Four Agri Startups Compete for Rs 2 Crore Prize in DCM Shriram AgWater Challenge

Four agricultural startups—EF Polymer, CultYvate, Industill, and Phyfarm—have advanced to the finals of the DCM Shriram AgWater Challenge. The competition, aimed at improving water-use efficiency and crop yield, will conclude in February 2025. The winner will receive Rs 2 crore, and each finalist will get a Rs 15 lakh milestone grant.

Four agricultural startups—EF Polymer, CultYvate, Industill, and Phyfarm—have been selected for the final round of the DCM Shriram AgWater Challenge, which aims to enhance water-use efficiency and crop yield.

The final round of the challenge is set to commence next month, with the grand prize winner announced in February 2025, receiving Rs 2 crore, according to a statement by DCM Shriram.

This initiative, launched in June last year by DCM Shriram Foundation in collaboration with The/Nudge Institute's Centre for Social Innovation and the Office of the Principal Scientific Advisor, brought together 14 pioneering technologies to revolutionize water use efficiency and productivity for India's smallholder farmers, particularly those cultivating staple crops like paddy, wheat, sugarcane, and cotton.

(With inputs from agencies.)