With regard to the Startup Ecosystem in India, which of the following statement/statements is/are valid?

I. National Institute of Agricultural Extension Management (MANAGE) Centre will not be presiding over the selection process of the applications that are received under Startup Agri-Business Incubation Programme.

II. Mentorship, Advisory, Assistance, Resilience and Growth (MAARG) Portal is an exclusive one-stop platform intended for guiding startups in the emerging Aritificial Intelligence (AI) sector only.

III. Startup India Seed Fund Scheme (SISFS) aims to provide financial assistance to startups for conducting proof of concept' trials.

IV. Fund of Funds Scheme (FFS) for Startups is meant to contribute to various Alternative Investment Funds (AIFs) registered with the SEBI.

Select the correct answer using the codes) given below:

Key Points

• Startup India Seed Fund Scheme (SISFS) aims to provide financial assistance to startups for conducting proof of concept trials.
• Fund of Funds Scheme (FFS) for Startups is meant to contribute to various Alternative Investment Funds (AIFs) registered with the SEBI.
• National Institute of Agricultural Extension Management (MANAGE) Centre presides over the selection process of the applications that are received under Startup Agri-Business Incubation Programme.
• Mentorship, Advisory, Assistance, Resilience and Growth (MAARG) Portal is not exclusive to the AI sector but is intended for guiding startups across various sectors.

Additional Information

• Startup India Seed Fund Scheme (SISFS)
  • It provides financial assistance to startups for proof of concept, prototype development, product trials, market entry, and commercialization.
  • The scheme aims to support an estimated 3,600 entrepreneurs through 300 incubators.
  • Eligibility criteria include a startup being recognized by DPIIT and incorporated not more than 2 years ago at the time of application.
  • Grants of up to ₹20 Lakhs are provided for validation of Proof of Concept, or prototype development.
• Fund of Funds Scheme (FFS)
  • The FFS was announced in 2016 with a corpus of ₹10,000 crore.
  • It aims to provide funding support to various AIFs registered with SEBI, which in turn invest in startups.
  • The fund is managed by the Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI).
  • It focuses on sectors like manufacturing, agriculture, health, education, and others.
• Mentorship, Advisory, Assistance, Resilience, and Growth (MAARG) Portal
  • MAARG is a comprehensive platform to provide end-to-end mentorship and guidance to startups.
  • The platform is inclusive of all sectors, not just Artificial Intelligence (AI).
  • It aims to establish a formalized and structured platform for mentorship on a national scale.
  • Startups can connect with experts in their respective fields to seek guidance and mentorship.
• National Institute of Agricultural Extension Management (MANAGE)
  • MANAGE is an autonomous organization under the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Government of India.
  • It provides managerial and technical training to agricultural extension officers, managers, scientists, and policymakers.
  • MANAGE Centre presides over the selection process of applications received under the Startup Agri-Business Incubation Programme.
  • The institute aims to strengthen agricultural extension management and agribusiness development.