Cultivate Appalachia: AgLaunch Bootcamp for Food & AgTech Pioneers
Cultivate Appalachia: AgLaunch Bootcamp for Food & AgTech Pioneers
In person @ Knoxville, Tennessee. Date will be announced soon.
AgLaunch is partnering with a diverse group of partners across the Appalachian region to host a bootcamp for innovators in food and agriculture. The Bootcamp is a crash course in business fundamentals and training on innovation within the agriculture industry. The goal of the program is to support early-stage agriculture startups and prepare them for follow-on programming and resources offered by AgLaunch or AgLaunch partners. The program is free for selected participants, but participants do cover their own travel and lodging. Applications close May 31, 2023.
Who should apply: The bootcamp is designed for new startups focused on agriculture, faculty/student teams commercializing ag-related technology; and existing agriculture companies exploring new innovation. While there is a preference for companies located within the Southern Appalachian region (Kentucky, Tennessee, Alabama, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Virginia), applicants from any location are welcome to apply.
Areas of interest: Any new and novel idea in the agriculture and food value chain that will benefit the region will be considered, but we are particularly interested in the following areas of innovation: specialty crops including new grains for beverage and food markets, regenerative and organic agriculture and carbon markets, new uses for forestry products, pasture raised cattle, local value-added products, farm-to-market with novel technologies, bioenergy, controlled environment agriculture, data & traceability, and climate resiliency.
Benefits: Bootcamp participants will gain a deeper understanding of the agriculture industry, guidance on financing and intellectual property options for agricultural startups, coaching on refining their business model and pitch, as well as connections to mentors and resources to take their business to the next step.
