As many as 100 startups from 22 states and two Union Territories have completed Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority's (APEDA) acceleration programme aimed at fostering innovation-led growth in India's agri-food export sector, according to a statement issued by the Commerce and Industry Ministry.

The first cohort under APEDA's BHARATI (Bharat's Hub for Agritech, Resilience, Advancement and Incubation for Export Innovation), flagship export enablement programme on Wednesday aims to cultivate a dynamic ecosystem aligned with India's target of achieving exports worth $50 billion in APEDA-scheduled products by 2030.

The programme was launched to identify, nurture and support high-potential startups developing innovative products, technologies and solutions that can enhance India's agricultural and processed food exports.

The inaugural cohort comprising 100 startups was selected through a rigorous multi-stage evaluation process from more than 700 applications received from across the country.

Reflecting the diversity and vibrancy of India's innovation ecosystem, the cohort featured entrepreneurs ranging in age from 17 to 75 years.

The participating startups underwent a structured 120-hour export-focused acceleration programme covering export preparedness, market access, business scaling, regulatory compliance, packaging, branding and investor readiness.

The programme also provided one-to-one mentorship, masterclasses by industry experts and opportunities to engage with stakeholders from government institutions, industry bodies, financial institutions, exporters and investors. These interactions enabled startups to explore commercial partnerships, strengthen market linkages and enhance their export readiness.

As part of its international market exposure initiative, APEDA facilitated the participation of the top eight BHARATI startups at Gulfood 2026 in Dubai, one of the world's largest food and beverage trade exhibitions.

The event provided direct access to global buyers and enabled high-value B2B engagements with international trade stakeholders.

More than 100 B2B meetings were held between startups and international traders and importers, and product samples were showcased to prospective buyers.

APEDA chairman Abhishek Dev said that the BHARATI programme reflects the organisation's commitment to building a future-ready export ecosystem driven by innovation, entrepreneurship and global competitiveness.

Within three months of the commencement of the programme, startups supported under the BHARATI initiative have demonstrated significant progress in advancing innovation-led agri-export solutions.

Two agri-tech startups collaborated to export nearly 37 MT of GI-tagged Jardalu mangoes to Dubai, while another startup achieved the first-ever sea shipment of nutraceutical-based and botanically infused ready-to-cook millet functional food products to New Zealand, using millet sourced from Karnataka-based Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs).

A Maharashtra-based Farmer Producer Company (FPC) exported nearly 850 kg of GI-tagged fig juice and jamun-based juice to the United States and the United Kingdom and subsequently received a repeat order of nearly 1.25 metric tonnes from the same markets.

In another significant achievement, a Karnataka-based startup supported by a network of more than 1,600 farmers across 12 states exported 40 metric tonnes of organic products, including pulses, heritage grains and GI-tagged native rice varieties.

Building on the success of the inaugural cohort, APEDA will soon launch the next edition of the BHARATI Programme to further expand support for startups developing innovative solutions for the agri-food export sector, the statement added.