Agbioscience

When her career started as a basketball coach, one could argue it was foreshadowing a future in Indiana. President of Huntington University, Sherilyn Emberton, joins the podcast this week. She talks about the evolution of the university’s offerings, how they’ve evolved since COVID-19 and the importance of connecting their students to diverse and vast opportunities in agbioscience.

With 11% of the United States population using Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits, how can innovation create a better way to connect proper nutrition to more people? This week we are joined by Craig Gundersen, Snee Family Endowed Chair at the Baylor Collaborative on Hunger and Poverty and professor in the Department of Economics at Baylor University. He talks about the role of innovation in food insecurity, the challenges facing the current SNAP system and his recommendations for durable, sustainable solutions long-term.

Microbiome science is a fast-growing field and Indiana is home to a new company focused on innovation in animal health based on the microbial communities in animals and the surrounding environment. This week, we are joined by Aaron Schacht, CEO of BiomEdit, a company launched by Elanco and Ginkgo Bioworks in 2021. He talks about the criticality of microbiome science in creating healthier animals, the value of revisiting innovative ideas that were once passed over and BiomEdit’s need to continue growing their team.

Living Greens Farm announced in March that they would invest $70M to establish operations in Indiana, a move that will add up to 120 agbisocience jobs to the state. This week, Gerry Dick with Inside INdiana Business is joined by the company’s CEO, George Pastrana, and Melanie Faust, its VP of Supply Chain. They talk about Indiana as a great location to serve Midwest and surrounding area customers, Muncie’s upside for talent and how aeroponics differ from other operations.

Whether it’s 3D printers in food or personalized nutrition, the way consumers eat is continually evolving. On this week’s episode, we are joined by Purdue University’s Food Science Department lead, Senay Simsek. She dives into her work, the importance of carbohydrates, the opening of Purdue’s Food Entrepreneurship Manufacturing Institute and what she sees as the exciting future of food science innovation.

It's a bonus episode! AgriNovus hosted a panel discussion at Indiana's first Global Economic Summit last week and we've got the full session right here. Joining Mitch Frazier was Jeff Simmons, CEO of Elanco, Martha Hoover, Founder of Patachou, Inc., Jean Luc Tete, Founder of Paris-based Horus Impact, and Robert King, EVP of Crop Protection of Corteva Agriscience.

For the first time ever, Indiana Economic Development Corp (IEDC) will host a Global Economic Summit in tandem with The Greatest Spectacle in Racing – The Indianapolis 500. This week, we are joined by IEDC’s SVP of Global Investments, Andrea Richter-Garry, to talk about GES, what attendees can expect, what this means for Indiana and potential surprises that may come from the event. Learn more about GES at iges2022.com

It’s a bonus episode! This week, we are joined by our very own Senior Director of Innovation, Geoff Zentz, to launch a new challenge to the tech community: HungerTech. The HungerTech Challenge by AgriNovus Indiana will be a month-long technology challenge looking to use mobile-first technology to improve access to nutrition for people using the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). Running throughout the month of June 2022, the HungerTech Challenge will help entrepreneurs, students, technologists, and existing companies ideate and iterate toward a minimum viable product that can be launched in a pilot with the State of Indiana. Participants will receive access to AgriNovus research data, connections to subject matter experts and mentors, as well as one-on-one coaching to develop their idea. The winning team will be given the opportunity to launch their pilot during Q3 2022, be featured in a report to the United States Congress and receive $25,000 to launch their product to market. Learn more at agrinovusindiana.com/hungertech.

Corteva Agriscience announced Indianapolis would become its global headquarters in March, making them the 4th largest company in the state by market cap and the second publicly-held agbioscience company to choose Indiana in the last 18 months. Susanne Wasson, President of Crop Protection at Corteva, joins the podcast this week to talk innovation in plant science, how it’s shaping a more sustainable future and moving headquarters closer to technology and customers.

Farmers make decisions every day and while variables change year in and year out, one thing remains constant: it all starts with seed. This week, we are joined by CEO of AgReliant Genetics, Paul Nselel. They dive into his career path, from Nike to today, driving on-farm innovation and what’s next for the company.

Inspired by the senses at a young age, Matt Rubin has taken that curiosity to a new level in his adult years. The founder and CEO of True Essence Foods joins us this week to talk all things SoChatti Chocolate, his lingering curiosity driving innovation in food and the company’s approach to sustainability.

Clean resumes. Companies with strong values. Transparency and communication. These are a few things running through the minds of gen-z talent as they search for internships or early-career opportunities. This week, Gerry Dick from Inside INdiana Business is joined by Field Atlas Ambassadors - Baylee Dwenger from Hanover College and Sriya Nagubani of Purdue University for a panel episode about agbioscience, challenges in their search and what they look for in companies while on the job hunt.

Happy Earth Week! Farmers work tirelessly to be good stewards of the land and innovation enables them to make better decisions than ever before. This week, we are joined by Sustainability Lead at Advanced Agrilytics, Jane Stautz. They talk about data science creating actionable insights for farmers, advancing data precision in the future and the ways that agtech is allowing farming to increasingly become more sustainable.

The silver shovels were out this week as Elanco broke ground on their new global headquarters west of downtown Indianapolis. CEO of Elanco, Jeff Simmons, made one thing very clear: this is a new era at Elanco Animal Health. The company’s new facility includes many amenities; biggest among them is the epicenter for animal health innovation and the opportunity for innovators across the globe to collaborate on new ideas, create, incubate and scale new animal health companies right here in Indianapolis. This bonus episode of Agbioscience comes from the groundbreaking event as AgriNovus spoke with Jeff Simmons, CEO of Elanco, and Indiana Governor Eric Holcomb on what this new headquarters brings to the state – and the world.

Byproduct feed for chickens. Solar panels to power facilities. MPS Egg Farms recently announced a partnership with Kroger’s Simple Truth Brand to bring the world’s first carbon-neutral eggs to the United States. On this week’s episode, Mitch Frazier talks with Sam Krouse, VP of Business Development for MPS Egg Farms. They talk about what it takes to make eggs carbon-neutral, the partnership with Dutch-based company Kipster and when you will find these available in a Kroger store near you.

A new tech platform is giving artisan food entrepreneurs the opportunity to manage their business in one place – from website creation all the way to order fulfillment. This week, Mitch Frazier talks with Mark Josephson, founder and CEO of Castiron. They dive into Mark’s idea for the platform during a High Alpha Sprint Week, creating opportunity for entrepreneurs and how established systems of success will grow the artisan food industry.

Earlier this year, Ivy Tech announced the launch of their Garatoni School for Entrepreneurship and Innovation with the idea that entrepreneurs needed to know better than how to just run a company – they needed to know how to start one, too. This week, Gerry Dick hosts our monthly panel episode with Ronda Taylor, the statewide dean for Garatoni School of Entrepreneurship and Innovation at Ivy Tech, and Iris Hammel, executive director of RISE (Regional Innovation and Startup Education). They talk about the need for more entrepreneurs in Indiana, starting kids early with the idea of entrepreneurship as a career and how this program can connect startups to their local communities, enabling them to thrive.

From a fractured supply chain to an increasing desire from consumers to be more connected to the food they eat, some of the best innovations in agbioscience are birthed in times where opportunities for growth are presented. On this week’s episode, Mitch Frazier is joined by Dave Taiclet and Larry Page from Lewis and Clark Agrifood. They talk about the quiet disruptions that shift markets and gain the attention of investors, agbioscience being in the early innings of ESG and emerging trends they are carefully watching as our global food system continues to evolve.

Hello Nature and MPS Egg Farms recently announced plans to partner on a $50M Indiana-based specialty fertilizer manufacturing facility. Hello Nature CEO, Luca Bonini, joins Mitch Frazier this week to talk about the company’s new venture. They also talk about the role of bionutrients in a time where fertilizer is economically challenging to farmers, his definition of sustainability and what the future holds for Hello Nature.

What exactly is functional food and how is it different than eating healthy? This week, we are joined by Matt Whiteside, Co-Founder and CEO of Circle Bev, a functional beverage company located in downtown Indianapolis. They dive into how the business was founded, what functional food really is and the company’s vision on sustainability and supply chain. Matt also talks about the perks of growing a business in downtown Indianapolis.

This week, Mitch Frazier is joined by Jennifer Crandall, Founder and CEO of Safe Food En Route. They talk all things food safety, how regulatory shifts helped to her founding of her own company and the impact of COVID-19 on food safety and the supply chain.

Innovation in genetic detection is giving farmers a better opportunity to claim premiums on their non-GMO crops. On this week’s episode, Mitch Frazier is joined by Ryan Skaar, COO of NanoBio Designs. They talk about the company’s recent move to Indiana, the similarities of genetic detection to testing for COVID-19 and the widespread impact NanoBio’s innovation could have for farmers and consumers in the future.

How disruptive does innovation need to be to shift markets and gain the attention of investors? On this week’s episode, Mitch Frazier talks with iSelect Fund CEO, Carter Williams. They talk emerging trends in food and agriculture, the agbioscience intersection with human health and entrepreneurs being willing to listen while holding conviction around the core innovation that they’re driving.

Do you know if your pet has looked out the window more or less lately? Innovation isn’t far off from providing you that information, and it could lead to a better understanding of your furry friend’s overall health. On this week’s episode, Mitch Frazier of AgriNovus is joined by Kristin Bloink, VP of Global Regulatory and Pharmacovigilance at Elanco. They talk about her 30+ years working in human and animal health, her passion for maximizing technologies and innovations to impact the greatest number of patients (whether human or animal) and emerging trends in animal health and nutrition that excite her the most.

For crops like almonds, bee pollination is a critical first step in their growing season. Now, agtech is making it possible for growers to know what beehive health looks like ahead of that first step, allowing for agility and better decision-making. On this week's episode, Mitch Frazier of AgriNovus is joined by CEO of The Bee Corp, Ellie Symes. They dive into her co-founding of The Bee Corp, the launch of their agtech solution Verifli, being a Forbes Under 30 Lister and what it means to be an agbioscience entrepreneur in Indiana.

In a world where watches remind us to stand or breathe or our bank notifies us of suspicious activity to our accounts, farmers are now being given the same kind of real-time intelligence that equips them to make better decisions - sometimes before the problem is even visible to the naked eye. On this week's episode, Mitch Frazier with AgriNovus is joined by IntelinAir's new CEO, Tim Hassinger. They talk through the company's intelligence platform, AGMRI, the company's relocation to Indiana in 2021 and the future of data science in farming.

It's a new year, new us! Welcome to season 5 of Ag+Bio+Science. On this week's episode, our panel moderator, Gerry Dick with Inside INdiana Business, is joined by Mitch Frazier, CEO of AgriNovus, and Nate Feltman, owner and CEO of IBJ Media. They talk about what's ahead for Indiana's agbioscience sector, how we best tell our state's story and some new changes to the podcast in 2022.

On display at CES (Consumer Electronics Shows) last week was more than just another wave of agtech innovation; it was the future of farming. This week's special episode comes from the show in Las Vegas where Mitch Frazier, AgriNovus CEO, is joined by Igino Cafiero, CEO of Bearflag Robotics (recently acquired by John Deere) and Dave Roberts, Chief Innovation Officer at Indiana Economic Development Corp. They talk about John Deere's brand new, fully autonomous tractor, electrification and why these innovations go beyond the label of "cutting edge technology" to actual solutions that farmers will need in the future.

The Great Resignation: you've heard of it and in all likelihood, you (or someone you know) has participated in it this year, too. On this week's episode, Mitch Frazier is joined by Todd Richardson, CEO of EDGE Mentoring and Bethany Gremel, Director of Culture + Brand Experience at Beck's Hybrids. They talk about the all too real record-breaking August where over 4 million people voluntarily left their jobs, what employees are searching for and how companies can begin to turn the tides and create a culture that focuses on its people.

An Indiana company is up-cycling former coal mining sites to create sustainable community development and job creation. On this week's episode, AgriNovus CEO, Mitch Frazier, is joined by President and Co-Founder of Land Betterment, Kirk Taylor. They talk about how this concept came together, the work that goes into restoring the land and how the communities react to these projects. Kirk also talks about the entrepreneurial mindset and future growth of the company.

It's the most wonderful time of the year! You heard that right -gBETA Pitch Night is coming up soon. On this week's episode, Gerry Dick with Inside INdiana Business is joined by Doug Applegate, Director of gBETA Agbisocience. They talk this year's fall cohort, innovation in agbioscience and what we can expect from the startups when Pitch Night rolls around. Have you registered to attend the 12/7 event? Link here: https://www.gbetastartups.com/indiana/pitch-night

She's a third-year student at Purdue's College of Veterinary Sciences AND she recently won a competition put on by the College of Engineering where she developed a fabric for use in face masks made from waste stream in soybean processing. Ash Chitnis joins Gerry Dick on this week's episode of the podcast. They talk animals, the entrepreneurial mindset and keeping your ambition high to avoid regret.

Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology is home to some of Indiana's best and brightest talent -- an area ripe for entrepreneurial development. On this week's episode, Gerry Dick with Inside INdiana Business talks with President Robert Coons of Rose-Hulman. They talk about the launch of The Sawmill Society, which gives alumni entrepreneurs a forum for sharing insights, experience and inspiration with each other. They also talk Rose-Hulman students, their entrepreneurial efforts and potential for impact on Indiana's agbioscience sector.

Southwest Indiana is known for its melon production. Now they want to be known for agtech in specialty crops, too. On this week's episode, Gerry Dick with Inside INdiana Business, talks with Nichole Like, CEO of The Pantheon. They talk about the theatre's recent renovation and evolution into a business incubator, creating opportunities for entrepreneurs in southwest Indiana and advancing agtech in the region.

Young talent finding their way to the agbioscience sector doesn't just happen - it takes boots on the ground and effort in spreading awareness about the career opportunities available. On this week's episode, Gerry Dick with Inside INdiana Business is joined by Sylvia Harris, a Field Atlas Ambassador and senior at Huntington University. They dive into Huntington's fast-growing agriculture program, connecting students to the agbiosciences through Field Atlas and what it's like for soon-to-be college graduates searching for their first career. Want to learn more about Field Atlas? Visit myfieldatlas.com.

It started in 1937 with three acres of hybrid seed corn offered by Purdue University and today, it is the largest family-owned, retail seed company in the U.S. Beck's Hybrids CEO, Sonny Beck, joins Mitch Frazier on this week's episode. They talk family, using agbioscience innovation to help farmers succeed and exploring the “why” in your work.

Scientists at IUPUI, the IU School of Medicine and two other U.S. universities have been awarded a $2.2 million grant from the National Science Foundation to explore insects as food and feed in agriculture as a response to a growing population, climate issues and food insecurity. On this week's episode, Gerry Dick with Inside INdiana Business talks with Christine Picard, an associate professor at IUPUI, about The Center for Environmental Sustainability Through Insect Farming. They talk about the basis for this research, why it's necessary and the industry engagement with their work.

A once aspiring fashion designer, Anna Haldewang is now the founder and CEO of InsightTRAC based in Syracuse, Indiana. On this week's episode of the podcast, she joins Gerry Dick from Inside INdiana Business to talk finding agtech as a career, developing a Rover to remove mummies and navel orangeworms in almond orchards and her biggest lessons as an entrepreneur

Meet Team Regrow, the winners of the 2021 Producer-Led Innovation Challenge, designed to inspire innovators to create software that makes it faster for farmers to aggregate complex data sets required to participate in Carbon markets. Mitch Frazier, president and CEO of AgriNovus talks with Manal Elarab, global head of business and product development at Regrow. They walk through their solution, collaborating with Indiana producers and what's next for their company after winning $25K from Purdue Foundry. A special thank you to the presenting sponsor of the Producer-Led Innovation Challenge: Indiana Corn Marketing Council and Indiana Soybean Alliance.

What if one day you purchased a bottle of wine from the store and a label on that bottle could trace back to where its grapes were grown? Blockchain technology of that kind isn't far away and it's being developed right here in Indiana. On this week's episode of the podcast, Gerry Dick with Inside INdiana Business is joined by Mont Handley and AJ Moran, the co-founders of Plantennas, a patented Automatic Identification and Data Capture (AIDC) sensor enabled, molded fiber, propagation pot and ancillary hardware/software system.

Happy 1st birthday to Field Atlas! On this week's episode of the podcast, Mitch Frazier, president and CEO of AgriNovus is joined by Hannah McGee, a former Field Atlas ambassador and a recent college grad turned agbioscience professional. From Butler from Beck's Hybrids, Hannah talks about finding Field Atlas in 2020, her ambassadorship and opening the door to new opportunities for her peers on campus (as well as herself). Are you ready to connect with careers that make a difference and feed the world? Visit myfieldatlas.com.

For animal breeding and reproduction, the needle hasn't moved much in recent years...until now. On this week's episode of the podcast, Gerry Dick with Inside INdiana Business talks with Liane Hart, Founder and CEO of Verility, about their AI technology Fertile-Eyez. They dive into purposing human health technologies for animal health, building a business in Indiana's agtech ecosystem and advice for entrepreneurs with great ideas that need to materialize.

Inari is a huge agbioscience success story in 2021, with new funding and partnerships being announced in the past few months. On this week's episode of the podcast, Gerry Dick with Inside INdiana Business is joined by Claudia Nari, Chief Product Officer at Inari. They talk change, from Claudia's career evolution and coming to Inari, and the constant evolution of innovation in agbioscience. Claudia also talks Inari's latest fundraising announcement, the company's unicorn status and the future of the Inari in Indiana.

It's been a busy summer for Owl Manor Medical as the Indiana-based company's equine horse care product line was acquired by global animal health company, Zoetis. On this week's episode, Gerry Dick with Inside INdiana Business is joined by Mark Schindel, Founder + CEO of Owl Manor. They talk regenerative medicine, entrepreneurship and the collaborative, innovative uptick happening in northeast Indiana.

To create a solution to a problem or a problem for a solution? That is the question...with an obvious answer. On this week's episode of the podcast, Mitch Frazier, president and CEO of AgriNovus talks with Bret Sitzmann, Head of Grain at Solinftec, on their new grain marketing platform.

Northwest Indiana is experiencing a big wave of innovation and a key piece of that comes from the campus of Purdue Northwest. On this week's episode, Gerry Dick with Inside INdiana Business is joined by Niaz Latif, dean of the College of Technology at Purdue Northwest. They talk about Project TRAVERSE, a $1 million funded effort to develop and test agtech solutions, the need for high-skilled workers to engineer robotics for remote planting and harvesting of crops and their partnership with Hammond-based Digital Crossroads.

Indiana's agbioscience sector is unmatched in bringing innovative minds together to solve critical issues facing production agriculture. On this week's episode, Gerry Dick with Inside INdiana Business is joined by John Hays, Global Marketing Manager for Bango Liquid Handling Products, to talk collaboration and the 2021 Producer-Led Innovation Challenge. Stay up with the latest on this year's Challenge: www.agrinovusindiana.com/challenge.

AgriNovus Indiana President and CEO Mitch Frazier chats with Kip Tom, U.S. Ambassador + CEO of Tom Farms, about carbon markets and the data challenges growers are facing ahead of the 2021 Producer-Led Innovation Challenge.

AgriNovus recently launched a $25,000 innovation challenge to the tech community to solve a critical data gap that prevents farmers from participating in Carbon markets, where companies purchase credits from farming operations that sequester Carbon. This week, AgriNovus president + CEO, Mitch Frazier, talks about the 2021 Producer-Led Innovation Challenge with Courtney Kingery, CEO of Indiana Soybean Alliance and Indiana Corn Marketing Council as well as Larry Wilkinson, Noble County producer and ISA Director. To register your team, visit agrinovusindiana.com/challenge.

Indiana's animal health + nutrition sector is fast-growing and ripe for innovation and collaboration in the coming years. The key question: how do entrepreneurs and startups in the space obtain funding to fuel that growth? On this week's episode of the podcast, AgriNovus President + CEO Mitch Frazier is joined by Julia Stephanus, Partner at Borealis Ventures. They talk bringing products to market, animal health as human health and Indiana's vast potential in the space.