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- 5Your pack
Step 5 of 5 · Your pack
Check every answer, fill what is missing, then submit it yourself.
TANSEED: your application
- TANSEED 8.0 closed on 30 Jan 2026 and no 9.0 call had been announced as of 1 Oct 2026, so this draft is ready for the next edition.
Section A - General Information (common to all applicants)
Start-Step/Startup
TANSEED 7.0/8.0 funds registered startups, so choose 'Startup'. The Start-Step (student pre-incubation) track comes from the 2020 GO.
Startup
Based on: entity type, incorporation date
Name of the Applicant
Priya Sundaram, Co-founder and CEO, Kaveri AgroSense Private Limited
Based on: founder 1 name, founder 1 role, name
Registration Number (TANSIM)
Your StartupTN registration number (TANSIM was renamed StartupTN).
Missing: your StartupTN (TANSIM) registration number
Father's/Mother's Name
Missing: the applicant's father's or mother's name
Gender M/F/T
Missing: the applicant's gender (M, F or T)
Date of Birth/Age
DD/MM/YYYY
Missing: the applicant's date of birth (DD/MM/YYYY)
Educational Qualification
Agricultural engineering.
Missing: Priya's degree, institution and year of passing
Based on: founder 1 background
Present Address
Missing: the applicant's present address
Permanent Address
Missing: the applicant's permanent address
Mobile Number
Missing: the applicant's mobile number
E-Mail Address
Missing: the applicant's email address
Aadhaar No.
The founder types this into the portal. Grant Studio should not store or draft it.
Missing: type the Aadhaar number yourself on the portal; Grant Studio does not draft or store it
PAN
The founder types this into the portal.
Missing: type the PAN yourself on the portal; Grant Studio does not draft or store it
Udyog Aadhaar No. (if applicable)
Udyog Aadhaar has been replaced by Udyam Registration. Give the Udyam number if you have one.
Missing: the company's Udyam Registration number, or leave this blank if you do not have one
Name & Address of the Company
The company must be located and registered in Tamil Nadu.
Kaveri AgroSense Private Limited, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu.
Missing: full registered office address as on the Certificate of Incorporation
Based on: name, city, state
Date of Incorporation
04/09/2023
Based on: incorporation date
Domain
Sector or domain. If it applies, flag Green Tech (sustainability, climate change, renewable energy, circular economy) or Rural Impact, since both qualify for the Rs 15L tier.
Agritech (IoT hardware): soil-moisture sensing and irrigation advice for smallholder coconut and banana farmers.
Based on: sector, one liner, market
Product(s)/Service/Process
A solar-powered soil-moisture and weather node, sold with an annual irrigation advisory in Tamil on WhatsApp.
Based on: solution, revenue model
Where incubated
The name of your incubator. The guidelines say the applicant may be incubated for at least six months at the time of application.
Not incubated yet.
Missing: name of the incubator or knowledge partner once you have an acceptance letter or MoU; the form and the signed incubator recommendation (C5) expect one
Based on: follow-up 1
Date from which incubated
Missing: date incubation starts, from the incubator's acceptance letter or MoU
Based on: follow-up 1
Bank Name & Address
Use the company's bank account. Payment is by direct transfer in the startup's name.
Missing: the company's bank name and branch address; type the account details yourself on the portal
Name and address of Founders/ Co-Founders
The form gives four slots, a) to d).
| Founder/Co-Founder name | Address |
|---|---|
| a) Priya Sundaram, Co-founder and CEO | Missing: residential address of each founder |
| b) Karthik Velu, Co-founder and CTO | Missing: residential address of each founder |
Based on: founder 1 name, founder 1 role, founder 2 name, founder 2 role
Current Professional Experience / Employment /Student status of the applicant: (No Objection Certificate from HOD/Organization is required in case of Students & Employees - ANNEXURE II)
Both founders work full time at Kaveri AgroSense and hold no other job, so no NOC applies. Priya Sundaram (CEO) is an agricultural engineer from a coconut-farming family; she worked four years on drip-irrigation projects before starting the company. Karthik Velu (CTO) is an embedded-systems engineer who spent five years building low-power sensor nodes for an industrial IoT firm. Between us we cover the farm and the hardware.
Based on: follow-up 6, founder 1 background, founder 2 background
Section B - Technical & Financial Details: For Startups (After Completing Section A)
1. Details of the Product/Innovation
Name the problem, the solution, the core technology and its current stage (PoC or MVP). The first two shortlisting criteria are an innovative product or technology (not pure service delivery) and problem identification with the impact of the solution.
Problem: smallholder coconut and banana farmers in western Tamil Nadu irrigate by habit and by the canal or power schedule, not by what the soil needs. That wastes water and pump power, and the crop is still stressed in dry spells. Solution: a solar-powered node we make measures soil moisture at two depths, plus local weather, in the farmer's own field. A WhatsApp advisory in Tamil tells the farmer when to run the pump and for how long. There is no new app to learn. Technology: the low-power sensor node and the advisory logic that turns its readings into a pump schedule. Stage: past MVP; we assess it at TRL 7. Over two seasons (2024 and 2025) 38 nodes ran on the farms of 31 farmers in three FPOs around Coimbatore. On the 12 farms with a pump-hour meter, pump run-time fell 22-30% against the same farm's previous season. 27 of the 31 farmers paid to continue into the second season, and pilot fees brought in ₹3.2 lakh in the last financial year.
Missing: one line on how the advisory decides the schedule, e.g. moisture thresholds by crop and soil type
Based on: problem, market, solution, usp, trl, traction, revenue last fy, follow-up 2
2. Project Cost / Financing Plan (Grant/Loan)
The form sets no columns. Break costs down by the GO §3 heads that can be funded: prototype inputs and equipment rental, technical mentors, manpower for product development (at most 30% of the grant), test marketing, and testing, certification and trials. Founding-team pay, administrative costs (rent, travel, phones, laptops) and loan repayment cannot be funded.
| Cost head | Amount (Rs. lakh) | Source of finance (TANSEED / own / other) |
|---|---|---|
| Prototype inputs: v3 node design, 10 prototypes | 1.00 | TANSEED |
| Working-model nodes: 120 v3 nodes for field trials (120 x ₹3,900) | 4.68 | TANSEED |
| Technical mentors | 0.00 | Not claimed |
| Manpower for product development: one hardware engineer, 12 months (30% cap) | 3.00 | TANSEED |
| Test marketing: Tamil voice notes, FPO field demos, dealer demo kits | 1.00 | TANSEED |
| Testing, certification and trials | Missing: quote for enclosure and sensor-calibration tests on the v3 node | TANSEED |
| Costs TANSEED does not fund (founders' pay, office, travel) | Missing: amount of own funds you will put in over the project period | Own funds (founders, friends and family) |
Based on: follow-up 3, follow-up 4, raised
3. Amount of Grant/Loan Sought :
In rupees. TANSEED 8.0 caps this at Rs 10 lakh, or Rs 15 lakh for Green Tech, Rural Impact and Women-led startups, and StartupTN takes a 3% support stake.
1000000 (₹10 lakh). TANSEED 8.0 is a support-equity-linked grant: StartupTN takes a 3% support stake and runs a one-year accelerator.
Based on: follow-up 3
4. Has the applicant received or applied for financial assistance for the same/ similar project from any Other institution/ agency including prize money. If so,details & status thereof.
Give each agency, scheme or prize with its amount, year and status. Startups that have received no funds get priority (shortlisting criterion 8).
No. We have not received or applied for financial assistance from any other institution or agency for this or a similar project, and have received no prize money. The company is funded by the founders' own capital and a small friends-and-family round.
Based on: follow-up 7, raised
5. Brief note on the distinct competitive advantage of the technology (Max: 50 Words)
41 / 50 words
A solar soil-moisture node priced for a smallholder, with irrigation advice in Tamil on WhatsApp, so there is no app to learn, sold through FPOs farmers already trust. Imported sensors are priced for large estates; weather apps have no soil data.
Based on: usp, competitors
6. (Annex Complete Business Plan)
A complete business plan. Shortlisting depends on its quality: clear deliverables and outcomes, product-market fit, early customer feedback, and the team's technological capability to execute the project.
Attach in the portal: 6. (Annex Complete Business Plan)
7. Projected milestones (Annex Bar/Gantt/PERT Charts, etc)
Funds are released in instalments against agreed milestones, and the proposed project may run at most 24 months.
Attach in the portal: 7. Projected milestones (Annex Bar/Gantt/PERT Charts, etc)
8. Market Assessment - a) Customer Sector - Target
Smallholder coconut and banana farmers in western Tamil Nadu, reached through farmer producer organisations (FPOs) and agri-input dealers who resell the node. We start with FPO members around Coimbatore, where our pilots run with 31 farmers in three FPOs.
Based on: customers, market, follow-up 2
8. Market Assessment - b) Market demand (Yearly and Total)
Market demand: Our own target is 600 paying farmers by month 18 of the project. At ₹1,200 per farmer a year that is ₹7.2 lakh a year in advisory subscriptions, plus node sales at ₹6,500 a node.
Missing: number of coconut and banana smallholders in western Tamil Nadu, or in your target districts, with its source
Missing: how many nodes you expect to sell by month 18 (new farmers only, and how many nodes per farm), to turn the 600-farmer target into node revenue
Based on: follow-up 3, follow-up 4
8. Market Assessment - c) Marketability prospects & distribution problems
Marketability: farmers pay for it. 27 of our 31 pilot farmers paid to continue into a second season. The advice comes on WhatsApp in Tamil, so there is no new app to learn, and the node is sold through FPOs and dealers farmers already buy from. Distribution problems: every node needs an installation visit, and probes have to be re-seated after ploughing, so field service limits how fast we can grow. We plan two more field coordinators, paid from sales revenue, to handle it.
Based on: follow-up 2, usp, customers, follow-up 6
8. Market Assessment - d) Product substitution, if any
The substitutes are the farmer's own habit and the canal or power schedule, advice from the input dealer, generic weather apps without soil data, and imported soil sensors priced for large estates. None of them measures moisture in a smallholder's own field at a price a smallholder pays.
Based on: problem, competitors
8. Market Assessment - e) How is demand fulfilled
Smallholders today do not measure soil moisture. They decide when to irrigate by habit, by when canal water or farm power is available, or on the dealer's advice. Large estates can buy imported soil sensors.
Based on: problem, competitors
8. Market Assessment - f) Major Competitors
Imported soil-moisture sensors: priced for large estates. Generic weather apps: no soil data. Dealer advice: trusted, but based on habit. We compete on price for a smallholder, on advice in Tamil through WhatsApp, and on the FPO channel.
Missing: names of the main sensor brands or agritech firms you meet in the field, if any
Based on: competitors, usp
9. Product Quality / Specification - a. Specification of the product, I.S. or others
I.S. means Indian Standard (BIS) or another standard the product conforms to.
The node is solar powered, measures soil moisture at two depths and local weather, and drives a Tamil WhatsApp advisory telling the farmer when and how long to run the pump.
Missing: technical specification (sensor type and range, battery, connectivity, enclosure rating) and any Indian Standard (BIS) or other standard it conforms to
Based on: solution, follow-up 8
9. Product Quality / Specification - b. Have the product(s) been tested to conform to the specification?
The node has run in the field for two seasons on the farms of 31 farmers; that is field use, not a test against a published specification.
Missing: whether the node has been tested against its specification, by whom, and the report reference
Based on: follow-up 2, follow-up 8
9. Product Quality / Specification - c. Consumer acceptability report on the products
Evidence of early customer feedback counts towards product-market fit.
Two seasons of paid pilots with 31 farmers in three FPOs. 27 of the 31 paid to continue into the second season. On 12 farms with pump-hour meters, pump run-time fell 22-30% against the previous season.
Missing: written feedback, FPO letters or farmer testimonials you can attach as the acceptability report
Based on: follow-up 2, traction
9. Product Quality / Specification - d. Details of Govt. regulations /directives in favour/ against the company /product
Missing: any government regulation or directive that affects the product, for or against, such as approvals the node needs for its connectivity, or schemes that promote micro-irrigation or water saving
9. Product Quality / Specification - e. Testing of the Product/Innovation
Field testing: 38 nodes ran across two seasons (2024 and 2025) on coconut and banana farms around Coimbatore, with pump-hour meters on 12 farms to measure the effect. Lab tests on the v3 node's enclosure and sensor calibration are part of this project.
Missing: any lab tests done so far and their results
Based on: follow-up 2, follow-up 3, follow-up 8
10. Intellectual Property Rights, India/International Patents Filed: (If Any) - i) Patents Granted
Missing: patents granted, or 'None'
Based on: follow-up 8
10. Intellectual Property Rights - ii) Trademarks
Missing: trademarks filed or registered, for example for the Kaveri AgroSense name, or 'None'
Based on: follow-up 8
10. Intellectual Property Rights - iii) Other
Missing: any design registration or other IP, or 'None'
Based on: follow-up 8
11. Brief note on the IPRs likely to be developed and Targeted Market
Target market: smallholder coconut and banana farmers in western Tamil Nadu, reached through FPOs and agri-input dealers. IPRs likely to be developed:
Missing: what in the v3 node or the advisory logic you intend to protect (patent, design registration or trademark) and when you plan to file
Based on: market, customers, follow-up 8
12. Major R&D achievements/ Product Certifications:
We developed and field-tested our solar soil-moisture and weather node to TRL 7: 38 nodes over two seasons, with a 22-30% fall in pump run-time on 12 metered farms, and built the Tamil WhatsApp advisory farmers use with it. Product certifications:
Missing: any certifications obtained, or 'None yet'
Based on: trl, solution, follow-up 2, follow-up 8
13. Capital structure - i) Authorised capital
In rupees.
Missing: authorised capital in ₹, from the MoA or audited financials
Based on: follow-up 5
13. Capital structure - ii) Issued capital
Missing: issued capital in ₹
Based on: follow-up 5
13. Capital structure - iii) Paid up capital
Missing: paid-up capital in ₹
Based on: follow-up 5
13. Capital structure - iv) Reserves, if any
Missing: reserves in ₹, or 'None'
Based on: follow-up 5
13. Capital structure - v) Details of loans if any (Separately short & long term loans)
| Lender | Short term / Long term | Amount outstanding (Rs.) |
|---|---|---|
| None | - | 0 |
Based on: follow-up 7
13. Capital structure - vi) Current Assets
Missing: current assets in ₹, from the latest audited balance sheet
Based on: follow-up 5
13. Capital structure - vii) Liabilities (If Any)
Missing: liabilities in ₹, from the latest audited balance sheet, or 'None'
Based on: follow-up 5
13. Capital structure - viii) Brief details & value of the Fixed Assets
Missing: brief details and value of fixed assets, from the audited financials
Based on: follow-up 5
13. Capital structure - ix) Financials including previous three years, Turnover & Net Profit/ Income (if applicable)
Average profit over these years must be under Rs 5 lakh (eligibility).
| Financial year | Turnover (Rs.) | Net Profit / Income (Rs.) |
|---|---|---|
| FY 2023-24 (from incorporation, 04/09/2023) | Missing: turnover for FY 2023-24 and FY 2024-25, and net profit or loss for all three years, from your audited financials | Missing: turnover for FY 2023-24 and FY 2024-25, and net profit or loss for all three years, from your audited financials |
| FY 2024-25 | Missing: turnover for FY 2023-24 and FY 2024-25, and net profit or loss for all three years, from your audited financials | Missing: turnover for FY 2023-24 and FY 2024-25, and net profit or loss for all three years, from your audited financials |
| FY 2025-26 | 3,20,000 | Missing: turnover for FY 2023-24 and FY 2024-25, and net profit or loss for all three years, from your audited financials |
Based on: revenue last fy, traction, follow-up 5
14. Manpower employed (as on date and projected numbers): a) Scientific & Technical b) Sales & Marketing c) Administrative d) Others e) External Consultants / Experts, if any
Potential for employment creation is a shortlisting criterion.
| Category | As on date | Projected |
|---|---|---|
| a) Scientific & Technical (2 founders, firmware engineer, field agronomist; + hardware engineer) | 4 | 5 |
| b) Sales & Marketing | 0 | 0 |
| c) Administrative (accounts and admin) | 1 | 1 |
| d) Others (field coordinators: installation and service) | 1 | 3 |
| e) External Consultants / Experts | 0 | 0 |
Based on: follow-up 6, employees
15. Status of the work already carried out as such: (Yes/No) a) Prototype developed and tested
Yes
Based on: trl, follow-up 2
15. Status of the work already carried out as such: (Yes/No) b) Process demonstrated at Pilot scale
Yes
Based on: traction, follow-up 2
15. Status of the work already carried out as such: (Yes/No) c) Patents filed
Missing: Yes or No: have you filed a patent?
Based on: follow-up 8
15. Status of the work already carried out as such: (Yes/No) d) Consumers/ users feedback received
Yes
Based on: follow-up 2
Any other information on work already carried-out (Enclose documentary proof of work done by way of photographs, video clips, forward orders etc.)
Attach the proof as uploads.
Two seasons of paid pilots (2024 and 2025): 38 nodes on the coconut and banana farms of 31 farmers in three FPOs around Coimbatore, 27 farmers renewing for the second season, and a 22-30% fall in pump run-time on 12 metered farms. Pilot fees brought in ₹3.2 lakh in the last financial year.
Missing: photographs of installed nodes, sample WhatsApp advisories and any FPO orders or letters, to attach as proof
Based on: follow-up 2, traction, revenue last fy
16. Any work done on development of prototype / pilot plant: a) Number of prototypes produced/ Capacity of the pilot plant b) Duration of investigations c) Design data collected d) Whether the pilot plant is still in operation. If so, could it be demonstrated?
Answer parts a) to d) in turn.
a) 38 nodes produced and installed across two seasons. b) Two seasons of field use, 2024 and 2025. c) Soil moisture at two depths and local weather from every node, and pump run-time from meters on 12 farms. d) Yes. The second-season nodes are still installed on farms around Coimbatore and we can demonstrate them.
Based on: follow-up 2, solution
17. In the light of trends of research in this line, Does the proposal made, has reasonable Chances of standing test of time, say 5-10 Years? Give justification
Yes. The need does not rest on a passing technology: as long as smallholders irrigate by habit or by the canal and power schedule, they waste water and pump power and their crops are still stressed in dry spells. Our approach is built to last in three ways. The advice reaches the farmer on WhatsApp in Tamil, so it does not depend on the farmer adopting a new app. The node is solar powered, so it does not depend on farm power. And it is sold through FPOs, which farmers already trust.
Missing: any research or policy trend on water use in agriculture you want to cite, with its source
Based on: problem, solution, usp
18. Anticipated effluents waste and pollution problems and steps envisaged for tackling the same
The grant excludes innovations with serious ethical, safety, pollution or health implications.
The node is a small solar-powered electronic device and produces no effluent or emissions in use. Its one waste stream is end-of-life electronics. The product exists to cut wasted irrigation water and pump power on the farms that use it.
Missing: battery type, expected life of the node, and your take-back or e-waste disposal plan
Based on: solution, problem, follow-up 2
19. Environment and Safety considerations of the Product.
The node is a solar-powered sensor left in the field. It does not switch the pump: the farmer runs the pump as before, following the advice.
Missing: enclosure rating and any electrical safety tests
Based on: solution, follow-up 8
20. Assumptions for the financial projections - a) Cost of the project and sources of finance
Project cost under TANSEED: ₹10 lakh, sought as TANSEED assistance against StartupTN's 3% support stake. Planned use: ₹1.00 lakh v3 design inputs, ₹4.68 lakh for 120 v3 nodes for field trials, ₹3.00 lakh for one hardware engineer for 12 months (30% of the grant, at the cap), ₹1.00 lakh test marketing, and testing and certification still to be costed (₹0.32 lakh is left within ₹10 lakh; any excess comes from own funds). Costs TANSEED does not fund, including founders' pay, office and travel, come from the founders' capital and the friends-and-family round.
Missing: quote for enclosure and sensor-calibration tests on the v3 node
Missing: amount of own funds you will put in over the project period
Based on: follow-up 3, follow-up 4, raised
20. Assumptions for the financial projections - b) Projected cash flow during the developmental Period
Development period (18 months), outflows follow the milestones in Q22: about ₹2 lakh in months 1-4 (v3 design and 10 prototypes), about ₹5.7 lakh in months 5-8 (120 nodes built and installed), then about ₹2 lakh across months 9-18 for the field season and the sales launch. Inflows: TANSEED instalments against milestones, advisory subscriptions, and node sales from the launch.
Missing: month-wise cash-flow statement, including when TANSEED instalments arrive and your current monthly running costs
Based on: follow-up 3, follow-up 4
20. Assumptions for the financial projections - c) Projected profitability statement
Per node we sell at ₹6,500 against a bill of materials of about ₹3,900 at batches of 100, so each node contributes about ₹2,600 before installation and overheads. Each farmer also pays ₹1,200 a year for the advisory. At our target of 600 farmers by month 18, subscriptions come to ₹7.2 lakh a year.
Missing: how many nodes you expect to sell by month 18 (new farmers only, and how many nodes per farm), to turn the 600-farmer target into node revenue
Missing: installation and service cost per node, and annual overheads, to complete the profitability statement
Based on: follow-up 4, follow-up 3
20. Assumptions for the financial projections - d) Break-even point
We break even when node contribution (about ₹2,600 each) plus subscriptions (₹1,200 per farmer a year) cover our fixed costs.
Missing: monthly fixed costs and installation cost per node, so the break-even number of farmers can be calculated
Based on: follow-up 4
20. Assumptions for the financial projections - e) Financial analysis, if any
Our unit numbers: a ₹6,500 node on a ₹3,900 bill of materials, about 40% gross margin before installation, plus a recurring ₹1,200 subscription. We earned ₹3.2 lakh in the last financial year from pilot fees.
Missing: projected revenue and profit for the next three years, from your financial projections
Based on: follow-up 4, revenue last fy, traction
20. Assumptions for the financial projections - f) Attach Feasibility Project Report
Attach in the portal: 20. Assumptions for the financial projections - f) Attach Feasibility Project Report
21. Any restrictions difficulties anticipated in the implementation of the proposal (including primary risks facing this opportunity)
Field service: every node needs an installation visit, and probes must be re-seated after ploughing. That limits how fast we can grow, so we plan two field coordinators paid from sales. Hardware cost: the v3 node targets a cheaper probe and longer battery life, and our budget uses the current ₹3,900 bill of materials as the ceiling. Incubation: we are not yet incubated, and the application expects an incubator's recommendation. Testing: the v3 node has not yet been through lab tests. Adoption: growth beyond our three pilot FPOs depends on new FPOs and dealers taking the product on.
Based on: follow-up 2, follow-up 3, follow-up 4, follow-up 1, follow-up 6, follow-up 8
22. Details of Sources of Finance for Balance Funds - a) Banks/Financial Institutions:
None. We have no bank or institutional finance. Funds outside TANSEED come from the founders and a small friends-and-family round.
Based on: follow-up 7, raised
22. Details of Sources of Finance for Balance Funds - b) Venture Capitalists:
None. We have not approached venture capital investors.
Based on: follow-up 7
22. Details of Sources of Finance for Balance Funds - c) Name and address of co-investors:
None for this project. Apart from the founders, our only investors are from a small friends-and-family round.
Missing: their names and addresses, if the portal asks for existing investors here
Based on: follow-up 7, raised
22. d) Activities Monitor-able milestones (basis: Scope and Support) / e) Duration (months) Budget required (Rs. in lakh)
The form lists d) and e) as two separate lines. They read as column headings, so they are combined here into one milestone table. Keep the total duration within 24 months.
| Activity / monitorable milestone | Duration (months) | Budget required (Rs. in lakh) |
|---|---|---|
| M1: v3 node designed (cheaper probe, longer battery life); 10 prototypes built | 4 (months 1-4) | 2.00 |
| M2: enclosure and sensor-calibration lab tests completed on the v3 node | 3 (months 4-6) | Missing: quote for enclosure and sensor-calibration tests on the v3 node |
| M3: 120 v3 nodes built and installed with two new FPOs | 4 (months 5-8) | 5.68 |
| M4: one field season logged on the 120 nodes; Tamil voice notes live in the advisory | 6 (months 9-14) | 1.50 |
| M5: sales launch through FPOs and dealers; 600 paying farmers on node and advisory | 4 (months 15-18) | 0.50 |
Based on: follow-up 3, follow-up 4
22. f) Have you approached any other organization/agency for financial support for the current activity? Please give details etc.
No. We have not approached any other organisation or agency for financial support for this activity.
Based on: follow-up 7
23. Any awards or recognition related to the innovation:
None so far.
Based on: follow-up 7
24. Details of Mentors/Guide, if any:
We have no formal mentor yet. We take advice informally from the FPO leaders and dealers we work with.
Missing: name and background of any mentor you add, for example through the incubator you join
Based on: follow-up 7, follow-up 1
25. Any other information that you wish to share with us to help us in judging your application.
Use this to state eligibility for the Rs 15L tier (Green Tech, Rural Impact, or Women-led with at least 75% women equity), willingness to convert if the entity is an LLP or partnership, and readiness for the accelerator.
TANSEED 8.0 is a support-equity-linked grant: StartupTN takes a 3% support stake and runs a one-year accelerator. We apply on that basis as a DPIIT-recognised, 100% Indian-owned Private Limited company in Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu. Both founders are full time and ready for the accelerator. We have received no grant or prize money. We apply for ₹10 lakh. Our product cuts wasted irrigation water and pump power on small farms (22-30% fewer pump hours on 12 metered pilot farms); if StartupTN counts that as Green Tech or Rural Impact, we ask to be considered for the ₹15 lakh tier.
Missing: whether women hold at least 75% of the equity, which would qualify for the ₹15 lakh Women-led tier
Based on: entity type, dpiit recognised, indian ownership pct, city, state, follow-up 6, follow-up 7, problem, follow-up 2
Declaration and Recommendations of the Forwarding Incubator
Declaration: I/We declare that all the statements made in this application are true, complete and correct to the best of my/our knowledge and belief. In the event of any information, found false or incorrect, my/our candidature will stand cancelled and all my claims will be forfeited.
Missing: read every answer, then tick 'I/We agree' yourself; only the founder can make this declaration
I/We hereby also certify that no loan or any other financial liabilities are pending with me/us on accord of financial support availed by me/us from other Government Institutions / Agencies for my/our any other innovations.
Missing: tick 'I/We certify' yourself if no loan or other liability is pending with any government institution or agency (your follow-up answer says the company has taken no grant or loan)
Based on: follow-up 7
I / we declare that the Startup is not formed by splitting up, reconstruction of a business already in existence or as a Subsidiary/JV/Associate of another company.
Missing: tick 'I/We declare' yourself if the company was not formed by splitting up or reconstructing an existing business and is not a subsidiary, JV or associate of another company
Place / Date / (Signature of the applicant)
Missing: place and date of signing, and the applicant's signature
RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE FORWARDING INCUBATOR (Place; Signature of the Head)
The incubator head writes and signs this, not the founder. Under GO §8 and §13.1, applications are screened 'with the recommendations of incubators'.
Attach in the portal: RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE FORWARDING INCUBATOR (Place; Signature of the Head)
Shortlist-stage submissions (after screening)
2-Minute video introduction of the product (shortlisted startups)
Shortlisted startups are asked for this along with the pitch deck (GO §13.2 item 9).
Attach in the portal: 2-Minute video introduction of the product (shortlisted startups)
Pitch deck and financial projections (confirm participation within 3 days)
Startups are notified by email and on the portal at least two weeks before the meeting with the TANSEED Expert / High Level Committee. They pitch, followed by a question-and-answer session.
Attach in the portal: Pitch deck and financial projections (confirm participation within 3 days)
Budget
| Head | Amount | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Procurement of inputs to develop a prototype or working model to demonstrate the proposed technology solution and equipment rental | ₹5,68,000 | ₹1,00,000 of design inputs for the v3 node (cheaper probe, longer battery life) and 10 prototypes, plus 120 v3 working-model nodes for a field season with two new FPOs at your current ₹3,900 bill of materials (₹4,68,000). Both figures come from your follow-up answers. |
| Hiring technical mentors to aid and assist in prototype creation | ₹0 | Your plan does not include a paid technical mentor, so nothing is claimed under this head. |
| Manpower for product development (Not more than 30% of Grant) | ₹3,00,000 | One hardware engineer for 12 months at about ₹25,000 a month: exactly 30% of the ₹10 lakh grant, the most this head allows. Founders' pay is left out: the guidelines do not fund pay for anyone with more than 10% beneficial ownership, and your shareholdings are not on record. |
| Test Marketing | ₹1,00,000 | Tamil voice notes in the advisory, field demos with FPOs and dealer demo kits, as in your plan. |
| Testing, certification and trials | not costed | Enclosure and sensor-calibration lab tests on the v3 node. You have no quote yet, so no figure is set. The other heads total ₹9,68,000, which leaves up to ₹32,000 within ₹10 lakh; anything above that comes from own funds. |
| Any other expenses deemed fit by the TANSEED Expert Committee | ₹0 | Nothing requested under this head; the committee may suggest a different use of funds at sanction. |
Programme limits: Rs 10 lakh per startup (other sectors), or Rs 15 lakh for Green Tech, Rural Impact and Women-led startups (TANSEED 8.0). StartupTN takes a 3% support stake and provides a one-year accelerator programme.
For you to add, in order 67
- Registration Number (TANSIM): your StartupTN (TANSIM) registration number
- Father's/Mother's Name: the applicant's father's or mother's name
- Gender M/F/T: the applicant's gender (M, F or T)
- Date of Birth/Age: the applicant's date of birth (DD/MM/YYYY)
- Educational Qualification: Priya's degree, institution and year of passing
- Present Address: the applicant's present address
- Permanent Address: the applicant's permanent address
- Mobile Number: the applicant's mobile number
- E-Mail Address: the applicant's email address
- Aadhaar No.: type the Aadhaar number yourself on the portal; Grant Studio does not draft or store it
- PAN: type the PAN yourself on the portal; Grant Studio does not draft or store it
- Udyog Aadhaar No. (if applicable): the company's Udyam Registration number, or leave this blank if you do not have one
- Name & Address of the Company: full registered office address as on the Certificate of Incorporation
- Where incubated: name of the incubator or knowledge partner once you have an acceptance letter or MoU; the form and the signed incubator recommendation (C5) expect one
- Date from which incubated: date incubation starts, from the incubator's acceptance letter or MoU
- Bank Name & Address: the company's bank name and branch address; type the account details yourself on the portal
- Name and address of Founders/ Co-Founders: residential address of each founder
- 1. Details of the Product/Innovation: one line on how the advisory decides the schedule, e.g. moisture thresholds by crop and soil type
- 2. Project Cost / Financing Plan (Grant/Loan): quote for enclosure and sensor-calibration tests on the v3 node
- 2. Project Cost / Financing Plan (Grant/Loan): amount of own funds you will put in over the project period
- 6. (Annex Complete Business Plan): complete business plan to annex (Q6)
- 7. Projected milestones (Annex Bar/Gantt/PERT Charts, etc): milestone chart (Gantt or bar chart) covering the 18-month plan in Q22
- 8. Market Assessment - b) Market demand (Yearly and Total): number of coconut and banana smallholders in western Tamil Nadu, or in your target districts, with its source
- 8. Market Assessment - b) Market demand (Yearly and Total): how many nodes you expect to sell by month 18 (new farmers only, and how many nodes per farm), to turn the 600-farmer target into node revenue
- 8. Market Assessment - f) Major Competitors: names of the main sensor brands or agritech firms you meet in the field, if any
- 9. Product Quality / Specification - a. Specification of the product, I.S. or others: technical specification (sensor type and range, battery, connectivity, enclosure rating) and any Indian Standard (BIS) or other standard it conforms to
- 9. Product Quality / Specification - b. Have the product(s) been tested to conform to the specification?: whether the node has been tested against its specification, by whom, and the report reference
- 9. Product Quality / Specification - c. Consumer acceptability report on the products: written feedback, FPO letters or farmer testimonials you can attach as the acceptability report
- 9. Product Quality / Specification - d. Details of Govt. regulations /directives in favour/ against the company /product: any government regulation or directive that affects the product, for or against, such as approvals the node needs for its connectivity, or schemes that promote micro-irrigation or water saving
- 9. Product Quality / Specification - e. Testing of the Product/Innovation: any lab tests done so far and their results
- 10. Intellectual Property Rights, India/International Patents Filed: (If Any) - i) Patents Granted: patents granted, or 'None'
- 10. Intellectual Property Rights - ii) Trademarks: trademarks filed or registered, for example for the Kaveri AgroSense name, or 'None'
- 10. Intellectual Property Rights - iii) Other: any design registration or other IP, or 'None'
- 11. Brief note on the IPRs likely to be developed and Targeted Market: what in the v3 node or the advisory logic you intend to protect (patent, design registration or trademark) and when you plan to file
- 12. Major R&D achievements/ Product Certifications: any certifications obtained, or 'None yet'
- 13. Capital structure - i) Authorised capital: authorised capital in ₹, from the MoA or audited financials
- 13. Capital structure - ii) Issued capital: issued capital in ₹
- 13. Capital structure - iii) Paid up capital: paid-up capital in ₹
- 13. Capital structure - iv) Reserves, if any: reserves in ₹, or 'None'
- 13. Capital structure - vi) Current Assets: current assets in ₹, from the latest audited balance sheet
- 13. Capital structure - vii) Liabilities (If Any): liabilities in ₹, from the latest audited balance sheet, or 'None'
- 13. Capital structure - viii) Brief details & value of the Fixed Assets: brief details and value of fixed assets, from the audited financials
- 13. Capital structure - ix) Financials including previous three years, Turnover & Net Profit/ Income (if applicable): turnover for FY 2023-24 and FY 2024-25, and net profit or loss for all three years, from your audited financials
- 15. Status of the work already carried out as such: (Yes/No) c) Patents filed: Yes or No: have you filed a patent?
- Any other information on work already carried-out (Enclose documentary proof of work done by way of photographs, video clips, forward orders etc.): photographs of installed nodes, sample WhatsApp advisories and any FPO orders or letters, to attach as proof
- 17. In the light of trends of research in this line, Does the proposal made, has reasonable Chances of standing test of time, say 5-10 Years? Give justification: any research or policy trend on water use in agriculture you want to cite, with its source
- 18. Anticipated effluents waste and pollution problems and steps envisaged for tackling the same: battery type, expected life of the node, and your take-back or e-waste disposal plan
- 19. Environment and Safety considerations of the Product.: enclosure rating and any electrical safety tests
- 20. Assumptions for the financial projections - a) Cost of the project and sources of finance: quote for enclosure and sensor-calibration tests on the v3 node
- 20. Assumptions for the financial projections - a) Cost of the project and sources of finance: amount of own funds you will put in over the project period
- 20. Assumptions for the financial projections - b) Projected cash flow during the developmental Period: month-wise cash-flow statement, including when TANSEED instalments arrive and your current monthly running costs
- 20. Assumptions for the financial projections - c) Projected profitability statement: how many nodes you expect to sell by month 18 (new farmers only, and how many nodes per farm), to turn the 600-farmer target into node revenue
- 20. Assumptions for the financial projections - c) Projected profitability statement: installation and service cost per node, and annual overheads, to complete the profitability statement
- 20. Assumptions for the financial projections - d) Break-even point: monthly fixed costs and installation cost per node, so the break-even number of farmers can be calculated
- 20. Assumptions for the financial projections - e) Financial analysis, if any: projected revenue and profit for the next three years, from your financial projections
- 20. Assumptions for the financial projections - f) Attach Feasibility Project Report: feasibility project report (Q20 f)
- 22. Details of Sources of Finance for Balance Funds - c) Name and address of co-investors: their names and addresses, if the portal asks for existing investors here
- 22. d) Activities Monitor-able milestones (basis: Scope and Support) / e) Duration (months) Budget required (Rs. in lakh): quote for enclosure and sensor-calibration tests on the v3 node
- 24. Details of Mentors/Guide, if any: name and background of any mentor you add, for example through the incubator you join
- 25. Any other information that you wish to share with us to help us in judging your application.: whether women hold at least 75% of the equity, which would qualify for the ₹15 lakh Women-led tier
- Declaration: I/We declare that all the statements made in this application are true, complete and correct to the best of my/our knowledge and belief. In the event of any information, found false or incorrect, my/our candidature will stand cancelled and all my claims will be forfeited.: read every answer, then tick 'I/We agree' yourself; only the founder can make this declaration
- I/We hereby also certify that no loan or any other financial liabilities are pending with me/us on accord of financial support availed by me/us from other Government Institutions / Agencies for my/our any other innovations.: tick 'I/We certify' yourself if no loan or other liability is pending with any government institution or agency (your follow-up answer says the company has taken no grant or loan)
- I / we declare that the Startup is not formed by splitting up, reconstruction of a business already in existence or as a Subsidiary/JV/Associate of another company.: tick 'I/We declare' yourself if the company was not formed by splitting up or reconstructing an existing business and is not a subsidiary, JV or associate of another company
- Place / Date / (Signature of the applicant): place and date of signing, and the applicant's signature
- RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE FORWARDING INCUBATOR (Place; Signature of the Head): recommendation signed by the head of your forwarding incubator
- 2-Minute video introduction of the product (shortlisted startups): 2-minute product video, asked for only if you are shortlisted
- Pitch deck and financial projections (confirm participation within 3 days): pitch deck and financial projections, due within 3 days of a shortlist notification
How this was drafted
The follow-up questions it asked the founder
Are you incubated, or do you have an acceptance letter or MoU with an incubator or knowledge partner? If so, which one and from what date?
Not yet. We have not joined an incubator and have no acceptance letter or MoU.
What did the two pilot seasons show: how many farmers and nodes, any measured water or power saving, and how many farmers paid to continue?
Two seasons, 2024 and 2025. 38 nodes on the farms of 31 farmers in three FPOs around Coimbatore, coconut and banana. On 12 farms we fitted a pump-hour meter: pump run-time fell 22-30% against the same farm's previous season. 27 of the 31 farmers paid to continue into the second season. The hard part was service: every node needed an installation visit, and probes had to be re-seated after ploughing. The second-season nodes are still installed and we can demonstrate them.
What would you build and achieve with the TANSEED money over the project period, and roughly how would you split it?
A v3 node with a cheaper probe and longer battery life: about Rs 1 lakh of design inputs for 10 prototypes. Then 120 v3 nodes for a field season with two new FPOs, at our current Rs 3,900 bill of materials. One hardware engineer for 12 months at about Rs 25,000 a month. About Rs 1 lakh for test marketing: Tamil voice notes in the advisory, field demos with FPOs and dealer demo kits. Lab tests on the enclosure and sensor calibration, but we have no quote yet. No paid mentors. Target: 600 paying farmers by month 18.
What do you charge for the node and the advisory, and what does a node cost you to make?
Node Rs 6,500 through FPOs and dealers. Advisory Rs 1,200 per farmer per year. Bill of materials about Rs 3,900 per node at batches of 100.
What are the company's authorised, issued and paid-up capital, reserves, current assets, liabilities and fixed assets, and its turnover and net profit for each of the last three financial years?
Not answered, so the draft leaves a highlighted gap.
Who is on the team today (by role), are both founders full time, and whom do you plan to hire in the project period?
Six people including the two of us, both full time with no other job: four technical (the two founders, a firmware engineer and a field agronomist), one field coordinator who installs and services nodes, and one person for accounts and admin. With TANSEED we would add one hardware engineer; from sales revenue we plan two more field coordinators within 18 months.
Have you received or applied for any grant, prize money, loan or investment other than the friends-and-family round, and do you have any awards or formal mentors?
No grants or prize money, received or applied for. No bank or other loans. No investor talks yet; we are funded by our own capital and a small friends-and-family round. No awards. No formal mentors: we take advice informally from the FPO leaders and dealers we work with.
Has the node been tested or certified to any standard (enclosure rating, sensor calibration, BIS), and have you filed any patent, design or trademark?
Not answered, so the draft leaves a highlighted gap.
How it reads against the published criteria
An estimate to help the founder improve the draft, not a prediction of selection.
| Criterion | Estimate | Note |
|---|---|---|
| The startup must be working on an innovative product or technology and not involved in pure service delivery | 3 / 5 | Estimate on a 5-point scale (TANSEED publishes no weights). A real product, not service delivery: the solar sensor node plus the advisory, at TRL 7 with two seasons in the field. It loses points because no patent, design or trademark is recorded (B10, B11 are markers) and the edge is mostly price, language and channel; the one-line description of the advisory logic asked for in B1 would help. |
| Problem Identification and impact of the solution | 4 / 5 | The problem is concrete and local, and the 22-30% fall in pump hours on 12 metered farms is measured impact. A market-size figure (B8b marker) would show how many farmers the problem touches. |
| Potential for scaling up and employment creation | 3 / 5 | A credible channel (FPOs and dealers), a 600-farmer target and three jobs planned. Market demand is still a marker, and balance funds rest only on own money and the friends-and-family round. |
| Commitment, expertise & pedigree of the team | 4 / 5 | The founders match the problem closely: an agricultural engineer from a coconut-farming family and an embedded engineer who built low-power sensor nodes, both full time. No formal mentor or incubator yet, and the degree details are still markers. |
| The depth of research done on the identified problem | 3 / 5 | Good field depth: two seasons, 38 nodes, pump-hour data. Thin on specification and testing (B9a, B9b markers), regulations and market sizing. |
| If the startup has any dues with TANSIM, that needs to be cleared before availing the fund | — / — | Pass/fail, not scored. The profile says nothing about dues with StartupTN (TANSIM); confirm there are none before applying. |
| Business plan and usage of Fund - Clear deliverables and outcomes have to be mentioned by startups in their application | 3 / 5 | Clear deliverables: five milestones in 18 months, a cost plan inside the eligible heads and the 30% manpower cap, and real unit numbers. Held back by the missing business plan, feasibility report and financial projections, the open capital-structure figures (B13) and the unpriced testing line. |
| Funds received by the applicant like grants, prize money and other financial modes will also be taken into consideration before sanction | 5 / 5 | No grants, prize money or loans received or applied for, which is the profile the guidelines prioritise. The friends-and-family round is private money, not a government fund. |
| Pitch to the TANSEED Expert / High Level Committee (selection) | — / — | Happens only after shortlisting (2-minute video, pitch deck, committee Q&A), so the written draft cannot be scored on it. The pilot numbers in B1 and B9c are the strongest material for the pitch. |
Where the questions come from
The target edition is TANSEED 8.0, the support-equity-linked grant: up to Rs 10 lakh, or Rs 15 lakh for Green Tech, Rural Impact and Women-led startups, in exchange for a 3% StartupTN support stake plus a one-year accelerator. Applications closed 30 Jan 2026, and no 9.0 call had been announced as of 2026-10-01. The live form sits behind a login on tanfund.in and could not be seen. The question set below therefore comes from the only official proforma: Annexure-I 'TANSEED Application Form' of G.O.(Ms) No.49, MSME (A) Dept, dated 18.06.2020. It is a scanned PDF, transcribed and re-checked page by page on 2026-10-01. Section A is general information common to all applicants. Section B is the 'For Startups' variant with 25 numbered questions. The declaration and the incubator recommendation follow. Later editions changed the terms, not the published questions. Three official sources cover the changes. The StartupTN TANSEED page covers 8.0. The Tamil Nadu Startup and Innovation Policy 2023 §7.3.1 covers the support-equity revamp: 3% stake, accelerator, and 25% of assistance earmarked for women-led and 10% for rural impact startups. G.O.(Ms) No.87 dated 26.12.2022 sets the Rs 15L tier and the earmarks. Eligibility follows the live 8.0 page, which asks for a Private Limited company; the 2020 GO allowed Pvt Ltd, LLP or partnership. No official question set for 7.0 or 8.0 has been published.
- The live TANSEED 8.0 form is on tanfund.in behind a login and was not seen. The public sign-up page asks only for startup name, email and phone. Every question above comes from Annexure-I of G.O.(Ms) No.49, MSME (A) Dept, dated 18.06.2020, the only official question set. That PDF is scanned with no text layer, so the questions were read off page images, transcribed, and re-checked on 2026-10-01. The TANFUND home page describes its own investor-matching application ('business, team, product or service, market and specific funding requirements'). It is not a TANSEED question list, but it suggests the live portal may group or reword these fields. Check against a real 7.0/8.0 applicant's form before relying on exact wording.
- Later editions changed the terms, not the published questions. The support-equity revamp (3% stake, one-year accelerator, Rs 10L/15L, 25%/10% earmarks) is set out in the Tamil Nadu Startup and Innovation Policy 2023 §7.3.1 and on the StartupTN TANSEED page. The Rs 15L tier, the earmarks, the Green Tech and women-led definitions, and the three-instalment rule for Green Tech come from G.O.(Ms) No.87 dated 26.12.2022. No official 7.0 or 8.0 guideline PDF or question list was found. The 2020 GO's Rs 25L/50L ceilings and matching-grant provisions are superseded by the 8.0 caps.
- Entity type changed. The 2020 GO and the TANSEED 3.0 guidelines accepted a Pvt Ltd company, LLP or registered partnership. The live 8.0 page requires a Pvt Ltd company and reviews LLPs and partnerships in light of their willingness to convert. A 3% equity stake effectively needs a company.
- Annexure-I also contains a Section B variant for Start-Steps (students, 14 questions, up to Rs 1L) and one for Incubators. Both were left out because TANSEED 7.0/8.0 funds registered startups only.
- No scoring weights are published. The rubric uses the eight shortlisting criteria from GO §13.2, which the TANSEED 3.0 guidelines repeat word for word, plus the committee pitch. Final selection is by Expert Committee vote. The FAQ says evaluation takes about 4-6 months and that startups can apply any number of times.
- The 'incubated for at least six months' condition says 'may be', so it is modelled as soft. The 2020 form still expects incubator details, an incubator or knowledge-partner acceptance letter or MoU, and a signed incubator recommendation. Founders without an incubator should get a tie-up before applying.
- Modelling choices that are not form text: the Annexure III due-diligence documents (D14-D23) are 'requested on case to case basis' under GO §7(3), with no stage named, so they are placed at the shortlist stage as optional. Q22 d) and e) are merged into one milestone table. Table columns for B2, B13e, B13i, B14 and A22 are our own; the form gives only the headings.
- No official source defines 'Rural Impact Startup'. The 2023 Policy calls the green group 'Climate Action'; GO 87 calls it Green Tech (sustainability, climate change, renewable energy, circular economy). Policy §7.7.4 also promises special attention in TANSEED for startups led by trans people and by differently-abled people.
- Source access: StartupTN's resource page lists the TANSEED GO as 'Guidelines for Tamil Nadu Startup Seed Grant Fund' dated 18-06-2022, but the document itself is dated 18.06.2020. The S3 links in source_urls need signing. Open them through https://www.startuptn.in/resource-page, which issues signed links that expire after about 5 hours. PDF page references (#page=N) are PDF page numbers, not the printed annexure page numbers.
- The StartupTN page still says to click 'submit application for TANSEED 6.0', and its FAQ says calls run 'every quarter'. In practice editions have run roughly yearly. 8.0 closed on 30 Jan 2026, and no 9.0 call had been announced as of 2026-10-01.
- No official public source describes the paperwork for the 3% support stake under 8.0 (share subscription or shareholders' agreement, board resolution, share allotment filings). Expect the post-selection documents to go beyond the 2020 GO grant-agreement list (D24-D32).
- The Aadhaar, PAN and bank fields in Section A are identity and financial data. The founder should enter them directly on the portal, and Grant Studio should not draft or store them.