AgLaunch 2020 VIRTUAL Field Day | PLUS! A New Look!

The 2020 AgLaunch VIRTUAL Field Day will highlight the farmers, entrepreneurs, and communities that are working together to make the agricultural value-chain more sustainable and resilient, while also demonstrating that a strong network of farmers is positively impacting rural and urban communities from health care to education.

Wednesday, October 7, 2020

• 9:00 – 10:15 AM | AgTech + Sustainability Goals
• 12:00 – 1:30 PM | Data + Ecosystem Markets + Capital
• 3:00 – 4:15 PM | Communities + Impact

Learn more at AgLaunchFieldDay.com.

Attendees are encouraged to participate in the entire day, but you will have access to the session recordings in case your new normal makes that impossible. Register Now, Watch Later! 

And did you notice our new logo? We’re going to be rolling out our new look as we prepare for the field day. Be on the lookout for new videos, images, and ways we’re highlighting our work. 

Bowen joins as the Director of Innovation and Investment, spearheading crucial projects related to building a transformed regional food and agricultural economy  

Applications due August 31, 2020

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (July 16, 2020) – AgLaunch and Farm Journal are pleased to open applications for the 2nd Row Crop Challenge to select leading startup companies addressing the biggest problems in production agriculture. This year’s Row Crop Challenge will focus on technologies that accelerate the adoption of sustainable production practices toward the farm-of-the-future, specifically outlined in the Cotton Trust Protocol.  

Up to 10 companies will be selected to participate in a virtual sprint week held November 16-20, 2020. Teams will present their refined pitch to a panel of farmers and aligned investors at the end of the sprint week. Row Crop Challenge winners earn the opportunity to participate in the AgLaunch365 accelerator, a program designed to calibrate the needs of farmers with emerging technology.

Once accepted into AgLaunch365, participants will receive $200,000 worth of programming and services from AgLaunch and its partners including possible cash investment from Innova Ag Innovation Fund and AgVentures Alliance, access to media and data support through Farm Journal, and services provided through the acceleration process. 

“We’re excited for new applicants and the innovative ideas they’ll bring to the table,” Pete Nelson, Executive Director of AgLaunch, said. “We’re hoping to provide them the support that they need to continue changing technology and how it is used in the industry of agriculture.”  

AgLaunch’s unique multi-year model starts with the AgLaunch365 accelerator and ends with a three-iteration on-farm trial pathway that takes ideas from proof-of-concept to peer-to-peer scale with targeted investor touch points along the way. AgLaunch365 operates in three phases over a 12-month period, ramping towards on-farm trials across the United States. Phases include: 

1. Phase I – Participants receive support services to refine their startup’s value proposition and prepare to pitch to row crop farmers and agricultural investors through a virtual pitch competition. 
2. Phase II – A panel of farmers choose up to six startups to participate in this phase, beginning January 2021. Startups will construct in-depth field trial plans while fine-tuning their business model.
3. Phase III – The balance of 2021 is dedicated to implementing field trial plans with the AgLaunch Farmer Network. Participating startups typically work directly with farmers for three iterations of their technology and have exclusive access to farmer input and feedback. 

Participants in AgLaunch365 will have access to the following services: 

• Customized programming focused on agriculture and lean startup
• Collaborative access to Farm Journal teams and the opportunity to attend Top Producer Summit, the leading event for farmer CEOs
• Field trials and access to farmer network of leading innovative farmers including cost share opportunity
• Support from a national network of mentors and service providers
• Opportunity to showcase their technology at an investor-focused demo day in conjunction with the Mid-South Farm and Gin Show

Startup companies can learn more about the Row Crop Challenge and AgLaunch365 accelerator during the informational webinars on July 22 at 12 p.m. CT and August 12 at 12 p.m. CT. 

Applications are being accepted through August 31. Start-up companies who are interested in the AgLaunch365 accelerator can apply here. 

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (July 7, 2020) – Eight innovative startups have been selected to participate in a 5-week virtual bootcamp hosted by AgLaunch, the Knoxville Entrepreneur Center, Sync Space, and The Biz Foundry. The chosen teams are ag innovators who are interested in growing their agricultural innovation business in a farm-centric model.

“The continued partnership with AgLaunch has helped KEC continue its efforts in fostering innovation, creativity and job growth,” said Jim Biggs, Executive Director of the Knoxville Entrepreneur Center. “Through this bootcamp, more startups are allowed the opportunity to grow their businesses.” 

Participating teams will receive instruction on agricultural markets and the framework for organizing and communicating their ideas. They will also have access to best-in-class investors and mentors and the chance to apply for the AgLaunch365 accelerator.

This year’s teams include: 

• AgriKnect: A dual-sided digital platform that allows farmers and other ag businesses to connect and hire workers for their operations.  

• Benanova, Incorporated: A company that has developed novel proprietary technology for efficient delivery of active ingredients in agriculture that is environmentally friendly and effective. 

• BurgerFit: A startup company that has blended ground meat and vegetable burgers to help families eat healthier starting from the age of two-years old.

• SCAREcrow Farm Tech @ Old Hughes Farm: A company that has created a series of algorithms to help reduce mundane and time-consuming farm tasks. 

• S&J Nanochemicals: A startup that designed a sustainable nanoparticle fertilizer with a seed pre-soaking nutrient delivery strategy that increases growth and vitality in a variety of plant species.

• Soil1 LLC: A company that has developed technologies that enable inexpensive soil ecology testing that can take place in a farmer’s field.   

• Veggie Mines: A startup that has created a new concept in vegetable farming by utilizing tech solutions to address old-age farming problems. 

Building off of the recent Small Business Administration’s Regional Innovation Cluster Awardannouncement, AgLaunch sees the partnership between KEC, Sync Space and The Biz Foundry as essential to support early-stage companies in the Mid-South region.

Applications Due June 21

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (June 9, 2020) — AgLaunch, the Knoxville Entrepreneur Center, Sync Space and The Biz Foundry are partnering to offer a 5-week virtual bootcamp to develop promising agriculture and food-focused startups. Applicants should be innovators who are interested in growing their agricultural and food startups and working directly with farmers or local food businesses. The bootcamp will be held in half-day sessions on Tuesdays and Thursdays from July 7-August 6, 2020 from 2-5 pm EST (1-4 pm CST). Teams accepted into the program will experience best-in-class agricultural entrepreneurship programming with engagement from members of the AgLaunch Farmer Network, as well as a national network of investors and mentors. 

Companies from across the globe that provide competitive advantages or new market opportunities for row crops, vegetable and specialty crops, livestock, and value-added production in food and beverage and are interested in partnering with farmers and businesses in Tennessee based on the unique nature of Tennessee’s agriculture sector are encouraged to apply.Eligible teams do not have to be located in Tennessee and can include:- New startups focused on agriculture;- Faculty/student teams commercializing ag-related technology; and- Existing agriculture companies exploring new innovation.

“We are excited to be partnering with the Knoxville Entrepreneur Center for the fifth year and new partners Sync Space and Biz Foundry to help develop potential startups,” Pete Nelson, Executive Director of AgLaunch, said. “We’re hoping that this bootcamp will give participating teams the opportunity to gain the resources and support they need to be successful in the agriculture industry, particularly for our farmers in Tennessee.” 

Participating teams will receive agricultural entrepreneurship programming through AgLaunch connected with business expertise from KEC, Sync Space and Biz Foundry on agricultural markets, investors and mentorship; the framework for organizing, validating and communicating their ideas; and the opportunity to perfect their pitch. Teams will also gain consideration for Innova venture funding and participation in the AgLaunch365 program. 

Applications are being accepted through midnight EST on June 21, 2020. Entrepreneurs with an idea or an agtech startup who are interested in the intensive bootcamp can apply here. 

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About AgLaunch
AgLaunch attracts, creates, and grows agtech startups, facilitates the development of new agriculture and food value-chains, and builds collaborative farmer networks in the Mid-South, with a commitment to intentional inclusion. AgLaunch was formed through a joint initiative between Tennessee Department of Agriculture and Memphis Biowork Foundation. AgLaunch365 is a farm-centric innovation platform for agriculture designed to calibrate support with the specific needs of agtech startups and the agricultural industry. AgLaunch365 is made possible through partnerships with Innova, Start Co., TN Farm Bureau, Farm Credit Mid-America, Farm Journal Media, Archer Malmo, and Baker Donelson. 

About Knoxville Entrepreneur Center
Knoxville Entrepreneur Center is a business accelerator located in Market Square that serves as the front door for entrepreneurs in our region, and a resource for anyone looking to start or grow a business here. By nurturing and supporting a culture of entrepreneurship, we are fostering innovation, creativity and job growth within our community. KEC is a place for networking, education and teaching others what we’ve learned. We are a mentor-driven business accelerator, a shared workspace and a source of mediocre coffee. As a non-profit 501(c)3 organization, KEC is funded through sponsorships, partnerships, grants and membership fees. In addition to support from the City of Knoxville and the State of Tennessee, KEC relies on the generous contributions of leading East Tennessee corporations, successful entrepreneurs and those who have a vested interest in the success of new businesses in our region. 

About Sync Space
Sync Space is launching the first regional business accelerator in Northeast Tennessee that connects entrepreneurs and startups who have products or services that can benefit from our region’s assets or whose product offering can be a solution to a challenge facing our region. With partners and industries that can offer mentorship, opportunity for investment, and pilot program opportunities, our accelerator programs can help startups be successful in Northeast Tennessee and beyond.

About The Biz Foundry
The Biz Foundry is Upper Cumberland’s entrepreneur center. We are a non-profit located in the heart of downtown Cookeville with new locations opening in Sparta and McMinnville in the coming months. We believe that entrepreneurship and cooperation are intrinsic to economic and community vitality, so we work to foster that vitality in Upper Cumberland. 

Selected startups will be deploying in-field trials with Tennessee farmers in 2020

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (December 19, 2019) — After pitching in Tuesday’s AgLaunch Row Crop Challenge at the Farm Journal AgTech Expo, a panel of farmers and investors have chosen six startup companies to participate in the AgLaunch365 accelerator and to receive investment from Innova Memphis and Ag Ventures Alliance.

The AgLaunch Row Crop Challenge winners are:

1. Agrynex: A Cornell University startup, Agrynex packs and deploys antimicrobial systems for efficient crop protection with fewer chemicals.
2. Continuum Ag: Continuum Ag quantifies and improves soil health by integrating diverse soil data into the online platform, resulting in actionable results.
3. Lepidext: Lepidext is revolutionizing corn earworm pest control with an organic method for suppressing adult moths.
4. Nexyst360: Nexyst360 is a mobile solution for crop storage and transportation. We provide high-quality crops with full traceability to field of origin and date with the crop.
5. Nori: Nori is a platform that makes it easy for farmers to get paid for storing carbon in their soils.
6. Sigma0: Sigma0 enables crop management companies to access agronomic insights from radar technology, enabling them to zero in on crop details and provide better decisions for farmers.

“We are excited about the caliber and vision of these teams, and their capacity to totally transform the future of row crop agriculture,” said Schuyler Dalton, Director of Farmer Network and Entrepreneurship at AgLaunch.

In addition to receiving investments, these companies will spend four weeks in Memphis, refining their business strategy and planning for summer field trials with AgLaunch’s Farmer Network. These companies will be directly supported through on-farm trials backed by the Tennessee Department of Agriculture and investment from Innova Ag Innovation Fund IV and AgVentures Alliance. They will also receive accelerator support as part of the AgLaunch365 program, designed with farmers at the center of this commercialization pathway.

Innova Ag Innovation Fund IV, a $31 million, USDA-certified Rural Business Investment Company backed by eight Farm Credit banks, is based in Memphis and invests in early-stage agtech startups headquartered in rural locations across the country. Ag Ventures Alliance is an Iowa-based and nationally recognized farmer-owned organization focused on increasing farm profitability and income. Ag Ventures Alliance finds ag-tech investment opportunities for farmers, makes early-stage investments in technologies and facilitates a farmer network that pays farmers to test new technologies on their farms.

AgLaunch alumni teams were also highlighted at AgTech Expo as part of the Emerging Tech Aisle. Companies such as Rabbit Tractors, Earthsense, Telesense, Shepherd, RxMaker, GroGuru, and Rantizo were featured on panels and on the exhibit floor.

AgLaunch and its teams are supported by the following sponsors and partners: Innova Memphis, Tennessee Department of Agriculture, Archer Malmo, Baker Donelson, StartCo,
Agricenter International, and Ag Ventures Alliance.

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About AgLaunch Initiative
AgLaunch is revolutionizing the way that innovations in agriculture and food are brought to market by bridging the present and future to grow a more diverse and sustainable farm economy and provide healthy food for all. AgLaunch leverages its distributed network of farm incubators, entrepreneurial farmers, aligned capital partners, research consortia, technical consulting, and best-in-class accelerator programming to effectively challenge the status quo and thoughtfully create value for farmers and the communities they serve. The AgLaunch vision is a transformed regional agriculture and food economy centered around farmers, innovation, and prosperity.

The 9 Row Crop Challenge startups were in Memphis for a week preparing for AgTech Expo and participation in AgLaunch365 programming.

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (November 19, 2019) — Nine early-stage agtech startups focusing on row crop innovations were in Memphis last week preparing for Farm Journal’s AgTech Expo in Indianapolis in December. Teams spent five days in Tennessee refining their value proposition, meeting with leading
farmers and agricultural industry experts, and improving their pitches for the Row Crop Challenge at AgTech Expo.

“This is the ideal environment for up-and-coming agricultural technologies,” Tennessee Agriculture Commissioner Charlie Hatcher, D.V.M. said. “AgLaunch is at the forefront of developing and supporting
companies that will positively influence the future of agriculture. We look forward to seeing the impact of these companies as they advance from concept of product to reality on the farm.”

Finalists for the Row Crop Challenge were selected using a panel of farmers from across the country as part of the AgLaunch Farm-Centric Innovation Model and are each addressing an identified problem in agriculture. AgLaunch’s model, catalyzed and supported by the Tennessee Department of Agriculture, aims to position farmers to be competitive in a changing global marketplace.

The 9 startups accepted for the Row Crop Challenge are:

1. AgBio Tech: AgBioTech provides high-value products that work symbiotically to reduce production costs, improve soil health, and increase profits for the farmer.
   Location: Lakeville, NY
2. Agrynex: A Cornell University startup, Agrynex packs and deploys antimicrobial systems for efficient crop protection with fewer chemicals.
   Location: Ithaca, NY
3. Continuum Ag: Continuum Ag quantifies and improves soil health by integrating diverse soil data into the online platform, resulting in actionable results.
   Location: Washington, IA
4. Grain Discovery: Grain Discovery creates a chain of trust for the next generation of global ag marketing by focusing on price discovery and traceability.
   Location: Toronto, Canada
5. Lepidext: Lepidext is revolutionizing corn earworm pest control with an organic method for suppressing adult moths.
   Location: Lexington, KY
6. Nexyst360: Nexyst360 is a mobile solution for crop storage and transportation. We provide highquality crops with full traceability to field of origin and date with the crop.
   Location: St. Cloud, MN
7. Nori: Nori is a platform that makes it easy for farmers to get paid for storing carbon in their soils.
   Location: Seattle, WA
8. Row Shaver: Row Shaver has developed ag implements to help control herbicide-resistant weeds.
   Location: Great Bend, KS
9. Sigma0: Sigma0 enables crop management companies to access agronomic insights from radar technology, enabling them to zero in on crop details and provide better decisions for farmers.
   Location: Des Moines, IA

At the AgTech Expo in December, Row Crop Challenge finalists are competing for up to 6 spots in AgLaunch365 programming beginning in January 2020 and $75,000 in venture capital investment and
startup support services valued at over $125,000.

“These startups have access to AgLaunch’s Farmer Network, best-in-class partners, and renowned accelerator model, all serving as a unique platform for commercialization and the leading pipeline to get an agtech product from idea to market- all right here in Memphis,” said Schuyler Dalton, Director of Farmer Network and Entrepreneurship.

The AgLaunch365 programming and investment package includes:

• Venture capital funding from Innova Ag Innovation Fund IV and Ag Ventures Alliance;

• Access to the AgLaunch farmer network, which provides cost-share supported field trials with leading farmers and access to field-level data;

• Opportunity to participate in the Digital Acre program at Agricenter International;

• Agricultural-focused accelerator program with Start Co.;

• Access to data and market information from Farm Journal;

• Marketing and communications support from Archer Malmo, a top 5 US agricultural marketing company;

• Legal support from attorneys with Baker Donelson, one of the largest law firms in the country; and

• Investor Demo Day and demonstration at the Mid-South Farm and Gin Show in Memphis on February 28-29, 2020.

Questions can be emailed to innovation@aglaunch.com.

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About AgLaunch
AgLaunch is revolutionizing the way that innovations in agriculture and food are brought to market by bridging the present and future to grow a more diverse and sustainable farm economy and provide healthy food for all. AgLaunch leverages its distributed network of farm incubators, entrepreneurial farmers, aligned capital partners, research consortia, technical consulting, and best-in-class accelerator programming to effectively challenge the status quo and thoughtfully create value for
farmers and the communities they serve. The AgLaunch vision is a transformed regional agriculture and food economy centered around farmers, innovation, and prosperity. AgLaunch has been designated as a Regional Innovation Cluster by the Small Business Administration, the only one focused on production agriculture.

About Farm Journal
Farm Journal is the nation’s leading business information and media company serving the agricultural market. Started 142 years ago with the preeminent Farm Journal magazine, the company serves the row crop, livestock, produce and retail sectors
through branded websites, eNewsletters and phone apps; business magazines; events; nationally broadcasted television and radio programs; a robust mobile text marketing business; and an array of data-driven paid information products. Farm Journal also is the majority shareholder of the online equipment marketplace, Machinery Pete LLC. In 2010, the company established the non-profit, public charity Farm Journal Foundation dedicated to sustaining agriculture’s ability to meet the vital needs of a growing population through education and empowerment.

Up to 10 Startups will be invited to pitch to leading U.S. farmers and will become eligible for AgLaunch365 – including access to investment, field trials, and data.

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (September 4, 2019) —Early-stage agtech startups focusing on row crop innovations can now apply for a chance to pitch their idea before a national audience of leading farmers, retailers, farm advisors, and agronomists at Farm Journal’s 2019 AgTech Expo and compete for $200,000 worth of development services and investment from AgLaunch and partners.
“If your early-stage startup company is seeking to get a foothold into US row crop agriculture, there is simply no better opportunity than this approach,” said Schuyler Dalton, Director of Entrepreneurship and Farmer Network at AgLaunch. “In our fourth year of programming, withmore than two dozen companies through our programs, AgLaunch and our farmers have
optimized the best way to get from idea to the field, and ultimately to scale.”

The 10 startups accepted for the Row Crop Challenge will:

• Receive one week of startup support services to refine the startup’s value proposition and prepare to pitch to row crop farmers and agricultural investors;

• Showcase their companies at a highly visible 20×20 exhibit on the floor at Farm Journal’s AgTech Expo; and

• Pitch during the evening reception to a panel of farmers and agricultural investors to be one of the 6 startups selected for participation in AgLaunch365 – a $200,000 value comprised of investment capital and services.

“This is a leading opportunity to help early-stage startup companies in agriculture and give unprecedented and curated access to leading farmers,” said Doug Catt, VicePresident of Row Crops at Farm Journal.

Up to 6 startups pitching at AgTech Expo will be offered a spot to participate in AgLaunch365, which will start in January 2020 and includes $75,000 venture capital investment and startup support services valued at over $125,000.

AgLaunch365 programming and investment package will include:

• Venture capital funding from Innova Ag Innovation Fund and Ag Ventures Alliance;

• Access to the AgLaunch farmer network, which provides cost-share supported field trials with leading farmers that includes access to field-level data;

• Opportunity to participate in the Digital Acre program at Agricenter International;

• Agricultural-focused accelerator program with Start Co.;

• Access to data and market information from Farm Journal;

• Marketing and communications support from Archer Malmo, a top 5 US agricultural marketing company;

• Legal support from attorneys with Baker Donelson, one of the largest law firms in the U.S.; and

• Investor Demo day and demonstration at the Mid-South Farm and Gin Show in Memphis on February 28-29, 2020.

To be eligible to participate in the AgLaunch and Farm Journal Row Crop Challenge, startups must be addressing an identified problem in row crop agriculture, be seeking to participate in AgLaunch365 programming 2020, currently have or are willing to have a farmer engaged directly
in the business, and be located or willing to locate in a rural area in the United States.

The application deadline is October 1, 2019, but applications will be evaluated as they are received. Accepted teams will be notified by October 15, 2019 and will be expected to spend November 11-15 in Memphis to prepare for AgTech Expo and participate in stage and demo-floor
activities at AgTech Expo on December 16-17 in Indianapolis.

Questions can be emailed to: innovation@aglaunch.com
The deadline to apply is October 1, 2019.

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About AgLaunch
AgLaunch is revolutionizing the way that innovations in agriculture and food are brought to market by bridging the present and future to grow a more diverse and sustainable farm economy and provide healthy food for all. AgLaunch leverages its distributed network of farm incubators, entrepreneurial farmers, aligned capital partners, research consortia, technical consulting, and best-in-class accelerator programming to effectively challenge the status quo and thoughtfully create value for farmers and the communities they serve. The AgLaunch vision is a transformed regional agriculture and food economy centered around farmers, innovation, and prosperity.

About Farm Journal
Farm Journal is the nation’s leading business information and media company serving the agricultural market. Started 142 years ago with the preeminent Farm Journal magazine, the company serves the row crop, livestock, produce and retail sectors through branded websites, eNewsletters and phone apps; business magazines; events; nationally broadcasted television and radio programs; a robust mobile text marketing business; and an array of data-driven paid information products. Farm Journal also is the majority shareholder of the online equipment marketplace, Machinery Pete LLC. In 2010, the company established the non-profit, public charity Farm Journal Foundation dedicated to sustaining agriculture’s ability to meet the vital needs of a growing population through education and empowerment.