Telangana launches India’s first culinary experiential tourism accelerator to empower rural and women entrepreneurs

Telangana is turning its culinary heritage into an engine of economic empowerment by launching India’s first Culinary Experiential Tourism Accelerator (TCETA), an initiative that will groom rural entrepreneurs, especially women and connect them to global investors, chefs and innovation networks. The accelerator positions food not merely as a cultural asset, but as a viable business opportunity capable of generating employment, fostering entrepreneurship and expanding the tourism economy.

The accelerator was unveiled on Wednesday, November 12 at We-Hub in Hyderabad. Additionally, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was also signed between Telangana government and the Netherlands India Chamber of Commerce and Trade (NICCT) for the accelerator. Applications for the programme open on December 4, 2025 and the first cohort will begin in April 2026. 

Telangana Tourism Special Chief Secretary Jayesh Ranjan said the accelerator fits into the state’s efforts to use tourism as a driver of economic opportunity. He explained that many culinary initiatives in Telangana are already powered by women, and that TCETA will give them structured pathways to scale. “Women are at the heart of this ecosystem. So many of these food entrepreneurs are women, and our intent is to support, showcase and scale their work,” he said.

Mr. Ranjan said Telangana’s approach to tourism has shifted from sightseeing to experiential travel. The state is identifying nine new clusters where culinary trails will be embedded into tourism master plans. “Tourists should not only see places, they should experience how people live and what people eat. Why should they not enjoy a meal cooked in someone’s home rather than only in a hotel dining room,” he said.

Gopi Byluppala, Founder of The Culinary Lounge, which is executing the accelerator, said TCETA is designed to be inclusive. Unlike traditional accelerators, participants will not be required to navigate difficult documentation or English-heavy forms. Rural entrepreneurs and home cooks will receive mentoring from food evangelists and industry experts, many of whom are voluntarily reinvesting in Telangana’s culinary ecosystem.

Through a dedicated “Netherlands Track”, Dutch experts from Wageningen University and Research, FoodValley NL and StartLife will collaborate with Telangana entrepreneurs in agritech, food innovation and sustainability. The partnership will unlock pilot projects ranging from sustainable farming and supply-chain innovation to digital food tourism, said Edith Nordmann, Chairperson of the Netherlands India Chamber of Commerce and Trade (NICCT)

Valluru Kranthi, Managing Director of Telangana Tourism, said the accelerator strengthens the shift towards experiential tourism. “People know the cuisine. What we now want to do is tell the story behind the food,” she said.