India's agri and water tech startups gain momentum, sustainability in focus: Nasscom
New Delhi, June 12
India's agri and water tech deeptech ecosystem is gaining momentum around commercialisation, as per a statement by Nasscom.
These sectors stand at a crucial stage, with many startups continuously facing challenges in moving towards scaled deployment. To strengthen these industries, Nasscom took the initiative to accelerate these sectors, hosting Deeptech Confluence 2026: Agri and Water Tech in New Delhi on Friday.
Deeptech startups, industry leaders, investors, government stakeholders, CSR organisations, implementation partners, research institutions and ecosystem enablers participated in the event to discuss commercialisation and deployment pathways for Indian startups working across agriculture and water technologies, as per the release.
"The confluence spotlighted 12 innovative Agri and Water Tech startups, which are part of Nasscom Deeptech Club's 20-week growth program DTC accelerate," the release said.
The platform enabled conversations around market access, enterprise adoption, pilot-to-scale pathways, investment readiness and cross-sector collaboration.
"India's agriculture and water sectors are at a critical stage, shaped by climate stress, sustainability priorities, resource constraints and the need for more resilient productivity systems," the release said.
According to the release, while innovation in agritech and watertech has accelerated, many startups still struggle to scale beyond promising pilot projects. The initiative aims to bridge this gap by linking innovators with enterprises, investors, policymakers, and implementation partners to support real-world adoption.
"The startups showcased solutions across AI-enabled water intelligence, precision agriculture, soil health, decentralised bio-manufacturing, water quality testing, wastewater optimisation, nature-based water rejuvenation, sustainable materials, aquaculture, farm traceability and resource efficiency," it added.
Sangeeta Gupta, Senior Vice President & Chief Strategy Officer, Nasscom, said, "Agriculture and water are two sectors where deeptech can create direct economic, environmental and societal impact. India has a strong base of founders building solutions that combine AI, IoT, biotech, materials science, sensing, automation and climate technologies. Through the Deeptech Confluence, Nasscom is enabling stronger market access, enterprise engagement and implementation pathways for deeptech startups."
— ANI
Reader Comments
As someone from a farming family in Punjab, I feel this is much-needed. The pilot-to-scale gap is real — many startups have great ideas but lack distribution channels. Hope this DTC Accelerate program includes mentorship on grassroots marketing and affordable pricing. 🇮🇳
I'm not from India but have worked with agri-tech firms globally. The emphasis on nature-based water rejuvenation and bio-manufacturing is smart — it blends tech with local ecosystems. The real challenge is getting Indian farmers to trust new methods. Demonstration farms could help.
Honestly, enough conferences and talk — we need action! 😐 I've seen many agri-tech startups die after initial funding because they can't scale. How will this 'Deeptech Confluence' actually help startups procure land, water rights, or deal with state-level regulations? That's the real bottleneck.
This is encouraging! India's agri-tech sector lags behind Israel or the US, but the potential is immense. Climate-smart solutions like precision agriculture can help deal with monsoon variability. I hope they include affordable IoT sensors for soil health — not just drones and satellites. 🌱
Very happy to see women-led startups in this space too! 💪 But the article doesn't mention how many of the 12 startups are from tier-2 or tier-3 cities. The real innovation often comes from heartland, not just Bengaluru. Also, water quality testing for rural areas is a game-changer if priced right.
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.