Frugal Technology Transfer in Resource-Constrained Environments: A Framework for De-Risking Food Processing Machinery Innovation for MSMEs

The commercialization of institutional food tech machinery innovations within emerging market Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) consistently faces structural bottlenecks. While lab-validated prototypes (Technology Readiness Level 4) demonstrate metabolic and operational efficacy, their market assimilation is hindered by capital expenditure constraints and systemic institutional voids. This working paper introduces the Frugal Technology Transfer Framework (FTTF). By prioritizing the "People, Process, and Technology" equilibrium over heavy capital deployment, this framework demonstrates how decentralized primary food processing machinery—specifically targeting specialized agricultural value addition such as composite Mahua-Millet energy bar/beverage formulations, functional ginger-honey infusions, and bio-fortified Moringa blends—can be seamlessly integrated into asset-light operations. The model shifts the tech-transfer paradigm from infrastructure-heavy licensing to decoupled, shared-risk manufacturing architectures, offering a clear roadmap for scholars and selection panels working at the intersection of circular economics and sustainable entrepreneurship.