Farmer Innovation Network

The Farmer Innovation Network (FIN) is a national community of forward-thinking farmers who receive specialized training and participate in curated networking events. These opportunities are designed to empower farmers with a stronger, more equitable role in shaping the future of agricultural innovation. Training topics include:

  • Understanding venture capital
  • Bringing ideas to market
  • Protecting farmer data
  • Monetizing ecosystem services, among others

FIN is a joint initiative of AgLaunch, a farm-centric innovation engine and Ag Ventures Alliance (AgVA), a farmer cooperative investing in agtech startups. The primary goal is to help farmers maximize the value of their knowledge, land, and resources, positioning them for success in emerging agricultural markets and technologies.

Joining the FIN is free and simple—just register HERE. Participants gain access to an e-newsletter, exclusive webinars, and special events.

Participation in FIN

Participation in FIN also provides access to AgVA, a farmer-owned cooperative founded in the late 1990s. AgVA focuses on investments that boost farmers’ profitability and create new market opportunities. AgVA members have unique access to the cooperative’s investment portfolio, gaining insight into how investment decisions are made. Members have the opportunity to participate in peer-to-peer working groups, provide feedback to startups through customer discovery, and provide input on startup selection. AgVA members can also apply to join AgLaunch Farmers,LLC and Countryside Angels, two pathways to earn equity ownership in portfolio startups.

AgLaunch Farmers, LLC

AgLaunch Farmers, LLC is a national consortium of innovative farmers from diverse farming operations that crowdsources due diligence, shares data, coordinates farm trials, and fields demonstrations to support agtech startups from idea-to-scale. LLC owners earn equity for the services they provide to startups.

Countryside Angels

Countryside Angels is a collaborative group of accredited individual investors who are directly engaged in agriculture and who provide crucial funding to early-stage startups. Countryside Angels investors earn equity for their financial investments in startups.