Submit Applications for Rubber Innovation Challenge – India
Deadline: 31-Oct-2025
The Ministry of Commerce and Industry invites individuals and startups to participate in an innovation challenge to make India’s rubber plantations vibrant with opportunities to win cash prizes and incubation support.
The focus of the program is on the following: Tapping the untapping potential of the rubber market, untapped rubber plantation, low cost automation in rubber plantations.
Participants are encouraged to submit innovative ideas that address the gaps in India’s rubber sector and contribute towards sustainable solutions.
The eligibility criteria include individuals or startups with the potential to innovate low-cost automation in the agricultural sector and those with software skills to design portals aiding farmers in registering their needs. The program particularly targets stakeholders such as investors, individuals, and startups at various growth stages, including ideation, validation, early traction, and scaling.
The relevant industries linked to this initiative are agriculture, enterprise software, and social impact. The problem statements highlight the challenge of over 20% of India’s total rubber plantations remaining untapped, underscoring the need to explore the reasons while enabling effective tapping. Another focus is overcoming the shortage of skilled labor in the sector by creating low-cost automation solutions such as improved tapping knives and easier methods of latex collection.
In terms of incentives, the top 10 most feasible ideas will receive Rs. 50,000 each, along with support and incubation opportunities from the Rubber Research Institute of India and MRF MCC. Post-submission, the selected ideas will be further explored to address the key pain points in the rubber sector.
For more information, visit Startup India.