (PM-FME) Scheme launched under ‘Aatma Nirbhar Bharat’ would help more microenterprises enter into the Food Processing scenario.

The Centre will provide opportunities for prospective entrepreneurs and Startups to be part of the Accelerator Facility for a period up to 1 year or so. These companies can explore the avenues for product development, scale-up operations, packaging and shelf-life studies for commercialising their products. Expert mentoring sessions also will be available for sharpening the technical and business skills in fulfilling the tasks effortlessly.

 The Centre supports a total of 8 suites covering over 2000 sq ft. The Institute has already established a Nutra-Phyto Incubation Centre and Common Instrumentation Facility (NPIC-CIF) with the support of Government of Karnataka in 2016 and presently 10 companies are functioning. Further, six companies have exited successfully so far.

CFTRI signs MoU with IITs – Tirupathi and Guwahati

Meanwhile, CSIR-CFTRI has signed an MoU with IIT-Tirupathi, a third generation IIT established in the year 2015, recently in a virtual meet.  The collaboration is intended to undertake joint projects in the advanced areas of food processing, exchange of faculty and  mentoring of students from both the Institutions.

Speaking on the occasion, Dr. Raghavarao said that synergy between both the Institutions would help Startups and domestic Industry to adopt innovative processing for increased value addition to locally grown agri-commodities. 

Further, one of the genuine requirement felt in the Industry is the demand for increased automation in traditional food manufacturing. With the huge expertise on automation available with IIT faculty, the pact would be an important step in meeting the import substitution of food processing machineries under the Aatma Nirbhar  Scheme as well.

Prof. Sathyanarayana, Director, IIT-Tirupathi, stated that Food Technology and Precision Agriculture are the major thrust areas of the Institute in the national scenario.  Andhra Pradesh being the rice bowl of the country, along with flourishing aquaculture, mango pulp production in Chittor, tomato in Madanapally etc., the potential for innovation in this sector is immense. 

The Institute also signed an MoU with IIT-Guwahati towards forging collaborations in the areas of Bioprocessing, Polymers, Fermentation and Bioengineering R&D in the country. The partnership would be helpful for formulating Twinning Projects under various schemes of Department of Biotechnology for the development of North East Region. 

In the Virtual function along with Director, CFTRI and Prof. T.G. Sitharam, Director, IIT-Guwahati, other faculty members were present.