Patna: The Agri-Innovation and Incubation Centre (AIIC) at Rajendra Prasad Central Agricultural University (RPCAU), Pusa, has secured the top spot among 46 startup cells across Bihar under the Startup Bihar Programme, an initiative by the state industries department. According to the rankings released by the department on Friday, the startup cells at Govt Engineering College, Vaishali, and Govt Engineering College, Aurangabad, were placed second and third, respectively. Bihar Agricultural University, Sabour, secured the fourth position. RPCAU vice-chancellor P S Pandey expressed his delight at the recognition, stating, “We are honoured to receive this distinction. The success of AIIC reflects the dedication of our scientists and the leadership of Ramdatt. Our university remains committed to fostering entrepreneurship and driving rural development through innovative agricultural solutions.”Established in 2023, the AIIC at RPCAU aims to promote entrepreneurship in agriculture. In less than two years, the center has supported over 69 startups and enterprises. It has also conducted 163 mentorship and outreach programmes, encouraging students, rural youth, and women to pursue innovative ventures. RPCAU scientists offer expert guidance in diverse areas such as honey processing, mushroom cultivation, protected farming, seed technology, food processing, and bamboo value addition. Ramdatt, director of the school of agribusiness and rural management at RPCAU, said, “We intend to set up a state-of-the-art food processing facility as a common incubation center. This will empower startups to develop innovative products and scale their operations effectively.”
