146.8 million hectares, around 30% of the soil in India is degraded. Of this, 29% is lost to the sea, 61% is relocated, and 10% settles in reservoirs.
Each year, 535 million livestock generate 730 million tonnes of manure, releasing methane, which is 85 times more potent than CO₂.
With agricultural labour projected to drop to 25.7% by 2050, boosting India’s 40-45% mechanisation rate can raise productivity by 30% and cut costs by 20%.
OVERVIEW
“The future of food security will depend on a combination of the ecological prudence of the past and the technological advances of today”- DR. M. S. Swaminathan.
The essence of Sustainable Agriculture Technology for Resilient Food Systems is the balancing of ecological traditions with cutting-edge technology. In an era marked by rapid population growth, environmental degradation, and increasing climate instability, the challenge of securing a stable and sufficient supply of food has never been more urgent. Addressing this complex issue requires more than just innovation; it calls for a thoughtful integration of the ecological wisdom practiced by traditional farming communities with the cutting-edge technologies of modern agriculture.
In honour of his legacy and with a commitment to carry forward this mission, Social Alpha and M. S. Swaminathan Research Foundation (MSSRF) are proud to launch Techtonic: Innovations for Agriculture and Rural Livelihoods.
This program seeks to identify, nurture, and scale breakthrough innovations that address some of the complex challenges in agriculture and rural development, such as soil degradation, declining crop productivity, and labour-intensive farming practices, by focussing on science-led solutions that are user-friendly, environmentally sustainable, and tailored to the real-world needs of small and marginal farmers across India.
Focus Areas
For India’s 120+ million small and marginal farmers, soil is their most valuable asset, yet it is rapidly degrading. Decades of extractive agriculture, chemical overuse, and monoculture have resulted in severe nutrient imbalance, critically low soil organic carbon, widespread soil degradation, and a decline in microbial life.
Potential solutions include (but are not limited to):
- Soil Diagnostics including portable testing devices, combined with microbial profiling tools and AI-based systems that provide soil-specific, crop-specific recommendations.
- Regenerative Soil Inputs focussing on tailored solutions like biofertilizers, enriched composts, and microbial inoculation kits that are designed to match local soil needs and revive biodiversity.
- Regenerative mulching practices that improve moisture retention, suppress weed growth, protect soil from erosion, and facilitate the build-up of organic carbon.
The uncontrolled decomposition of manure and organic waste releases methane into the atmosphere, contributing to climate change. Accumulated animal dung and crop residues create foul odours, attract disease-spreading insects, and pose serious health risks.
Additionally, farmers are forced to rely on firewood, kerosene, or LPG for cooking and heating—options that are not only costly but also harmful to health and the environment.
Potential solutions include (but are not limited to):
- Affordable and modular biogas systems with standardised design that are easy to install, operate and maintain – with a focus on enhanced user experience and the ability to process multiple feedstocks (manure, agri-residues, food waste).
- Systems with locally adaptable microbial consortiums/nanoparticles to enhance methane yield, even in cold or damp climates.
- Innovations to simplify slurry management, convert it to useable products, and create market linkages to enhance farmer incomes.
Mechanisation is critical for performing farm operations on time, reducing cost and drudgery, and improving the quantity and quality of the produce. However, most machinery is targeted at large landholding farmers, and is expensive, has limited functionality, and is usually unsuitable for small and marginal farmers.
Potential solutions include (but are not limited to):
- Affordable, Small farm machinery or tools suitable for operations on 0.5-5-acre land size for multiple functions with a focus on reducing drudgery, improving efficiency for small land parcels, and helping increase income for small and marginal farmers.
- Gender-neutral, easy-to-use machinery that accommodates women farmers.
- Renewable energy-powered machines that reduce fuel costs and suit areas with irregular power supply.
Who Should Apply
Innovators and start-ups with innovative technology-based solutions that have the potential to create a sustainable and scalable impact in the lives of small and marginal farmers of India. Innovations are sought in the domains of Soil Rejuvenation, Biogas, and Small Farm Mechanisation.
- Development Stage – Technology is being built, integrated, tested, and validated in controlled and field settings [TRL 1 – 4].
- Pilot Stage – Technology has demonstrated technical performance and is ready for testing early product-market fit, use cases, and ROI demonstration [TRL 5-8].
- Scale Up Stage – Technology has demonstrated early market evidence, use cases, and ROI, and can scale based on market evidence [TRL 9-10].
Program Offerings
Important Dates
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Applications Open
2nd October, 2025
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Application Deadline
15th November, 2025
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Evaluation of Applications
16th November, 2025 – 15th December, 2025
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Jury Round
15th December, 2025
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Announcement of Winners
20th December, 2025
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Pilot Initiation
January, 2026
Our Partners
Frequently Asked Questions
To know more about the Techtonic, we request you to go through the FAQs section:
Eligibility:
- Who can apply for the program?
Techtonic: Innovations for Agriculture and Rural Livelihoods is a search for innovators and entrepreneurs with transformative technologies that address a curated set of challenges faced by smallholder farmers. Individuals, groups of individuals, and start-ups registered in India are eligible to apply for the program.
- In which category am I eligible to apply?
Applicants are requested to select the most appropriate category based on their product development stage. Please select the category carefully since the application forms will have some unique questions.
- Is there any preference for an innovation?
Applicants are encouraged to submit applications for technology-based innovations that focus on solving challenges faced by small holder farmers across the country. The innovation may be a product, platform or service, but must be aligned to the focus areas outlined in the program. There is a preference for technology-based innovations that have a high social impact potential.
- I am a college student working on a technology. Can I apply for the program?
Yes, you may apply if your technology satisfies the problem statements. Please note that finalists of the Techtonic: Innovations in Agriculture and Rural Livelihoods will be required to participate in evaluation sessions where they will have to present to the jury. This may require virtual/physical attendance at the convening location and may interfere with college schedules.
- Can I submit more than one application for different technologies?
No, one enterprise is applicable for only one application; however, the applicant might be addressing different challenges so they can select multiple problem statements as per their focus area.
- How many applications will be selected?
There is no limitation to the maximum size of the cohort. However, applications satisfying the focus areas of Techtonic: Innovations in Agriculture and Rural Livelihoods will be selected as the final cohort after a detailed evaluation. These applications may be across the product development, pilot or scale-up stage category.
- What is the duration of the engagement?
The engagement is typically 12-24 months long. However, it will vary from case to case based on the needs of the start-up or innovation. Promising start-ups in the product development stage will also have the opportunity to receive support with their pilots upon successful completion of milestones. Hence, they may continue to receive support for a longer duration.
- What are the different types of benefits I can avail?
The cohort will receive access to an incubation program covering one or more of the following, depending on the needs assessment conducted by Social Alpha.
- Sandbox facility to test, validate and pilot innovations or projects on the ground in Uttar Pradesh, Odisha, Jharkhand, Maharashtra, Assam etc.
- Access to seed investment from Social Alpha or its syndicate
- Product development support, including assistance with designing, rapid prototyping, and design for manufacturing
- Dedicated agri-business experts to assist with business planning, developing go-to-market strategy, and overall business advisory
- Mentorship by a set of qualified global and local experts and access to a curated set of capacity-building sessions
- Practical on-the-ground feedback from the farmer communities, grassroots non-profits, agriculture experts, and corporate and government bodies
- Access to shared office space and amenities at Social Alpha and support services such as accounting, compliance, taxation, legal, IP, etc.
- Do I have to be physically present for any cohort-based sessions? Is attendance necessary?
The cohort will be required to attend the orientation launchpad. There may also be a need to participate physically in other sessions during the program. The start-ups/innovators will also be required to attend relevant workshops, events, and demo days during the incubation period physically or virtually depending upon the need. Unless there is a pre-communicated genuine and unavoidable reason for absence, start-up/innovator missing most of the program will not only lose the actual benefits of their selection but may also be reconsidered for continued support from the program.
- How frequently will Social Alpha interface with the cohort during the program?
There will be a regular interface between the start-up/innovator and the Social Alpha team. Each start-up will be allocated a portfolio manager to help with customized requests, who will engage with the start-ups continually and regularly.
- What kind of funding support can I avail through the program?
Decided on a case-to-case basis, eligible incubated start-ups will get access to a catalytic fund for pilot implementation in other geographies. Eligible start-ups in the program may also be considered for follow-on funding, subject to successful due diligence and investment committee approval.
Selection Process
- What are the important dates to remember during the selection process? When will the results be announced?
| Event | Date |
| Launch of Application | 2nd October, 2025 |
| Application Deadline | 15th November, 2025 |
| Evaluation of Applications | 16th November – 15th December, 2025 |
| Jury Round | 15th December, 2025 |
| Winner Announcement | 20th December, 2025 |
| Pilot implementation | January 2026 onwards |
- Can I submit my application after the deadline?
No, applications submitted after the stated deadline will not be evaluated.
Terms and Conditions
Please read the following terms and conditions before submitting your entry:
- Eligibility
- Participating or proposed ventures should be independent entities, meaning that they should not be a subsidiary of an existing corporation or have legal ties to a government body.
- Existing non-profits can participate; however, they should propose a venturing idea or a plan to transform their existing solutions into a more sustainable solution.
- As the program is looking for start-ups to work on establishing marketing channels for existing products and not research, only those with developed ideas and/or prototypes should apply.
- The applicant should be a registered company /willing to be registered in India. The shareholding by Indian promoters in the company should be at least 51%.
- Submissions and Participation
- Submissions that are incomplete will be deemed void and disqualified from the program evaluations.
- Submissions should be the original work of the participant/participating entity, should demonstrate positive social or environmental impact, and should have a disruptive technology innovation with the potential to be sustainable and scalable in India (though not exclusively in the region).
- Participants who are determined to be ‘Finalists’ and ranked in the final evaluation stage might be required to send at least one core member for the final round of evaluations.
- Winners agree to the use of their names, photographs, and the disclosure of their country of residence, and are required to cooperate with any other reasonable requests by the organizer relating to any publicity-related activities.
- Winners are required to submit a declaration of good standing and solvency at the final stage of evaluation. If there is any change in circumstance that invalidates their good standing and solvency, the team is to immediately inform the organizers.
- All participants own the rights to their ideas. Participants must properly acknowledge any trademarks, patented, or copyrighted materials of others that are incorporated into the submission materials. Participants are responsible for obtaining any necessary permission before utilizing such materials in their submissions.
- Submitted ideas are protected in the spirit of non-disclosure, and all submitted materials will be treated as company confidential. The only people with access to the entry materials will be evaluators/judges, partners, and select members of the organizing committee. Materials will not be distributed to any other party unless requested by a participant. No other provisions are made to protect intellectual property.
- Participants are advised not to disclose critical information that would affect the successful filing of patent(s). All presentations are open to the public, and some presentations may be videotaped. Attendance by media personnel is expected in the final stages of the program. Any data or information discussed or divulged in public sessions by participants should be considered information that will likely enter the public realm, and entrants should not assume any right of confidentiality in any data or information discussed, divulged, or presented in these sessions.
- Decisions regarding the winners
- The selection of the ‘Winners’ is at the sole discretion of the judges and the organizers from Social Alpha and partnering organizations. Best efforts will be made to make decisions in accordance with this document.
- Throughout all phases of the Techtonic, all decisions of the judges are final.
- Disqualification and Organiser’s Right to Amend Competition Rules
- The organizers of the program reserve the right to disqualify any participant who is found to have violated the spirit of the application guidelines and terms and conditions stated herein. Disqualified participants shall forfeit all prizes awarded to them.
- The organizers reserve the right to amend these rules at any point before the Closing Date of the applications in line with the overall goal of Techtonic.
- The indicated dates for the applications may be revised at any point in time by the organizers. Any change in schedule will be suitably intimated on the applications webpage and on other relevant platforms.
For any assistance needed in filling the application form, please reach out to us at
agritech@socialalpha.org