NEWS: Applications Open for AgLaunch Bootcamp for Tennessee Agricultural Innovation Startups

Applications due June 8!

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (May 24, 2018) — Up to eight Tennessee agriculture entrepreneur teams will have the chance to participate in a week-long agri-tech bootcamp being held on the University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture campus in Knoxville from July 9-13, 2018. The event is coordinated by Knoxville Entrepreneur Center (KEC) in partnership with AgLaunch, a statewide agricultural innovation program. Teams accepted into the program will experience best-in-class agricultural entrepreneurship programming and have access to investors, mentors, and farmers.

AgLaunch Bootcamp applicants must be located in Tennessee and can include:
• Small startup companies operating in the agricultural sector;
• Existing companies that are creating new innovations or product lines; and
• Student or faculty teams that are developing new innovations in agriculture.

AgLaunch Bootcamp applicants should be focused on addressing real problems in agriculture within the crop and livestock sectors. These include but are not limited to: automation and robotics, solutions to issues such as spray drift and herbicide-resistant weeds, financing approaches, water and nitrogen management, innovative livestock production technologies, food traceability and food safety, market access, and new equipment. AgLaunch and KEC will consider any new and novel idea in the agriculture and food value chain.

Teams in the program will have the opportunity to participate in AgLaunch365 programming during Fall 2018 and be considered for investment from Innova Ag Innovation Fund IV. The Innova Ag Fund is a $31 million venture fund backed by eight Farm Credit banks focused on agriculture innovation.

Tennessee-based entrepreneurs with an idea or an agtech startup who are interested in the intensive bootcamp can apply here. Applications are being accepted through 5 pm EST on June 8, 2018. Up to eight teams will be selected to participate.

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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 Entrepreneurship 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.

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May 24, 2018 News No comments yet

NEWS: AgLaunch and Tennessee Department of Agriculture Announce First Round of Farmer-Driven Innovation Trials

    

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (May 22, 2018) —

AgLaunch and the Tennessee Department of Agriculture announce the first eight farmer-led projects connecting farmers with pre-commercial technology for field testing. These projects are part of the AgLaunch strategy to attract, start, and grow new agricultural startup companies to and in Tennessee by connecting them with local farmers, while simultaneously helping farmers access new technology and market opportunities. The program is supported by Tennessee Department of Agriculture.

“This is a significant step forward in the mission to test new ag technologies in the real world, right on the farm,” Agriculture Commissioner Jai Templeton said. “Given the tremendous response and interest from Tennessee farmers, we believe this first round of trials is just the beginning. This program is strengthening the state’s reputation as an ideal location to develop innovations in agriculture.”

This program is developed through the AgLaunch Farmer Network and the Model Farm program coordinated by AgLaunch. The AgLaunch Farmer Network is a group of farmers from across Tennessee who are testing new innovations and participating in new marketing approaches to highlight progressive work on their farms. The Model Farm program is made up of a select group of farms which serve as centralized hubs to demonstrate new innovations and technologies at Field Days and other events.

Field trial demonstrations are scattered throughout Tennessee focusing on at-risk and distressed counties as a way of attracting new innovation and technology into those areas.

“Tennessee farmers are leading the region in creating a network of progressive farmers to help startup companies de-risk their technologies, while addressing major problems in agriculture,” said Pete Nelson, President and Executive Director of AgLaunch.

The following field-trial projects are currently underway with the following farms and agtech companies:

  • Kilimo, which helps farmers make better irrigation decisions, is conducting a multi-site trial comparing pivot irrigation management between Kilimo’s solution and existing methods. Participating farms include Sneed Brothers Farm, Growing Acres, Norwood Farms, and D&J River Farms.
  • Rose Creek Farms is piloting several technologies to facilitate more sustainable and economic production of vegetables including tomatoes and leafy greens on their organic farm in McNairy County.
  • MicroBiometer has a quick and inexpensive way to test for microbial activity in soil. This summer’s trials will test the MicroBiometer system on cover crops and organic agriculture. Participating farms include Sneed Brothers Farm, D&J River Farms, Rose Creek Farms, Batey Farms, and Yeargin Farms.
  • Norwood Farms is working with GroGuru to field test a monitoring system for irrigation recommendations that has been scaled in vegetables and is expanding into row crops.
  • EarthSense is testing an under-canopy plant phenotyping robot in field conditions to begin developing additional crop scouting and production practice applications specifically targeting herbicide-resistant weeds. Participating farms include Mid-South Family Farms and Jonah Brannon/Brannon Farms.
  • Tosh Farms based in Henry County with farming operations throughout Tennessee and Kentucky is partnering with startup SwineTech to run a major trial focused on reducing infant mortality in swine operations.
  • Yeargin Farms is leading an effort with Growing Acres Farms to collect data for WISRAN, measuringtime variations for farm management practices.
  • The management of these trials will be facilitated by another startup, AgriSync, which simplifies communication between companies, technicians, and their farmer customers.

Participants in the Model Farm program will be hosting a series of Field Days and demonstration programs to showcase technologies and to share best marketing practices. These events are open to farmers, food companies, agribusiness professionals, investors, entrepreneurs, and industry stakeholders.

The first Field Day will be held on August 2, 2018, at Growing Acres Farm in Savannah, Tennessee from 8:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. followed by lunch. If you would like more information, please email sdalton@aglaunch.com.

The AgLaunch Farmer Network program is open to all farmers. Interested farmers apply online here and are reviewed by an independent panel of experts in agriculture. Candidates selected for the Farmer Network are proven leaders already driving change in their communities. The Farmer Network is intentionally focused on recruiting a group of farms with diversity in size, crops farmed, livestock raised, and farming techniques. Members of the Farmer Network are eligible to participate in field-scale trials with collaborating agricultural startups and participate in a cost share program to offset the costs.

More information about AgLaunch and its programming can be found at aglaunch.com.

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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 Bioworks 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., Farm Journal Media, Archer Malmo, and Baker Donelson. www.aglaunch.com.

About Tennessee Department of Agriculture

The mission of the Tennessee Department of Agriculture is to promote wise uses of Tennessee’s agricultural and forest resources, to develop economic opportunities, and to ensure safe and dependable food, fuel, and fiber for all citizens. The Agriculture Enterprise Fund (AEF) is an incentive program that supports Governor Haslam’s priority of job creation and economic development by facilitating agricultural development in Tennessee. The AEF is a product of the Governor’s Rural Task Force. It is administered by the Department of Agriculture in conjunction with the Department of Economic and Community Development.

AgLaunch & TDA recognize the following farmers that are part of the AgLaunch Farmer Network:

  • Batey Farms, Rutherford County
  • Jonah Brannon/Brannon Farms, Henry County
  • D&J River Farms, Franklin and Lincoln Counties
  • Growing Acres, Hardin County
  • Harrison Dairy, Loudon and Monroe Counties
  • Mid-South Family Farms, Hardin, Haywood, Lauderdale, McNairy, Shelby and Tipton Counties
  • Norwood Farms, Henry County
  • Rose Creek Farm, McNairy County
  • Sneed Brother Farms, Shelby and Tipton Counties
  • Tosh Pork, Henry County
  • Yeargin Farms, Gibson and Weakley Counties

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May 22, 2018 News, Press Release No comments yet

AgLaunch March 2018 Newsletter

Friends,

It has been quite the winter! AgLaunch has been running full-steam ahead for the last few months. From hosting a convening with the Foundation for Food and Agriculture Research about cropping systems of the future to recruiting and supporting new agtech teams, we’ve been busy.

As you know, we moved to year-round focused programming with AgLaunch365. We continue to work closely with Innova and their USDA RBIC AgInnovation Fund IV  to invest in innovative agtech companies. We had three teams join us in the fall to participate in Phase I, where they worked with our partners at StartCo. to conduct customer discovery and develop a viable business model. Participating teams were:

This culminated with a showcase at the Farm Journal AgTech Expo in Indianapolis. Read more about the teams that participated in the Expo here.

As 2018 kicked off, so did Phase II of our programming. Our teams began working with agronomists, farmers, and researchers to develop comprehensive, 3-year field trial plans to begin “ground-truthing” their technologies. Joining the cohort for this phase was Rantizo.

For the second year, AgLaunch hosted the StartUp Station as part of the Mid-South Farm and Gin Show, the premier event for thousands of farmers to experience three floors of exhibits and to see the latest in farm equipment technology. The StartUp Station boasted fifteen of the most innovative agtech companies in the business right now. They pitched their ideas to a panel of expert farmers, industry leaders, and entrepreneurs.

As an additional benefit for the Phase II teams, they were able to connect with Congressman David Kustoff and USDA Secretary Sonny Perdue and share their technologies with them directly.

Moving into the spring, we are in field-trial mode. Our teams are working directly with farmers to test their technologies and collect meaningful data. New this year is a cost-share pilot project with Tennessee Department of Agriculture for Tennessee farmers trialing AgLaunch companies’ technology. Additionally, AgLaunch was awarded a $125,000 grant from Tennessee’s Agriculture Enterprise Fund to create model farms for innovation and research.

Repeatedly this winter, I have been asked to share our vision, our model, and our work with members of state legislatures and, in February, I even testified about how agtech can revitalize rural America before the U.S. House of Representatives’ Small Business Subcommittee on Agriculture, Energy, and Trade. You can read my written testimony here.

We are extremely proud of the work we’ve done and how we’re growing. We want to thank Memphis  Bioworks and Tennessee Department of Agriculture for their continued support, and thank you for your role in building a truly transformational region and ag sector.

Kind Regards,

Pete

AgLaunch teams and partners with Sec. Perdue and Congressman Kustoff at the Mid-South Farm and Gin Show

EarthSense’s robot makes an appearance at the Farm Journal AgTech Expo in Indianapolis, IN

Phase I teams at the Agricenter International fish fry in Memphis, TN

Pete Nelson addresses the US House Small Business Subcommittee on Agriculture, Energy, and Trade in Washington, DC

AGLAUNCH IN THE NEWS

Read what others are saying about us!

Shark Tank Eyes Hottest Agriculture Technology, March 7, 2018

AgLaunch Finds Traction In Intersection of Startups, Investors and Farmers, March 7, 2018

AgLaunch Hosts Startup Station Featuring 12 AgTech Companies, February 21, 2018

The Future of Ag Tech in the Midwest, February 20, 2018

Tennessee Officials Announce $400k in Agriculture Grants, February 6, 2018

Innovation Spotlight on AgTech StartUps, December 20, 2017

Exploring opportunities in resilient agriculture and crop diversity, November 30, 2017

Farm Journal Media’s AgTech Expo to Highlight Startup Innovations, November 18, 2017

Knoxville Entrepreneur Center, AgLaunch, and TN Commissioner of Agriculture Jai Templeton at the National Farm Bureau Convention in Nashville, TN

K-12 Ag Ed Roundtable group tours Germantown Farm Park in Memphis, TN

Scott Sartor of IndigoAg speaks at the Memphis Food & Ag Innovation Meetup

WHAT WE’RE READING

EQUIPMENT: Tractor-Hacking Farmers Are Leading a Revolt Against Big Tech’s Repair Monopolies
Kyle Schwarting is a farmer by trade, and a hacker by necessity. His farm, about 20 minutes outside the city limits of Lincoln, Nebraska, is full of tractors and agricultural equipment, which he picks up in various states of repair from fellow farmers, fixes up, and resells. “I would say what I’m doing is hacking,” Schwarting tells me, gesturing to a Windows laptop and a USB-to-tractor cable he Frankensteined himself. READ MORE

SPECIALTY CROPS: Dan Barber’s Seed Company Seeks to Sow the ‘Democratization of Flavor’
Chef Dan Barber loves heirloom produce. But, after cooking with it for years, the world-famous author and advocate for sustainable food says he realized that there was an important reason these delicate fruits and vegetables would probably never make it to the masses. READ MORE

POLITICS: Trump Pledges to Boost Farmers and Rural America
President Trump lays out his plan to boost agriculture and prosperity in rural America. What’s at stake is more than a hill of beans. LISTEN HERE

YOUNG FARMERS: A growing number of young Americans are leaving desk jobs to farm
Liz Whitehurst dabbled in several careers before she ended up here, crating fistfuls of fresh-cut arugula in the early-November chill. The hours were better at her nonprofit jobs. So were the benefits. But two years ago, the 32-year-old Whitehurst — who graduated from a liberal arts college and grew up in the Chicago suburbs — abandoned Washington for this three-acre farm in Upper Marlboro, Md. READ MORE

INNOVATION: How Driscoll’s Reinvented the Strawberry
One foggy May morning, the Joy Makers, a team of scientists employed by Driscoll’s, the world’s largest berry company, gathered at its research-and-development campus, which is known as Cassin Ranch, in the small agricultural town of Watsonville, on California’s Central Coast. Before them was a table laden with plastic clamshells: red, white, and pink strawberries for the pipeline. Phil Stewart, an affably geeky, sandy-haired strawberry geneticist, offered me a yellowish-white specimen with rosy stains, like a skinned knee when the blood starts seeping through. READ MORE

NOTEWORTHY: This Tiny Country Feeds the World
In a potato field near the Netherlands’ border with Belgium, Dutch farmer Jacob van den Borne is seated in the cabin of an immense harvester before an instrument panel worthy of the starship Enterprise. From his perch 10 feet above the ground, he’s monitoring two drones—a driverless tractor roaming the fields and a quadcopter in the air—that provide detailed readings on soil chemistry, water content, nutrients, and growth, measuring the progress of every plant down to the individual potato. READ MORE

AGTECH & INVESTMENT: Ag venture capital: Here’s what investors are watching in 2018
Software, social media, and the latest wearable gadgets might be getting all the attention, but its the technological changes that are shaking up the agriculture market that are really going to change lives over the next decade. And it’s coming not a moment too soon. READ MORE

AGTECH & INVESTMENT: Will Bitcoin Work in Agriculture?
If you checked the Internet lately, you’ve probably seen the words Bitcoin, cryptocurrency, and blockchain. I won’t describe them in great detail here, but Google is your friend. Currently, Bitcoin is the talk of the town gaining 1,000% in value in the last year and now is worth north of $10,000 a coin from $1,000 earlier in the year. Some say it’ll go to a million by 2020. READ MORE

AGTECH & INVESTMENT: This Robot Handles the Entire Process of Growing Lettuce by Itself
Inside a warehouse in the middle of the suburban office sprawl of San Carlos, a Silicon Valley town south of San Francisco, hundreds of heads of lettuce and herbs grow next to a mobile robot designed to move the plants as they get bigger. READ MORE
Stay up to date with these and many more updates by following us on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook!
April 26, 2018 News No comments yet

USDA Secretary Perdue Meets AgLaunch Startups at Mid-South Farm and Gin Show

Fifteen companies showcased in second AgLaunch Startup Station at 2018 Mid-South Farm and Gin Show

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (March 7, 2018) —

U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue met with three AgLaunch startup companies as part of the AgLaunch Startup Station weekend held as part of the Mid-South Farm and Gin Show at the Cook Convention Center. Secretary Perdue attended the Farm and Gin Show to announce a new cost share program for cotton producers.

Rantizo, a recent graduate of the AgLaunch365 programming, was the overall winner for the event and will receive an all-expense paid trip and dedicated spot to pitch at the 2018 Farm Journal AgTech Expo in Indianapolis. 

“We were able to meet farmers and investors interested in our drone spraying technology. Their feedback and enthusiasm was incredibly valuable,” said Rantizo founder and CEO, Michael Ott. “Rantizo is honored to win the pitch competition, especially considering the strength of all the other companies. Our team will take the momentum from the Farm and Gin Show and use it to build great products that address farmer’s needs.”

The Startup Station boasted fifteen of the most innovative agtech entrepreneurs from across the country to showcase how their ideas will shape the future of food and agriculture. These agtech entrepreneurs are addressing on-farm issues with real-world solutions like irrigation management, farm-level efficiencies, and autonomous equipment.
  • AgHelp is an app and wrap-around services helping ag workers find jobs and resources.
  • AgriSync is a communication platform connecting farmers with trusted experts.
  • EarthSense is developing ultra-compact autonomous robots that use machine-learning to monitor and manage problems in agriculture, specifically to identify weeds and chemical-free methods of reliably eradicating superweeds.
  • Global AgSmarte has developed SmarteRoot, an irrigation add-on that increases absorption of water and nutrients for crops to increase yields.
  • Harvest Yield is an electronic record-keeping system to ensure accurate invoicing for custom harvesters.
  • Hintech’s first product, the Decimator, addresses tire damage from corn stalks, stand establishment issues due to interference from root balls, and residue decomposition in no-till systems.
  • Kilimo provides a decision-support tool for irrigation management in agriculture by using satellite, climate, and on-site data.
  • Microbiometer is a quick test used to estimate the microbial biomass in soil in 10 minutes for 10 percent of the cost of a lab test. 
  • Newton RFID has created EquipassID, the world’s first read/write injectable RFID device to store vital regulatory and health information for horses.
  • Persistence Data Mining is developing a non-intrusive remote hyper-spectral soil analysis to service large tracks of open farmland.
  • Rabbit Tractors is building swarm-enabled, autonomous tractors that are approximately one-third the size and one-fourth the weight of normal tractors and spray rigs and capable of pulling implements as well as late-season spraying.
  • Rantizo is developing an electrostatic spraying system for targeted drone-based spraying.
  • Skycision rapidly identifies field stress through the analysis of aerial imagery.
  • Stable’N is a nitrification inhibitor process that utilizes electricity delivered into the soil by a retrofit to existing fertilizer application equipment.
  • SwineTech has developed a farrowing safety device to protect the health of piglets.

During two investment pitch sessions, entrepreneurs pitched their ideas to a panel of farmers, investors, and agribusiness professionals representing the following organizations:

  • Growing Acres Farm
  • Indigo Ag
  • Innova Ag Innovation Fund IV
  • Mid-South Family Farms 
  • National Black Growers Council 
  • Ritter Agribusiness 
  • TechStars
  • YieldLab

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 is a joint initiative of Memphis Bioworks Foundation (www.memphisbioworks.org) and the Tennessee Department of Agriculture (www.tn.gov/agriculture). 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 Start Co., Tennessee Farm Bureau, Epicenter, Farm Journal Media, Archer Malmo, and Baker Donelson. 

Learn more: www.aglaunch.com.

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March 7, 2018 News No comments yet

Twelve Groundbreaking AgTech Startups Selected to Pitch at AgLaunch Startup Station

Companies will pitch to a panel of farmers and investors, including Innova Memphis, a $31 million fund seeking to invest in agriculture’s next big innovation

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (February 20, 2018) —

AgLaunch is bringing its Startup Station pitch event back to the Mid-South Farm and Gin Show for a second time on Friday, March 2, 2018. This event will host some of AgLaunch’s most innovative agtech entrepreneurs from across the country to showcase how their ideas will shape the future of food and agriculture.

Agtech entrepreneurs are addressing on-farm issues with real-world solutions like irrigation management, farm-level efficiencies, and autonomous equipment. The Startup Station will highlight more than a dozen companies that will receive feedback from an expert panel that includes farmers, investors, and industry experts. This event serves as the culmination of Phase II of the AgLaunch365 programming, a farm-centric model that supports agtech companies by connecting to them farmers early in their development process.

Current AgLaunch365 Cohort:

  • EarthSense is developing ultra-compact autonomous robots that use machine-learning to monitor and manage problems in agriculture, specifically to identify weeds and chemical-free methods of reliably eradicating superweeds.
  • Rabbit Tractors is building swarm-enabled, autonomous tractors that are approximately one-third the size and one-fourth the weight of normal tractors and spray rigs and capable of pulling implements as well as late-season spraying.
  • Rantizo is developing an electrostatic spraying system for targeted drone-based spraying.

AgLaunch Alumni Teams:

  • Kilimo provides a decision-support tool for irrigation management in agriculture by using satellite, climate, and on-site data.
  • Microbiometer is a quick test used to estimate the microbial biomass in soil in 10 minutes for 10 percent of the cost of a lab test.
  • Persistence Data Mining is developing a non-intrusive remote hyper-spectral soil analysis to service large tracks of open farmland.
  • Skycision rapidly identifies field stress through the analysis of aerial imagery.

Additional participating teams being evaluated for investment or participating in AgLaunch365 Phase III Farmer Network Field Trials and growth-track programming:

  • AgHelp is an app and wrap-around services helping ag workers find jobs and resources.
  • AgriSync is a communication platform connecting farmers with trusted experts.
  • Global AgSmarte has developed SmarteRoot, an irrigation add-on that increases absorption of water and nutrients for crops to increase yields.
  • Harvest Yield is an electronic record-keeping system to ensure accurate invoicing for custom harvesters.
  • Stable’N is a nitrification inhibitor process that utilizes electricity delivered into the soil by a retrofit to existing fertilizer application equipment.
  • SwineTech has developed a farrowing safety device to protect the health of piglets.

During two investment pitch sessions, entrepreneurs will be given 8 minutes to pitch their ideas and 7 minutes to answer questions from a panel of farmers, investors, and agribusiness professionals who will provide feedback to refine these products and prepare the companies for follow-on investment and 2018 farm-scale trials. Participating panelists represent the following organizations:

  • Growing Acres Farm
  • Indigo Ag
  • Innova Ag Innovation Fund IV
  • Mid-South Family Farms
  • National Black Growers Council
  • Ritter Agribusiness
  • TechStars

Teams that perform well will have the opportunity for follow-on investment from Innova Memphis and participation in 2018 farm-scale field trials with the AgLaunch Farmer Network.

The AgLaunch Startup Station will be open at the Chickasaw Room on the Mezzanine Level at Booth #4027 for anyone wishing to engage with the startup companies or to learn more about AgLaunch from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. The investment pitch sessions will be held from 10:30 am-12:00 pm and from 1:30 pm until 3:00 pm.

The Mid-South Farm and Gin Show hosts more than 400 exhibitors and 20,000 farmers every year. You can learn more about the Farm and Gin Show at their website https://www.farmandginshow.com.

AgLaunch Startup Station
Friday, March 2, 2018
9 a.m.- 5 p.m.
Cook Convention Center, Chickasaw Room, Booth #4027
255 N Main St, Memphis, TN
Investment Pitch Session #1: 10:30 a.m.-12:00 p.m.
Investment Pitch Session #2: 1:30 p.m.- 3:00 p.m.
Free Registration Here

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 is a joint initiative of Memphis Bioworks Foundation (www.memphisbioworks.org) and the Tennessee Department of Agriculture (www.tn.gov/agriculture). 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 Start Co., Tennessee Farm Bureau, Epicenter, Farm Journal Media, Archer Malmo, and Baker Donelson. 

Learn more: www.aglaunch.com. 

February 21, 2018 News No comments yet

AgLaunch Entrepreneurs Showcased at Farm Journal AgTech Expo
Seven AgTech Teams exhibit and demonstrate their technologies at inaugural expo

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. (December 12, 2017) — As part of the unique partnership with Farm Journal Media, AgLaunch and seven of the agtech teams that it supports are participating in the inaugural Farm Journal AgTech Expo. Farm Journal AgTech Expo provides insights and information from key experts so farmers can harness the power of AgTech.

“AgTech startups provide valuable innovations for our industry as farmers are looking for tools to make them more efficient, more environmentally sustainable and more profitable,” said Margy Eckelkamp, Editor of AgPro and Director of Content Development at Machinery Pete.

The expo is the culminating event for the agtech teams completing Phase I of AgLaunch365 and exploring participation in Phase II, where teams will continue customer discovery and build out field trials for the spring. Four of the teams- DryMAX, Earth Sense, Rabbit Tractors, and Rantizo- will be showcasing their companies on Wednesday, December 13, 2017 at 7:45 am in the Expo Hall to a panel of farmers and the general public.

“The key component of AgLaunch365 is connecting early-stage agtech companies with farmers to help inform product development and become engaged in the scale up of the company,” said Pete Nelson, President & Executive Director of AgLaunch. “Our partnership with Farm Journal Media is helping our teams get connected with leading farmers, while providing content on the innovation pipeline to its readers and listeners.”

AgLaunch365 teams participating are:

  • DryMAX, based in Minnesota, is commercializing a low-energy, low-heat radio wave process for drying grain that keeps grain integrity and maximizes nutrition delivery. (www.drymaxsolutions.com).
  • EarthSense, based in Illinois, has developed TerraSentia, an ultra-compact, autonomous, easy-to-use robot with multiple sensors and embedded data collection and analytics software for plant phenotyping. They are working with the seed industry and crop R&D partners to test and optimize TerraSentia. (www.earthsense.co).
  • Rabbit Tractors, based in Indiana, is developing an autonomous, mobile, multi-purposed, swarm-capable and high-ground clearance farm-production tractor for all pre-harvest activities. (www.rabbittractors.com).

Additional AgLaunch-supported teams participating are:

  • HarvestYield, based in New York, is a fleet management application for custom farmers. (www.harvestyield.com).
  • Rantizo, based in Iowa, delivers targeted liquid sprays precisely where they are needed in agricultural applications through an electrosprayer mounted on a drone, delivering minimal amounts of active agent directly to the targeted area. (www.rantizo.com).
  • Global Ag Smarte Technologies, based in Tennessee, has developed the SmarteRoot technology which increases absorption of water and nutrients to increase plant health and produce greater yield. (www.globalagsmarte.com).
  • Stable’N, based in Illinois, is a nitrification inhibitor process that utilizes electricity delivered into the soil by a retrofit to existing fertilizer application equipment. (www.stablen.com).

AgLaunch continues to expand its farm-centric innovation platform to accelerate the process of bringing new ideas into agriculture and partnering with Farm Journal Media has allowed AgLaunch and its companies to expand its reach and collaborate with other innovators in the industry.

Applications for AgLaunch365 Phase II are open now at aglaunch.com. For more information, contact Rebecca Kaufman at rkaufman@aglaunch.com.

 

About Farm Journal Media 

Farm Journal Media is the nation’s leading business information and media company serving the agricultural market. Started 140 years ago with the preeminent Farm Journal magazine, the company serves the row crop, livestock, produce and retail sectors through 26 branded websites, eNewsletters and phone apps; 11 business magazines; 70 events; six nationally broadcasted television and radio programs; a robust mobile text marketing business; and an array of data-driven paid information products. Farm Journal Media 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, which is dedicated to sustaining agriculture’s ability to meet the vital needs of a growing population through education and empowerment.

Learn more: www.farmjournalmedia.com

 

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 is a joint initiative of Memphis Bioworks Foundation (www.memphisbioworks.org) and the Tennessee Department of Agriculture (www.tn.gov/agriculture). 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 Start Co., Farm Journal Media, Archer Malmo, and Baker Donelson.

Learn more: www.aglaunch.com. 
January 5, 2018 News No comments yet

AgLaunch365 Announces New Startups In Farm-Centric Platform

Three Teams in Phase I of AgLaunch365 Will Focus on Customer Discovery and Business Model Development; Phase II Applications Due November 15

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AgPR) Nov. 2, 2017 — AgLaunch365 has accepted three new agtech startups into Phase I of its farm-centric innovation platform. AgLaunch365 provides startups with the tools needed to integrate with farmers to create and implement sophisticated field trial protocols and prepare for funding by aligned capital sources. Phase I teams will receive intensive business development support and customer discovery assistance. Teams will have access to leading accelerator programming, the AgLaunch Farmer Network, the Cultivator Mentor Network, and to AgLaunch’s partnership with Farm Journal Media, among a range of other services.

This 6-week program will be delivered through remote programming and in-person sessions held in Memphis. It will culminate at the Farm Journal AgTech Expo in Indianapolis December 11-13, 2017 (www.farmjournalagtechexpo.com).

“We are excited to support these three innovative teams who are committed to solving problems for the agriculture industry,” said Pete Nelson, President and Executive Director of AgLaunch. “Following the Phase I business development and customer discovery, these entrepreneurs will be better prepared to launch their products in the field with our extensive group of farmers during 2018.”

Phase I teams are:

  • DryMAX, based in Minnesota, is commercializing a low-energy, low-heat radio wave process for drying grain that keeps grain integrity and maximizes nutrition delivery. (www.drymaxsolutions.com).
  • EarthSense, based in Illinois, has developed TerraSentia, an ultra-compact, autonomous, easy-to-use robot with multiple sensors and embedded data collection and analytics software for plant phenotyping. They are working with the seed industry and crop R&D partners to test and optimize TerraSentia. (www.earthsense.co).
  • Rabbit Tractors, based in Indiana, is developing an autonomous, mobile, multi-purposed, swarm-capable and high-ground clearance farm-production tractor for all pre-harvest activities. (www.rabbittractors.com).

“Tennessee and the surrounding Mid-South region is becoming known as a leader for field testing and trialing new technologies and innovations in agriculture,” said, Commissioner Jai Templeton, Tennessee Department of Agriculture. “We are pleased to be able to facilitate that process to grow the overall agtech sector.”

AgLaunch365 teams are eligible for investment from a key AgLaunch partner, Innova and its USDA-certified Rural Business Investment Company fund, a $31 million fund backed by eight Farm Credit banks.

AgLaunch is a joint initiative of Memphis Bioworks Foundation and Tennessee Department of Agriculture. Innova was founded by Memphis Bioworks Foundation.

AgLaunch365 focuses on helping entrepreneurs find success by providing agriculture expertise, incubator resources, and a strong global ag specific network. Paired with the natural resources of Tennessee and the surrounding Mid-South region, AgLaunch365 has the power to help launch startups into successful businesses.

AgLaunch365 consists of three phases of support that closely align with a typical growing season. In Phase I, teams develop their business models and gain access to the Cultivator Mentor Network from October through December. Phase II participants begin in January and refine their product or technology to be “field ready” for on-farm trials with AgLaunch365’s Farmer Network beginning in the spring. Phase III teams work directly with growers in the region to test their innovation in the field during the growing seasons.

Applications to participate in Phase II can be found here: www.aglaunch.com/aglaunch-365.
Deadline for Phase II is November 15, 2017.

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 is a joint initiative of Memphis Bioworks Foundation (www.memphisbioworks.org) and the Tennessee Department of Agriculture (www.tn.gov/agriculture). 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 Start Co., Farm Journal Media, Archer Malmo and Baker Donelson. www.aglaunch.com

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Media Release Contact:
Margaret Oldham
901-351-2904
moldham@aglaunch.com

November 6, 2017 News, Press Release No comments yet

100 Companies in Five Years is Tenn. Agriculture Industry Goal

An agricultural revolution is coming to Tennessee.

At least that’s the goal Ag Innovation Group in Memphis has set, in partnership with the Tennessee Department of Agriculture, through the formation of AgLaunch.

AgLaunch is a state-wide organization working to grow 100 agricultural companies in Tennessee throughout the next five years, Pete Nelson, CEO of Ag Innovation Group, said.

Jumping right in with the effort, the Knoxville Entrepreneur Center started AgWorks, a startup accelerator focused on agricultural companies. Throughout the 12-week program, the KEC provided general business expertise, while AgLaunch provided agriculture specific knowledge.

Fueling a $60 billion industry

There are approximately 66,000 full- or part-time farmers in Tennessee, Nelson said.

“It’s a $60 billion industry, but there’s basically little or no activity doing new things with innovation,” he said. “The goal with AgLaunch is to help build around that robust industry by adding new technology and innovation. The hope is we create companies and technologies that increase the profitability for farmers, lower the environmental impact of farm operations, create new markets, but also create more rural-urban connectivity.”

To do this, AgLaunch has set up venture capital funds and helping create accelerators like AgWorks.

Seeing Knoxville get involved so quickly is especially important to Nelson as AgLaunch works toward its goal because of the difference in agriculture East Tennessee has compared to West and Middle Tennessee.

“It just opens up a whole different set of agriculture and forestry companies,” Nelson said.

Unlike traditional startups, in which most investment capital is on the west or east coast, the agriculture industry is decentralized, Stephen Jenkins, KEC director of entrepreneurship, said. He said the presence of the University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture and Oak Ridge National Laboratory makes Knoxville “especially primed” to generate and support new companies.

“We’re able to channel (energy from UT and ORNL), and with the agriculture community nearby, we can marry them, so products are validated faster and relationships are created faster,” Jenkins said.

A Ph.D. student turned entrepreneur 

Grow Bioplastics, which creates 100 percent biodegradable plastics for farmers, participated in AgWorks. The company has participated in multiple startup accelerators and pitch competitions across the country, winning more than $130,000.

AgWorks was the first program the company found with an agricultural focus, Grow Bioplastics co-founder Tony Bova said.

“Other programs we’ve gone to have focused on businesses that are software or technology related, and things move fast,” Bova said. “But in ag, things move slower, and the expertise is much different, so we were pretty excited about having people that were specifically looking at the area we wanted to be in.”

Bova, a Ph.D. student at UT, believes AgLaunch at programs like AgWorks are a step in the right direction, comparing the future of the agriculture industry to past industrial revolutions.

“Other industrial revolutions that have helped society move to its next level have been the result of great partnerships between academia, government and industry, and in agriculture, the level of innovation has been there, but hasn’t seen the support from all three together to really say that we have a revolution,” he said. “There are a lot of great things coming. I think it’s just getting started.”

Bova sees research at UT and ORNL through his doctoral program that sometimes ends when it’s published.

“It takes great partnerships with industry, with tech transer and startups in general to bring those researched ideas out to the masses,” he said. “To me, it takes businesses to be able to do that.”

Completing the puzzle

Connecting with leaders in the agriculture industry is crucial for entrepreneurs like Bova, he said, calling people with great ideas “one piece of the puzzle.”

The puzzle is completed when those people have support from seasoned business leaders. Michael Whitt also participated in AgWorks. His company, Cattle Sync, is an app that will allow cattle farmers to enter information about the care of their herd and streamline the sales process digitally.

He said AgWorks was “huge” for his company.

“It helped me look at agriculture on a high level versus on a low level, which I’m used to,” he said. “The exposure to different opportunities for funding and to see how the investment piece works was very useful.”

Alex Adams’ company Geo Air also benefited from industry networking. Adams is working to lower the number of crops destroyed by mold. He said one-third of the world’s crops go bad because of mold. Looking at only corn crops, that equals approximately $20 billion in the U.S. and $260 million in Tennessee on average.

Geo Air uses drones to find mold in crops before it becomes a problem, using technology that identifies mold spores in the air before they ruin the crop. Existing technology uses imaging, which can only identify the problem after it has damaged the crop.

“There were a couple times where I was sitting there trying to think through an idea or trying to find the right person, but it would take me like two months to figure it out,” Adams said. “Then (during AgWorks) there were a couple days that ended up being a 10 minute conversation. It gave me a super big leap on developing my business.”

100 companies in five years

Lasting communication between companies and industry leaders is key to reaching AgLaunch’s goal, Nelson said. The mindset at KEC is representative of how Nelson sees the goal being met.

“We would hold (KEC) up as a model across the state, because they’re not competitive, they’re open-minded and smart,” he said. “They modeled all the behaviors that would be great if all of us had in terms of building a good cooperation.”

By next summer, Nelson hopes to have the startup’s products being tested in the field.

October 6, 2017 Blog, Event, News, Press Release No comments yet

Applications Open for Agricultural Innovation Companies to Participate in AgLaunch365

Farm-Centric Program Assists in Field Trials & Attracting Investment

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (September 7, 2017) – AgLaunch is excited to announce applications are open for its latest initiative AgLaunch365, which combines its leading accelerator program with its network of innovative farmers in a flexible wrap-around model that revolves around the agricultural production cycle.

AgLaunch365 will operate in three phases, allowing startups to participate in the phases that are relevant to each company’s stage of growth. The year-round program includes:

  1. Phase I: Business model development  – “customer discovery”
  2. Phase II: Refine product – “getting field ready”
  3. Phase III: Access to network of innovative farmers – “field trials”

AgLaunch365 is now accepting applications from agricultural startup companies seeking to participate in any phase of the program targeting the following areas:

  • Precision Farming
    • Management of inputs
    • Soil & crop tech
    • Irrigation & water tech, sustainability enablers
  • Farming technology
    • New equipment
    • Robotics or automation
  • New, innovative technologies
    • Crop production, harvest & storage
    • Supply chain & logistics
    • Processing/productivity tools, diagnostics
    • Food safety, security
  • Animal Health & Nutrition
    • Welfare practices
    • Healthcare improvements

Here are a few of the tools that AgLaunch365 participants will have access to throughout the year:

  • Programming:
    • Customized programming focused on agriculture from AgLaunch and lean startup business development facilitated by Start Co.
    • Support from a national network of mentors and service providers including Archer Malmo and Baker Donelson
    • First-hand access to industry expertise in the Memphis & Mid-South region including row crop production and logistics (blockchain, intramodal)
    • Virtual programming opportunities with Knoxville Entrepreneur Center and other partners
  • Funding:
    • Seed stage (historically $25k – $50k for Phase I companies) and potential for follow-on investment from Innova Ag Innovation Fund IV, a licensed USDA Rural Business Investment Company funded by eight Farm Credit banks
    • Access to our network of leading venture capital partners with expertise in agriculture, such as Cultivian Sandbox Ventures
    • Cost-share program to help farmers underwrite costs of new agtech trials that can create first customers for the startup and lower the risk for farmers to try new innovations
  • Farmer engagement:
    • Field trials and access to leading farmers & farm organizations including Ritter Agribusiness & Mid-South Family Farms
    • Access to a network of universities and research farms including Agricenter International to support 3rd party research
  • Visibility:
    • Direct access to Farm Journal as an exclusive media channel partner, including behind-the-scenes access to events like AgTech Expo
    • Participation in events including: Farm Bureau’s Agriculture Investment Summit & the Startup Station at the Mid-South Farm & Gin Show

“AgLaunch365 reflects the continued refining of our model to revolutionize the way agricultural innovation is brought to market. Through our experiences to date, we’ve found what works, but we’ve also seen the opportunity to tailor our program even more effectively,” says AgLaunch President, Pete Nelson. “AgLaunch365 will accommodate the specific needs and timing of those working in the ag industry in a strategic way that has never before been done in the industry.”

Startups will have the ability to enter the program based on their developmental needs and how their product fits in the farm planning and cropping cycle.  Entrepreneurs who participate will have dedicated blocks of time for programming in Memphis, TN, but also have flexibility to travel or be in the field to conduct normal business and assignments in-between programming.

“AgLaunch is situated in one of the best areas for ag entrepreneurs. Not only is the region rich with natural resources, but Tennessee sees the value in ag innovation,” says Tennessee Commissioner of Agriculture, Jai Templeton. “AgLaunch is bringing the right people – from investors, entrepreneurs, and those within the ag industry – to a region that supports innovation and agriculture.”

AgLaunch365 phases are designed to build upon each other and startup teams are invited to apply for all three phases or for one specific phase, based on their needs.

AgLaunch365 is open to companies at all stages, offering early-stage help or later access to progressive farmers who can help ground-truth innovative technology.

Application deadlines are:

  • For entry in the entire program, applications due by 8:00 a.m. CT on Monday, October 2, 2017.
  • For field ready phase, applications due by 8:00 a.m. CT on Monday, November 6, 2017
  • To access the field trial network, applications due by 8:00 a.m. CT on Monday, January 8, 2018.

Go to www.aglaunch.com for more information about AgLaunch365 or to apply click here.

To view a video on the AgLaunch program click: https://youtu.be/BhfMFnJyS08 and to view pitches from the past AgLaunch Accelerator participants, go to:  http://bit.ly/2hDTGN7.

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About AgLaunch™ 

AgLaunch develops agtech startups, creates value-chain companies, builds collaborative farmer networks and addresses gaps in the regional food and ag innovation ecosystem. The goal is to attract, start and grow 100 agricultural startup companies by 2022. AgLaunch is a joint initiative of Memphis Bioworks Foundation® and the Tennessee Department of Agriculture.

September 7, 2017 Press Release No comments yet

Changing the Farmer’s Role in AgTech Commercialization

The following insights and opinions are from Pete Nelson, president and executive director for the Memphis-based AgLaunch Initiative.

 

As you have been reading in farm magazines or heard at conferences over the last couple of years, there is an increasing interest and investment in the development of new agricultural technologies and the creation of new “startup” companies to bring innovations to market. This interest is driven by the need to feed a growing population, changing food consumption patterns, increased pressure on natural resources, and  the dramatic reduction of the cost of technologies such as genomic sequencing and data. There is no doubt there are changes and that farming is being confronted with thousands of new technologies from all sides.

Farmers have always been at the forefront of developing new innovations and technologies since the beginning of agriculture. These innovations addressed direct needs on the farm and created solutions that could work economically and efficiently. Now there is a huge increase in the amount of new technology (much of it unproven) that gets pitched to you, and there is also on an increasing disconnect between those creating new innovations and you the farmer. We all have stories of seeing a new idea presented from an excited entrepreneur that we know at first glance won’t work for very practical reasons.

The disconnect between those who are creating new innovations and the farm is dramatically lowering the probability of success for new agricultural ventures, which is in turn giving investors pause and is certainly not accelerating adoption quickly. There is a new way – the Farm Centric Innovation model will change the entire agricultural investment thesis into new ventures. And most excitedly, this means an increasing role for farmers in the creation and refining of new ideas, and not just being the customer. It’s a full-circle return to how it used to be with a modern twist.

One of the biggest issues with this divide between innovation creation and the farmer is that often the new technology is not tried in real farm conditions, nor is it tried early enough to contribute towards make-or-break decisions on whether or not to continue to invest in the new idea. This means a lot of investor capital is being deployed for too long on dead ends. In fact, this problem is so bad the many who are developing new technologies, even those working within traditional agricultural research institutions, increasingly view the farmer as a “first customer” but not as an innovation partner.

This must change. To approach a farmer as a first customer with a half-baked product is always a bad idea. As everyone who is reading this knows, farmers are a well-networked group and word travels fast about snake oil or things that are promises or not delivered to bring forward an idea that’s not been properly validated in the field.

Trying to sell a farmer as a first customer on an idea that has not been field validated is not a good idea. However, farmers will continue to prove willing partners in helping take an idea and turning it into a fully functioning product if given the chance. Within the Farm Centric Innovation model, your role in new innovation development includes trying a new technology in the field at farm scale and providing feedback on common sense observations on how to improve the product. For example, does a new harvesting robot have enough ground clearance, or if it’s a new voice recognition technology, will it be accurate even when being used on a loud combine? This on-farm work provide meaningful feedback to continue to optimize solutions, which is both good for the startup innovator as well as for the investors and ultimately ensuring a product is ready to actually go to market.

Another key role for farmers is helping originate new ideas. You are on the front lines of experiencing the world’s largest problems such as the effects of herbicide-resistant weeds, nitrogen inefficiencies, and a long list of additional issues. Farmers have done and can continue to do a great job in helping identify these problems and working with innovators that have solutions to address them.

Still, the majority of groups working in the agricultural innovation space are at least one step removed from being able to work directly with farmers in the field. You can go to agricultural investment conferences and meetings where the latest technologies in the pipeline are discussed and investors make decisions on where to invest and never find a farmer. You can spend time with a big multinational seed and chemical companies talking about the farmers without farmers being in the room. This disconnect remains the standard, which is driving much slower adoption rates and probability of success. The Farm Centric Model is driving the common goal of incorporating farmers in the innovation ecosystem early and its full participants (not just first customers).

Thankfully, there are some good examples emerging, such as the Western Growers Association, which has partnered with Taylor Farms to build an incubator and coworker space, participated in accelerators, and worked with venture-capital firms to support startups in addressing real-world problems in the vegetable and specialty crop production arena. Another great example is the Iowa Corn Opportunities Fund, which is a venture capital fund started by the Iowa Corn Growers. This fund has repositioned Iowa Corn’s farmer members as partners in the innovation development with other venture capital sources.

Probably most exciting are the farmers and farm organizations that are being set up to partner with startup accelerators and incubators to take a key role in developing technology. These “farmer networks” have many models, but include groups such as Fall Line Capital, Indigo Partners, Oxbow Agriculture, Lawrence Group, Ritter Agribusiness, and Mid-South Family Farms to name a few. These organizations are set up to partner with an early-stage idea or innovation, keep the cost of field trials low by trading for equity and/or future rights to invest, and the farmers receive other benefits from spending time and energy working with a technology early. The start-up receives a willing and able partner, visibility, data collection and third-party validation that can be used to raise investment money, attract additional partners and first customers.

There are many examples of how this is already working. One example is start-up called AgVoice, which has a voice recognition technology for agriculture that simplifies crop scouting and other recordkeeping efforts. This technology was validated in fields in Mississippi, Tennessee and Arkansas in 2016 working with Ritter Agribusiness and Mid-South Family Farms. The validation included a lot of really basic concepts. For example, will the technology work in the cab of a tractor or combine when it gets noisy, will the ear piece stay on your ear when you’re in the middle of scouting a hot cotton field, and will the lexicon be robust enough to record all the farm practices necessary and will the records be accurate? The results of this real-world field trial were excellent with the feedback incorporated by AgVoice. A report was generated that has been used to raise further investment and attract additional customers. This is just one example of many in which new technologies are being field validated.

We believe in this role for the farmer as a partner in innovation, not just a first customer will change the entire agricultural investment thesis. This will bring forward more successful startups change the probability of success in a positive direction and bring forward solutions that more efficiently address real-world agricultural problems. There’s a lot more that needs to be communicated, but we invite farmers and those who work directly with farmers into this Farm Centric Model we’re developing to help change the role of farmers in innovation.

July 19, 2017 Uncategorized No comments yet
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