Agbioscience

Cooperatives have long been an integral part of the production ag system and agricultural economy. Today that role remains and is rapidly evolving as precision agriculture, technology and new entrants like biologicals and biostimulants become increasingly important in the pursuit of farm profitability and yield. Today we are joined by Co-Alliance Chief Strategy Officer, Phil Brewer, to talk about the co-op's rise to the 80-location powerhouse it is today, identifying innovations that hold promise for the farmer and keeping pace with the speed that innovation trickles into the agbioscience economy. He also talks about driving net farm income through data-driven insights, managing risk and the role of the organization in the future to ensure farmer success.

Small businesses of 500 employees or fewer make up 99.9% of all U.S. businesses; and of the new jobs created between 1995 and 2020, small businesses accounted for nearly 2/3 (or 12.7 million). Our guest today is a journalist, an author and a bold visionary who sees the next chapter of America’s economy coming from what some may consider to be surprising places. Founder of Times of Entrepreneurship, Elizabeth MacBride, joins us to talk about her coverage of the Middle East, high finance and business paving the way for where she saw her greatest impact as a writer: covering a new wave of cities with emerging innovation ecosystems. She gets into commonly held misconceptions surrounding entrepreneurship, her passion for telling these stories on a national stage and the power of storytelling to create meaningful change. Elizabeth also talks about her recent visit to Indiana to cover small businesses and entrepreneurship and our exceptional (and compelling) strength in agbioscience. How does Indianapolis compare to other cities? And what other cities are in that comparative? Elizabeth tells all. Learn more about her coverage of entrepreneurship. Visit timesofe.com.

Agronomy – the science of soil management and crop production – is critical to advancing the profitability, sustainability and durability of modern agriculture. However, science alone is not enough. An emerging agtech company is combining that science with technology and people to create the next generation of precision crop production. Today we are joined by Advanced Agrilytics CEO, Kay Kuenker, as the company celebrates one million acres of farmland served. From 29.6 years as a mathematician (her words) at Dow Chemical to her leadership at Advanced Agrilytics today, she gets into math and risk assessment paving the way for better on-farm decisions defining her career. She also talks what Advanced Agrilytics does differently, treating sub acre environments to create on-farm efficiency and optimal productivity. Kay also talks about the company’s growth story over the last few years, growing her team five-fold during that time (and the variety of careers they are hiring for) and what’s ahead at Advanced Agrilytics.

About 90% of US seafood comes from abroad, resulting in a $17 billion trade deficit. With a new $10 million grant from USDA, a Purdue professor is working to eradicate that deficit with a new sustainable and integrated aquaponic production system. Today we are joined by Dr. Jen-Yi Huang, Project Director and Associate Professor of Food Science, at Purdue University. He talks about innovation in this area creating more environmental and economic sustainability, and how the Midwest could benefit from aquaponics. Jen also gets into the timelines for products to be commercialized and what’s ahead for his team. Learn more here.

The agbioscience economy is the only economy that touches every person on the Planet given that it centers on food. It’s necessary for life; and for generations, Indiana farmers have served a critical role in the global food supply chain. Now the state has a farmer leading the charge to shape the next chapter of the state’s ag economy and he joins us today. Don Lamb, Director of the Indiana State Department of Agriculture (ISDA), talks with us about always wanting to be a farmer and the season of life being right for him to lead ISDA. Like many Indiana natives, he talks basketball as a metaphor for the role of production agriculture in the agbiosciences. He also gets into farmer adoption of new innovations, his advice to innovators that want to bring a product to market and the role of farmers when it comes to helping companies develop new innovations. He highlights soil conservation, mental health of the farmer and ISDA’s Indiana Grown initiative as three things he sees as big opportunities for the organization in the future.

Indiana soybean production eclipsed more than 330 million bushels in 2022 making it the state’s second-largest commodity crop. Twelve Purdue University student teams set out to transform those soybeans into new products during the Indiana Soybean Alliance’s New Uses Competition and a winner was selected to receive the top prize of $20,000 just a few short weeks ago. Today we are joined by Team StyroSoy, winners of the competition, to talk through their innovative soy-based styrofoam product. They get into the critical problem that current styrofoam packaging presents, their varied backgrounds coming together to create a healthy team dynamic and all the challenges that come when creating a new product. The team also talks about the sustainability aspect of StyroSoy, its ability to serve multiple facets of the packaging industry and what’s ahead for their team. Congratulations to Team StyroSoy! Members include Louis Edwards Caceres-Martinez, of Bogota, Colombia, a PhD student at the School of Engineering Technology at Purdue University; Alyssa Choi, a Purdue sophomore studying biological engineering from Addison, Ill.; Valeria Tellez Gallego, a PhD student studying industrial and physical pharmacy from Bogota, Colombia; and Amy Tang, a Purdue sophomore from Sao Paulo, Brazil, studying biological engineering and pharmaceutical sciences.

Rapid identification of pathogens in food and water holds the power to save lives. Katherine Clayton, Founder and CEO of OmniVis, has developed a technology that puts the power of a pathogen lab in hands around the world. She joins us to talk about her personal story paving the way for this innovation, her passion for proactively stopping disease from happening and moving from California to study at Purdue University. So what does a handheld lab entail? Katherine talks about her device, iSpyDx, and its ability to quickly turn results (40 minutes), a focus on ease of use (it weighs under 2 pounds) and COVID-19 rapid tests as market validation for the work the OmniVis team was doing at the time. She also examines this innovation as a tool for crowdsourcing insights on infectious diseases and what’s ahead for the company. Learn more at omnivistech.com.

Last year, the federal government invested nearly $120 billion to combat food insecurity with its Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), but the challenge still remains. As AgriNovus works to inspire innovation in food security through a new category of agtech we call HungerTech, it’s important to understand the scope of food insecurity in America and how we can improve. Today we are joined by Head of Economics at Purdue University and Distinguished Professor, Dr. Jayson Lusk, to discuss new research from AgriNovus that examines factors driving food insecurity across Indiana and areas ripe for private-sector innovation to increase proper access to nutrition. Read the full report here.

In the US, more than 42 million people don’t know where their next meal is coming from and nearly 1/3 of those are children. Today we are joined by HATCH for Hunger Executive Director, Danny Leckie, to talk about the organization’s mission to unite Midwest poultry producers and a distribution network to combat hunger. They talk about how the organization was founded, building a sustainable model for food insecure populations and animal protein as a key to building healthy lives. Danny also gets into COVID, inflation and manning a difficult pricing era for eggs. So why eggs? Danny gets into that, eggs as a powerful tool to do great things and what’s ahead for HATCH for Hunger. Learn more here.

The agbiosciences offer one of the most approachable areas of modern innovation. From new foods to sustainability advances and new tech, agbioscience touches every human being on the planet. Today we are joined by Elevate Ventures CEO, Toph Day, to talk about a new global event where agbiosciences will link arms with other modern focuses of our economy: RALLY Innovation Conference, which is coming to Indianapolis on August 29-31, 2023. They dig into what attendees can expect for the world’s largest cross-sector innovation conference (including a $5M pitch competition), why Indianapolis and RALLY as a launch pad for big ideas and authentic connections. From high school and university talent to venture, entrepreneurship, industry and beyond, RALLY is Indiana’s time to put their game face on and seize an opportunity. Get your spot for RALLY today! Visit rallyinnovation.com.

Pork’s place on the plates of people around the globe continues to grow with a global pork market expected to reach more than $418 billion by 2028. Indiana hog producer and National Pork Board President, Heather Hill, joins this week to talk a growing demand for the protein paving the way for new innovation. She dives into her work at the National Pork Board, emerging trends in pork consumption and a continued dedication to sustainability (and also what that actually looks like on a farm). Heather also gets into the criticality of public education, emerging innovations she sees on the horizon and the one thing she wants others to know about raising pork.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture estimates that 13.5 million households – more than 10% of the population – experience food insecurity. Innovation, especially in the category of agtech, holds tremendous promise to lower that number. Today we are joined by AgriNovus Indiana Senior Director of Innovation, Geoff Zentz, to announce the launch of the 2023 HungerTech Challenge. They talk about what this year’s challenge entails, the intersection of doing good and doing well and what’s at stake for this year’s winning team (hint: it includes a $25K prize to accelerate their solution). They also dive into the role of innovation to eliminate food insecurity, not needing to know food or agriculture to solve this problem and the importance of food and nutrition to drive better health outcomes. Are you ready to take on the 2023 HungerTech Challenge or do you want to learn more about AgriNovus’ work in this space? Click here. Special thank you to Elevance Health – our presenting sponsor of the HungerTech Challenge – for their commitment to tackling food insecurity. Hear Dr. Shantanu Agrawal’s episode of Agbioscience here.

Growing an economy is part art and part science. It requires a bold vision, deep understanding of a region’s assets and an ability to unite leaders across business, academia and government, all to take action and drive growth. Today we are joined by Melina Kennedy, CEO of the Central Indiana Corporate Partnership, to learn how a former lawyer, deputy mayor and leader at Cummins came into her new role last month. She talks about the uniqueness of CICP as an organization, serving the community in an impactful way and being a proponent for innovation. How does Indiana continue to grow and what is the role of agbioscience in that story? Melina also talks about refusing to sit still, looking up and out and seeing what’s ahead before it comes.

Companies and governments across the world have made commitments to decarbonization; but one of the key technologies, electrification, is still years away from being applicable to the high-horsepower, high-torque requirements of production agriculture. BJ Johnson, founder and CEO of ClearFlame Engine Technologies, has developed a technology to transform high-horsepower diesel engines to run on 100% ethanol. He joins this week to talk about ClearFlame starting as an academic exercise and accelerating into a high commercial-potential product, the economic and environmental impact of this innovation and the necessary long-term focus on net positive emissions. BJ also dives into ClearFlame’s collaboration with Beck’s Hybrids, their innovation as one tool for the overall sustainability toolbox and how he thinks about growth in the future. ClearFlame’s research and development is located in Columbus, Indiana. Learn more here.

Worldwide, an estimated 20-40% of crop yield is lost to pests and diseases every year. Coupled with a growing desire to reduce environmental impact in crop protection and you’ve got a growing opportunity for innovation. From a central Indiana farm to Purdue University and then onto Scotland, Insignum Agtech founder and CEO, Kyle Mohler, joins us to talk stress detection in crops using his tech-enabled solution that taps into a plant’s visible natural pigments that signal a problem is coming. He also talks about farmer’s love for the tangibility of what Insignum offers, enabling responsiveness to whatever nature throws in their path and help boost yields while also being more sustainable. Kyle and Mitch also talk about making sense of on-farm data and Insignum integrating into existing systems. They wrap up with what’s ahead for Insignum Agtech including expanding partnerships. Insignum attached the close of a pre-seed rounding of funding the day this episode was released. Read more here.

Tackling food security in America often centers on programming and funding; however, innovators are turning to tech and new models to better connect food supply with food demand. Today we are joined by Khadijah Abdullah, Vice President of Economic Development and Social Impact at Shipt, to talk about the company’s fundamental shift in how access to grocery and goods happens and how they are using that to improve food security. From her time as a lawyer and past experience as an educator, Khadijah considers her career path the perfect straight line to where she’s at today. She talks her passion for changing big systems, impacting communities and Shipt leading innovation in how America gets its groceries. Khadijah also dives into the challenges our country faces with food insecurity, technology reducing barriers to food access and scaling solutions that create meaningful change. Shipt recently launched their accelerator program – LadderUp - to create conditions for innovators to solve these big problems surrounding food insecurity. Learn more here.

Agtech continues to be one of the fastest-growing categories of the agbioscience economy as producers and those that serve them seek to deliver greater value, efficiency and ultimately, improve net farm income. This week, we are joined by Dr. Brian Lutz, VP of Agricultural Solutions, at Corteva Agriscience. They dive into optimizing solutions for the farmer, the transformation of agtech and where we are at in its maturation cycle. Brian also talks about digital solutions letting farmers transparently see the value of the products they’re investing in for their operations and how Corteva Agriscience is formatting their business in accordance. Lastly, he talks through energy, sustainability and what’s ahead for the company’s digital platform.

Happy Valentine’s Day! It is estimated that 58 million pounds of chocolate have been purchased over the last seven days in honor of the holiday, fueling a global market of more than $46 billion. Today we are joined by an Indiana leader in sweet treats: founder and president of DeBrand Fine Chocolates, Cathy Brand-Beere. From a high school student making wedding cakes to the specialty chocolates that come from DeBrand’s today, Cathy talks about her love for sweets, allowing her creativity to fuel a growing business and working alongside her husband and kids. She also talks innovation not always being new, but improving what’s right in front of you. Lastly, what are the trends coming in chocolate? She has your answers and why trends aren’t always the answer. DeBrand Fine Chocolates is based in Fort Wayne, Indiana with an additional retail location in Indianapolis. Learn more here.

Fermentation has become a catalyst for new food innovation and Mark Warner, co-founder and CEO of Liberation Labs, is bringing a new approach to scaling a solution to support food companies and the customers they serve. With the recent announcement that Liberation Labs would build a new facility in Indiana, we sit down with Mark to talk through his background, what’s on the horizon for alternative proteins and when products will roll out of their new location. Liberation Labs, which aims to enable the commercialization of alternative protein products through fermentation manufacturing, will construct a facility on 36 acres of Richmond’s 700-acre Midwest Industrial Park. The new facility, which will have a fermentation capacity of 600,000 liters with a fully dedicated downstream process (DSP), is part of the company’s model to offer customers fit-for-purpose capacity at large scale. Liberation Labs’ facility in Richmond will help meet demand for alternative proteins, increasing its availability and cost-effectiveness for existing major food brands as well as the growing network of food-tech innovators. Read more about Liberation Labs’ new Indiana location here.

Microbiome has been heralded as a next frontier of unlocking the power of biology to drive healthier outcomes. This week, we bring together two pioneers focused on driving those outcomes in animal health: Aaron Schacht, CEO of BiomEdit, and David Bravo, Chief Science Officer at Nutreco. The two companies recently announced plans for a long-term strategic partnership focused on discovery, development and commercialization of next-generation ultra-specialty feed additives called Biom-actives to address livestock producers’ health and sustainability challenges. The two leaders dive into the details of their collaboration and what the industry can expect in terms of new products. They also examine the power of partnership, a nice marriage bringing out what both companies do best and the luxury of good timing. David and Aaron also discuss the emergence of microbiome innovation, an environment of complexity creating difficulty for companies’ continued ambition and turning that complexity into a competitive advantage. Read the full announcement on this partnership here.

Last week, AgriNovus announced its sixth class of Field Atlas Ambassadors – students that serve as the on-campus peer connection to the online career exploration platform (MyFieldAtlas.com). After a handful of ambassador classes, several Indiana college campuses and lots of discussion surrounding the sector, one this is clear: young talent is learning what it means to work in agbioscience (and they really like it). Julia Hamblen is an agricultural education major at Purdue University and a three-time Field Atlas Ambassador while DePauw University biology major, Bree Mahoney-Sutherland, takes on the role as the first-ever ambassador on her campus. The two of them dive into what draws them to agbioscience, the surprise reaction from their peers when they realize the breadth of opportunities available to them and how they plan to advocate for the industry on their campus this semester. Interested in learning more about this year’s Field Atlas Ambassador class? Visit MyFieldAtlas.com/Ambassadors.

From COVID-19 to African Swine Fever and now a global recession facing supply challenges, Elanco has faced many circumstances since becoming an independent company in 2018. CEO Jeff Simmons addressed the Economic Club of Indiana last week to send a clear message: their greatest era of innovation and impact to society lies ahead (and is coming quickly). This week, we bring you his comments as a special bonus episode. Jeff dives into Elanco’s new global headquarters being a destination, not an obligation, where people want to go and work with purpose and reaching the world’s animals from this new epicenter for innovation. And while acknowledging that great work has been done in Indianapolis, he calls on leaders to prioritize building an inclusive community where talent wants to be and to work quickly – because the window is small for us to seize our opportunity. **A special thank you to the Economic Club of Indiana for allowing use of their audio for this episode. To watch Jeff Simmons’ full program, click here.**

Agbioscience companies attracted more than $50B in venture capital globally in 2021, but venture isn’t the only source of funding fueling innovation. Private equity and debt are also flowing into the agbioscience economy as investors seek new avenues to deliver returns while advancing innovation. With interest rates rising and a cool off in the tech economy, what does this mean for the future? This week, we are joined by Patrick Gilbert, Managing Director of Vine Capital, Randall Lewis, Managing Partner at Cleveland Avenue and Steve Witges, SVP of Ag Lending at Farm Credit Mid-America to examine all the potential tools for startups and early-stage companies to scale and grow. They dive into how companies discern the right financial instrument for them given the current state of our economy, uncertainty driving the source of capital (along with an uptick in involvement from investors) and agbioscience as a growing market of attraction for investors. They also talk about capital efficiency and how it relates to trends and commitments made by companies, such as sustainability and environmental impact, and their ability to capture market while saving costs in the long-term.

How does wrangling bulls compare to working in corporate America? Perhaps no one is more supremely qualified to answer that question than Anya Gandy. From Capitol Hill to The Great Plains, Google and now Inari, the Sustainability and Strategy Leader has an impressive resume. This week, we talk with Anya about her career – from cowboy to tech star - and the common thread through it all: sustainability. She dives into nature-positive farming, Inari’s potential to go beyond net-zero pledges and the urgent need for more companies creating positive value to the planet (rather than a commitment to do less harm).Anya also talks about Inari’s plan to make that happen: AI-powered predictive design and a pioneering multiplex gene editing toolbox that unlocks the full potential of seed as a cornerstone of our food system. She also busts the myth that sustainability comes at a cost to profits, walking through the relationship between economic and environmental sustainability and talks about the future of collaboration and partnerships for Inari.Want to learn more about Inari? Click here.

An audible gasp filled the room at CES 2023’s opening keynote as the world’s leading innovators heard John Deere unveil its new robotic technology, ExactShot, which gives farmers the opportunity to dose fertilizer with precision rather than apply an entire stream – creating healthier plants with less chemical use while saving farmers money. AgriNovus caught up with John Deere’s VP of Production and Precision Ag Production Systems, Deanna Kovar, to talk about this continuation of the company’s smart industrial strategy and putting farmers at the heart of everything they do.Deanna also talks about the critical problems facing farmers – both economically and environmentally, the history of John Deere’s investment into groundbreaking technology and being precise to make sure their tools create efficiency. She also dives into what’s ahead being bigger than what’s behind us, finding and creating new uses for their current tools and drawing inspiration on tech solutions at the show, paving the way for potential application in agbioscience.

Do you also feel as though the year flew right on past you? As we sat down to recap what 2022 looked like for Indiana’s agbiosciences, we realized how much can happen in a short amount of time. From food to agtech, creating new innovative opportunities and putting Indiana on a global stage, please enjoy our first-ever year-in-review episode of Agbioscience, and also, our season 5 finale. We appreciate your passion and enthusiasm each week and look forward to bringing you more episodes in the new year. Reference episodes: Jeff Simmons, Elanco: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/agbioscience/id1412179095 Pamela Whitten, Indiana University: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/building-the-crossroads-of-biomedical-engineering/id1412179095?i=1000587701375 Susanne Wasson, Corteva Agriscience: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/modern-crop-protection-making-an-impact/id1412179095?i=1000561550250 Luca Bonini, Hello Nature: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/bionutrients-indianas-latest-agbioscience-collaboration/id1412179095?i=1000553925930 Sam Krouse, MPS Egg Farms: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/egg-celerating-innovation-in-indiana/id1412179095?i=1000557079928 Daniel Russek, Atarraya: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/shrimp-shipping-containers-sustainability/id1412179095?i=1000580638895 Aaron Schacht: BiomEdit: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/biomedit-betting-on-microbiome-science/id1412179095?i=1000567108868 Mike DiPaola + Opher Flohr, Taranis: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/bonus-taranis-recent-fundraise-brings-new-growth-opportunities/id1412179095?i=1000579439249 Stacy Dean, USDA: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/bonus-agrinovus-at-the-white-house-conference-on/id1412179095?i=1000581518985

In partnership with Indiana Corn Marketing Council and Indiana Soybean Alliance, the 2022 Producer-Led Innovation Challenge tasked innovators with optimizing existing on-farm data to create a farmer-focused platform that will increase data accuracy and reliability to impact speed and cost of capital from lenders. The winning prize: $25,000 to help accelerate commercialization of their solution. This week, we are joined by the winning team, Orlando Saez and Tom Uthell with Aker Technologies. They dive into their approach to the Challenge, how their solution fits within their existing tech stack and their plans to accelerate the platform’s growth in the future. Learn more about AgriNovus Indiana’s Producer-Led Innovation Challenge: https://agrinovusindiana.com/producer-led-innovation-challenge/

From restaurant tech to climate science, innovation taking over the agbioscience sector continues to diversify and grow as the problems we face when it comes to food get more attention. This week, we are joined by Jennifer Marston, senior reporter at AgFunder News, to talk about venture capital’s $51B investment in the global market last year and “the hype cycle” surrounding new tech and innovation. She also looks ahead at emerging innovations in the agbiosciences, market correction following the pandemic and how funding might shift more to the farm-side in the near future.

David Johnson’s impact on Central Indiana and its economic growth cannot be overstated. This week, the CEO of Central Indiana Corporate Partnership (CICP) joins us to tell his story, from Harvard and Oxford to Capitol Hill, being a lawyer and coming home to Indianapolis (eventually to lead CICP). David also talks about the necessary formation of CICP as an organization, the emergence of AgriNovus as an agbioscience initiative of the organization and the industry’s vast opportunity for sustainable growth in Indiana. As he prepares for his retirement, David looks back on the evolution of the state’s economy during his run at CICP, examines the headwinds Indiana will face in the future and what comes next for him.

She’s the 19th president of Indiana University and the institution’s first female leader. Today we welcome Dr. Pamela Whitten to the podcast to get her take on IU’s strength at the intersection of tech and health, the university’s deep interest and application in agbioscience and creating a seven-year strategic framework during a time where higher education is facing enrollment decline. She also talks about collaborating alongside Purdue University president, Mitch Daniels, to split IUPUI into two world-class establishments in the heart of Indianapolis and what that means for the future of our state.

How are coffee and cryptocurrency related? In the case of this week’s guest, the more you consume, the greater your investment portfolio. Andre Ramsey, Co-Founder of CoinCoffee, joins us to talk about rewarding members through java coins that are redeemed for cryptocurrency, going to market and the consumer reaction and the massive validation he felt from Starbucks launching a similar program.

Brad Chambers’ career is rich in entrepreneurial ventures – from launching and selling a landscaping business, investing in his first rental property as a sophomore at Indiana University (he owned 31 properties by the time he graduated) and ultimately founding Buckingham Properties. This week, the Indiana Secretary of Commerce talks with us about joining Governor Holcomb’s cabinet, industries that will power our state’s economy for years to come and his passion growing entrepreneurship in Indiana. He also talks about this exciting time for Indiana’s agbioscience sector and its integral role in building the economy of the future.

What came first, the chicken or the pizza? This week, they come together. We are joined by founder of Zero Carb LYFE, Omar Atia, to talk all about his chicken-based protein pizza’s fast-growing success. He also talks food science, diets and creating innovative food products that people want – and need. Ever hear about a chicken-based chocolate chip cookie? Listen here.

In a time where hunger is still a critical issue in the United States, Elevance Health is stepping up to connect consumers to better nutrition and, subsequently, better health outcomes. This week we are joined by Elevance Health’s Chief Health Officer, Shantanu Agrawal, to talk about the company’s approach to whole health, the role of innovation in connecting health food to the consumer and participating in AgriNovus’ HungerTech Challenge. To learn more about HungerTech, click here.

Power is a critical component of growing and scaling economies. This week we are joined by Brian Anderson, director of economic development at Wabash Valley Power Alliance, to talk disruption to the industry, the organization’s balanced path to decarbonization and working alongside agbioscience industry leaders to create big impact in Indiana.

Cummins made news recently with the announcement that they would partner with Buhler Industries, Inc. to integrate the company’s 15-liter hydrogen engines into Buhler’s Versatile equipment. This week, we are joined by Ann Schmelzer, general manager of Cummins global agriculture business. They dive into diversifying power in agriculture, innovation creating powerful – and sustainable - engines and the comparison of hydrogen to diesel engines when it comes to performance. Learn more about Cummins’ partnership with Buhler Industries, Inc. here.

He’s an entrepreneur turned venture capitalist and today, he’s on the podcast. Christopher “Toph” Day, the new CEO of Elevate Ventures, joins us to talk about the venture fund’s work in Indiana, helping companies beyond capital and making intentional connections to bring big ideas together. He also digs into the agbiosciences, opportunities for growth and what can be expected ahead for the state’s entrepreneurial ecosystem.

Last week, AgriNovus had the privilege of an invitation to The White House Conference on Hunger, Nutrition and Health where President Biden unveiled a five-pillar strategy to eradicate hunger by 2030. Mitch Frazier had the chance to catch up with the Deputy Under Secretary for USDA’s Food, Nutrition and Consumer Services, Stacy Dean, to discuss this new framework to end hunger and the role of innovation in the agbiosciences to make it possible. Using tech to connect those facing food-insecurity to high-quality nutrition is a problem AgriNovus has set out to solve. Learn more about our HungerTech Challenge and the work we’re doing here: www.agrinovusindiana.com/hungertech.

AgTech is Indiana’s fastest growing agbioscience innovation platform and to continue that growth, a top-notch base of talent is required. This week, we are joined by Dennis Trinkle, Executive Vice President of TechPoint, and Sheila Simpson, Chief Human Resources Officer at Intelinair, to talk about a new opportunity to connect agbioscience employers to tech talent: Xtern. Learn how your company can collaborate with TechPoint + AgriNovus to participate in Xtern. Visit here: https://techpoint.org/xtern-students/

There’s a new kid in town and he’s using artificial intelligence to grow shrimp in shipping containers near downtown Indianapolis. We are joined today by Daniel Russek, founder and CEO of Atarraya, a new Indiana company focused on transforming a nearly $50 billion shrimp industry. He talks about the hurdles he overcame before developing the company’s shipping container system, Shrimpbox, how their controlled environment creates a more sustainable product and when consumers can expect to see Atarraya shrimp on their dinner plates.

Purdue University students competed earlier this year with one objective: who can create the best innovation using soybeans? The answer: Team Smulch. This week, we are joined by Zuhal Cakir, Libby Plassard and Ethan Miller, the founders of Smulch, to talk about their innovation, sizing up the competition and what’s next for these young entrepreneurs.

Taranis recently announced a $40M Series D fundraise to fuel growth, focus on global expansion and invest in new technologies. This week, we are joined by Mike DiPaola and Opher Flohr, the company’s Chief Commercial Officer and Chief Financial and Operations Officer, for a bonus episode to talk about the news, agtech’s evolution and what’s next for Taranis.

Indiana Corn Marketing Council and Indiana Soybean Alliance serve producers across the state, including value creation and innovation for their operations. This week we are joined by Ben Forsythe, Sustainability and Value Creation Director for the organization, to talk about AgriNovus’ newly announced Producer-Led Innovation Challenge. The Producer-Led Innovation Challenge tasks innovators with optimizing existing on-farm data to create a farmer-focused platform that will increase data accuracy and reliability to impact speed and cost of capital from lenders.. The winning team receives $25K to help commercialize their solution. Are you ready to take on this year’s Challenge? Register your team for our accelerator program and the opportunity to pitch your solution in November! Learn more at agrinovusindiana.com/producer.

Mick Messman spent some time in Indiana early in his career and as CEO of DPH Biologicals, he is back. This week, he sits down with Mitch Frazier to talk about investor interest in biologicals, their positive environmental impact, DPH Biological’s Indiana operation and what’s next for the company.

Teri Willey’s impressive career has touched many college campuses in our state, and well beyond. This week, the Managing Director of IU Ventures joins us to talk about the next chapter of tech transfer, IU’s investment portfolio and the emergence of new startups operating on the idea of food as medicine.

United Animal Health has long been a leader in animal nutrition and now, they are looking to the future and adding new partnerships. This week, we are joined by Scott Holmstrom, Senior Vice President of Research and Development at United Animal Health, and Joel Harris, Co-Founder of Genvax. They talk about Joel’s recent fundraise, including a strategic investment from United Animal Health, how the two companies align well for a partnership and the future of animal health.

Melissa Proffitt’s career in law spans many industries, but agbioscience stands out to her. This week, the Partner-in-Charge of Client Relations at Ice Miller joins the podcast to talk about her path to becoming a lawyer, feeding the world and what sets Indiana apart.

AgriNovus issued a challenge to the tech community this year: unlock free delivery access to those participating in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), a $100 billion federal program annually. Eleven teams answered the call and brought forth their solutions recently and a panel of judges selected a winner to receive a $25,000 prize to help launch their product to market. This week, we are joined by Geng Wang, the CEO of Civic Champs and winner of the HungerTech Challenge. Geng talks about the “why” behind his organization, what called his team to sign up to participate and how they plan to proceed. Learn more about HungerTech at AgriNovusIndiana.com/HungerTech.

Purdue University has been hosting the 4th cohort of The Mandela Washington Fellowship with agbioscience innovators from Africa spending time on campus this summer to hone and develop their professional and leadership skills. This week, we are joined by Boaz Berhanu and Molly Abende to talk about their experience with the program this summer. They talk about the critical issues facing their respective communities, what they’ve learned from the program and how they plan to enact change at home once they return.

How does a medical doctor with decades of helping women conceive children apply their experience and a mindset for innovation toward pregnancy in cows? This week, we are joined by Jim Donahue, founder of Indianapolis-based ReproHealth Technologies. He talks about how the idea came to be, the difference in treating humans versus cows and the future of the company and what they hope to achieve.