BioSTL and AgVaya Launch Global AgXelerate to Link Agri Startups, Investors and Farmers Worldwide

15 October 2025, New Delhi: To connect agricultural innovators with global markets, global capital investments and technology ecosystems across countries, a cross-border agri-platform was launched in New Delhi today. Agriculture experts at the launch noted that the platform, ‘Global AgXelerate’, will be key in promoting global collaboration, with particular emphasis on Indo-US collaboration, to promote cross-border networking of innovation and entrepreneurship in food and agriculture, facilitate technology transfer, regulatory support and investment support for innovators & farmers.

The launch of Global AgXelerate, by AgVaya and BioSTL, and supported by Indian Council for Research on International Economic Relations (ICRIER) and the Federation of Seed Industry of India, comes at a time when global agricultural trade is facing renewed headwinds, with the United States’ recent tariff adjustments on select imports sparking fresh debates on supply chains, market access, and sustainability. Against this backdrop, Global AgXelerate positions India as a critical node in the global agri-innovation network, linking startups, incubators, and investors from the US, Brazil, the UK, the Netherlands, Israel, Argentina, and Australia to create market pathways for science-based solutions in regenerative agriculture.

“Scientific innovation is happening globally, but commercial access and scale-up remain fragmented,” said Donn Rubin, CEO and President of BioSTL, a St Louis-based non-profit that has helped build over 140 startups, mobilising more than $3 billion in venture capital through its BioGenerator arm. “Through AgXelerate, we aim to connect India’s dynamic agricultural ecosystem with St Louis’s innovation hub, building bridges between innovators, investors and farmers.”

Global agricultural markets are projected to reach $12 trillion by 2033, driven by regenerative agriculture, agri-biotech, and precision-farming innovations. With over 150 million smallholders and an agritech sector that has attracted $2.5 billion in funding since 2020, India is emerging as a key hub for global agri-innovation. Global AgXelerate aims to bridge the innovation-to-market gap by helping scale technologies and make them accessible to smallholder farmers. 

“The real value of innovation lies in its ability to reach markets and smallholder farmers. Global AgXelerate is designed to do exactly that, to build bridges between science, startups, and scale. It will enable a two-way flow of technology, bringing cutting-edge global innovations to Indian farmers, while also taking Indian technologies and agri-solutions to international markets,” said Ram Kaundinya, Partner, AgVaya LLP and Adviser, Federation of Seed Industry of India (FSII).

Experts reiterated that India’s agri-entrepreneurship story is at an inflection point. It has the science, the startups, and the scale, what it needs now are global linkages. Platforms like AgXelerate can open those doors, particularly when trade and technology access are being renegotiated globally.

“India is not only a source of innovation but also a destination for innovation,” said Vijay Chauhan, GlobalSTL Lead at BioSTL. “The country is uniquely positioned, many of the most impactful innovations are born here, and there also exists a vast market where these solutions can be implemented. The focus of this platform is on smallholder farmers, who form over 80% of India’s farming community. Global AgXelerate aims to bring tangible benefits to them and help India become the global centre of innovation for smallholder farmers.”

Speaking about policy frameworks, Dr Trilochan Mohapatra, Chairman of the Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers’ Rights Authority (PPV&FRA), highlighted that one of India’s key challenges lies in ensuring technology reaches smallholder farmers. He stated, “Unless technology becomes accessible to smallholders, meeting the country’s food requirements will be difficult. By delivering the right technologies to them, we can enhance their incomes while maintaining sustainable food systems. Alongside productivity-enhancing technologies, it is equally important to provide smallholders with better market access so they can effectively sell their produce.” 

Delivering the Chief Guest’s address, Dr R S Paroda, Chairman, Trust for Advancement of Agricultural Sciences (TAAS), said India was emerging as a credible global voice in agricultural science. “The future of agriculture lies in collaboration, not isolation. Through initiatives like this, India can demonstrate that innovation partnerships, even amid global trade frictions, can deliver sustainability and shared prosperity,” Dr Paroda observed.

Also Read: India’s Onion Acreage Up ~8%; Potato Area Jumps ~22.9%: Centre Says Sowing on Target

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