CSIR’s Central Food Technological Research Institute (CFTRI) announces the food hackathon for students to give them the opportunity for entrepreneurship and innovation in the food and agricultural sector.
The BICAR BioNEST Incubation Centre and Siddhanga Incubation Foundation will join together to invite students to apply their creativity, problem-solving abilities, and technical expertise to real-world challenges in food technology, food science and nutrition, agricultural technology, and post-harvest technology.
What is BICAR BioNEST?
The BIRAC-BioNEST is an incubator facility at CSIR-CFTRI and is a center for budding entrepreneurs in food bioprocessing, biotechnology and related fields. This facility is majorly designed to support innovation and provide resources needed for advanced research, scale-up, and efficacy studies. It offers a collaborative space for startups and SMEs working in postharvest and food technology, helping them transform innovative ideas into market-ready solutions.
Focus Areas of Food Hackathon
The Food Hackathon organized by BioNEST focuses majorly in:
- Developing healthier dietary solutions in food science and nutrition,
- Developing cutting-edge tools in food technology,
- Driving smarter farming practices in agriculture technology,
- Finding ways to reduce food waste and boost efficiency in post-harvest technology.
Why Join Food Hackathon?
Food Hackathon not only fulfills your dream to become an aspiring entrepreneur but also invites you to win exciting prizes. Shortlisted candidates will gain access to exclusive workshops led by industry experts, receive personalized mentorship from CFTRI scientists, and enjoy free entry into pre-incubation programs. They will also earn participation certificates which will enhance their portfolios and stand a chance to win exciting cash prizes!
General Information
Who Can Apply:
- Students from any educational background who have relevant ideas related to food or agri-tech.
- Individuals with innovative ideas and non-registered start-up companies.
Rules:
- Participants can register as individuals in teams with a maximum of two members.
- All submissions must be original and not previously commercialized.
- The use of AI is strictly prohibited and will result in disqualification.
- Candidates with a proof of concept or product may be given an added advantage during the shortlisting process.
- Ideas must strictly align with the above-mentioned themes.
- Participants are expected to maintain professionalism, respect, and collaboration throughout the event.
- The decision of the jury and organizers will be final and will not be contested upon.
Accomodation:
- Outstation shortlisted candidates have to arrange for their accommodation, however, a list of guest houses near CSIR-CFTRI, Mysuru will be provided to interested candidates upon request.
- Hostel accommodation of CSIR-CFTRI may also be provided but is subject to availability and will be on a chargeable basis.
Evaluation Criteria:
Contestants will be judged based on the following criteria:
- Innovation and Creativity
- Problem-solving
- Socio-Economic impact
- Technical Implementation
- Presentation and Pitch
Event Stages
Round 1: Screening
- Ideas will be screened based on creativity, feasibility, and relevance to the theme and their proof of concept. Selected teams will proceed to shortlist to the next round.
- Only shortlisted candidates will be invited for the next round at CSIR-CFTRI, Mysuru.
Day 1-
Workshop and Mentoring sessions for Shortlisted Candidates
- Participants will attend the workshop on various aspects of pitching and entrepreneurship development in the first half.
- One-on-one mentorship to develop their pitches will be provided in the second half.
Round 2: Pre-Jury | First Half
Day 2-
- Based on inputs, the teams are supposed to present their ideas to a panel of Pre- Jury’s within a stipulated time (e.g., 5–7 minutes).
- Visual aids such as slides are permitted and contestants can also get their products for display. The presentation format will be shared with the participants.
Round 3: Grand Finale | Second Half
- The top contestants will be asked to present their ideas on the grand stage where a distinguished panel of jury members decides the winners.
- Valedictory function and distribution of participation certificates will be after the grand finale.
Application Details
Last date: 15th February, 2025
Pitch Dates: 27th February, 2025 (Day 1) & 28th February, 2025 (Day 2)
Pitch Deck: 7 minutes
Venue: CSIR-CFTRI Mysuru
Registration: Free
Click here to download the Pitch Deck PPT
Contact Details
For any queries contact:
Email: bionest.cftri@gmail.com or managerbionest@cftri.res.in
Phone no: 08212412608
Pune- 15th Feb, 2025 Time- 10 AM – 5 PM Fee – Rs 1180
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