A special meeting with HDFC Bank senior managers, Ms Jyothi Ojha, and Mr Gopalakrishnan, and Ms Kavitha Branch Manager, HDFC Bank Hessaraghatta, made a presentation on smart up -smart solution for start-ups in order to collaborate with BESST HORT/BPD/BIRAC initiatives of ICAR-IIHR. The meeting presided By Dr BN Srinivasa Murthy, Director, ICAR-IIHR was conducted in a hybrid mode on September 3, 2021. The highlights of the meeting was to financially mentor the start-ups after their hortipreneurship training, working out the financial feasibility of the detailed project reports of the hortipreneurs, analysing the revenue and business model and the financial hand holding proposed to be done by HDFC bank, based on the returns and benefits. The HDFC bank proposed to work on a partnership mode with institute, forging MOUs, alliances, mentoring, handholding and virtual investor linking with high net worth investors and Angel investors. The meeting attended by Dr C K Narayana, Head PHT & Agric Engg and CEO BESST HORT, Dr V K Jayaraghavendra Rao, Principal Scientist, Heads of Division and other scientists.