Call for
CSR Grant for Sustainable Ingredients/Materials for Feed, Food and Nutrition
About Organisation
Venture Center, a technology business incubator supported by the Department of Science and Technology (DST-NSTEDB) and DBT-BIRAC under the Ministry of Science and Technology, Government of India, is dedicated to fostering science and technology-based enterprises. Based in Pune, Venture Center supports entrepreneurs in transforming innovative ideas into successful ventures that solve pressing societal challenges. It offers mentoring, infrastructure, networking, and funding support to early-stage startups in sectors such as healthcare, clean energy, materials science, and sustainable development. Kemin Industries South Asia Pvt. Ltd., a global player in nutritional ingredients, has collaborated with Venture Center through its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiative to promote innovation and entrepreneurship for public good. This collaboration aims to support and encourage startups that work on sustainable ingredients and materials, especially for food, feed, and nutrition. Together, these organizations aim to provide not only funding but also a conducive ecosystem for startups to test, prototype, and scale their impactful technologies.
About the Grant
The Kemin CSR Grant, in collaboration with Venture Center, aims to support startups and entrepreneurs developing technologies related to sustainable ingredients or materials for feed, food, and nutrition. This grant is specifically designed to facilitate proof of concept (POC) studies, prototype development, or prototype validation. The goal is to promote innovation that addresses well-defined social problems by leveraging modern science and technology. The program seeks to foster sustainable, scalable ventures capable of making significant socio-economic impact. Emphasis is placed on practical application of technologies, with a preference for projects led by women entrepreneurs, first-generation entrepreneurs, and social enterprises. The funding can be used for R&D outsourcing, raw materials, manpower, patent costs, and more. The initiative strongly supports early-stage innovations that require financial support to transition from idea to validated prototype, and encourages applicants to propose impactful, original technology-based solutions.
Who can Apply?
The grant is open to both individuals and companies working on innovative technologies aligned with the theme of sustainable ingredients/materials for food, feed, and nutrition. The Project Leader (PL) must be an Indian citizen aged 18 or above, holding a qualification such as BTech, MTech, MSc, MBBS, BPharm, MPhil, MD, MSW, MPH, or equivalent with undergraduate training in science, medicine, or engineering. BSc graduates with at least one year of full-time research or work experience are also eligible. The PL must commit full-time to the project and should not be engaged in any long-term academic programs with significant obligations during the project duration. If the applicant is a company or LLP, it must be registered in India with at least 51% Indian ownership. Projects focused on pure software development without IP potential or those strictly involving academic research are not eligible. Ideal applicants are startups or individuals committed to developing and validating novel technologies that address social needs and have commercialization potential.
How to Apply?
Interested applicants need to prepare a proposal detailing the project scope, technology, objectives, and use of funds. Applications must be submitted as per the guidelines shared by Venture Center before the deadline.
Application Deadline
The last date to submit the grant application is 17 May 2025. Ensure all required documents and proposals are submitted by this date for consideration.
Last Date To Apply
Applications must be completed and submitted no later than 17 May 2025, after which no entries will be entertained.
Grant Amount
Selected applicants will receive funding of up to INR 5 Lakhs to support proof of concept, prototype development, and related technology validation activities.
Last Date To Apply
For more information, please visit the grant website here.
