Highlights of the webinar on “climate-resilient agriculture, virtual breakfast club”: Where climate-action ideas brew

• by MSC
• Dec 12, 2022
• 3 min

Timestamps of the webinar conducted on 2nd December, 2022, on the topic “Climate Resilient Agriculture, Virtual Breakfast Club” : How investments in Agtech startups enhance service offerings to build the resilience of smallholders farmers. See the time stamps below for a better viewing experience.

The following are timestamps of the meeting conducted on the 2^nd of December, 2022, on “Climate resilient agriculture- virtual breakfast club.”

We organized a discussion session with a panel representing the funding side of the ecosystem. The panel discussed the following topics:

1. What solutions can investors provide to address the challenges faced by Agtechs?
2. How can we ensure that ecosystem support infrastructure is meeting the needs of Agtech startups?
3. Are new platforms for information exchange between AgTech startups and investors needed?
4. A few examples where investors have met the capital requirements of AgTechs.

Click on the timestamps from the webinar stream to hear specific segments.

00:18 – 00:40 – Welcome note by Partha Ghosh, Senior Manager at MSC’s climate change & sustainability practice.

00:41 – 06:48 – Introduction by the speakers Ashish Khetan, President, Indigram Labs Foundation Shreejit Borthakur, Senior Innovation Manager- Technology, IDH

08:33 – 08:47 – The speakers answered the first question: What solutions can investors provide to address the challenges faced by AgTechs?

09:04 – 09:52 – Shreejit Borthakur of IDH responds: “Trajectory of funding has changed. Till 2014, most of funding was going to mitigation but now as the exposure to climate change hazards has increased, there is a growing momentum towards adaptation and resilience.”

15:15 – 16:30 – Ashish Khetan from Indigram Labs Foundation responds: “Climate resilient agriculture could be put in buckets such as soil resilience, water management and food waste management.”

17:52 – 18:15 – The speakers answered the second question: Can you give a few examples of the types of investments you have made in AgTechs?

18:56 – 19:38 – Ashish Khetan from Indigram Labs Foundation responds: “Usually, Investors like to invest in startups that are at a revenue stage and not all businesses are venture capital friendly. But no business is a bad business.”

22:00 – 22:25  – The speakers answered the third question: How can we ensure that ecosystem support infrastructure is meeting the needs of startup AgTechs?

23:28 – 24:21 – Shreejit Borthakur of IDH responds: “As the focus on climate adaptation and resilience will increase, the investment vehicles dedicated to that will start being set up.”

24:35 – 25:05 – Shreejit Borthakur of IDH also responds: “Development stakeholders are pumping in patient capital to SMEs.”

22:27 – 23:04 – The speakers answered the fourth question: Are new platforms for information exchange between AgTech startups and investors needed?

26:22 – 27:15 – Shreejit Borthakur of IDH responds: “Ecosystem level interventions are required and India’s Agristack could be a gamechanger.”

28:05 – 28:28 – The speakers answered the fifth question: Is there a difference between investors interested in pure-play AgTech and investors focusing on climate resilient agriculture?

29:25 – 30:23 – Ashish Khetan from Indigram Labs Foundation responds: “From investor’s perspective, money alone cannot solve the problem. The ecosystem plays an important role.”

39:36 – 39:58 – The speakers answered the sixth question: Is there a difference between investors interested in pure-play AgTech and investors focusing on climate resilient agriculture?

41:01 – 41:20 – Ashish Khetan from Indigram Labs Foundation responds: “It is crucial that we go to a sector specific incubator if the founder is looking for some value addition rather than being all over the place.”

41:40 – 42:20 – Shreejit Borthakur of IDH responds: “Most of the funding going towards startups focused on adaptation rather than mitigation are from investors that have longer return horizon.”

58:08 – 59:54 – Closing note by Graham A.N. Wright, Founder and Group Managing Director of MSC

59:56 – 01:01:46 – Conclusion and note of thanks by Partha Ghosh, Senior Manager at MSC’s climate change & sustainability practice