Videos

AgFunder News’ Jennifer Marston on the good news for VC, rethinking how to fund startups + Indiana as a unique pocket for innovation

FloVision Solutions’ Rian Mc Donnell on leveraging AI to reduce waste + optimize yield for food processors

Indiana Farm Bureau’s Katie Nelson on legislative priorities, trade agreements + navigating uncertainty

From market volatility to high input costs and beyond, farmers have faced a series of unique challenges -- and farm management is something they need and want to get a good grasp on for their operations. Looking ahead to 2026, we are joined by Dwight Raab, Advisor to Farm Business Farm Management, to examine the balance between innovation adoption and financial management. We get into:

A high-level perspective on the work FBFM does to serve Midwest farmers through data-driven decisions

What the year has looked like for their farmers and how that’s informed their decision making for 2026

Tax policies that are changing and how the One Big Beautiful Bill is transforming the way people should be thinking about their farming operations

Out of the farmers who have operations that are doing well – what are they doing differently than others?

FBFM’s comprehensive farm level financial data and how those models have helped guide their decision-making processes

Balancing the adoption of new innovation between the realities of economic pressures for farming operations and what efficiencies could come from technologies coming on farm

The importance of financial literacy as farming operations switch hands over the next ten years

The one piece of advice Dwight would offer heading into 2026

Princeton University’s Sarah Glaven on growing the bioeconomy + finding critical alignment among policy, innovation + research

FloVision Solutions’ Rian Mc Donnell on leveraging AI to reduce waste + optimize yield for food processors

Turning curiosity into career exploration, peer connection with Field Atlas’ Angel Vazquez

From food is health to biologicals, what innovations and emerging trends took over the agbiosciences in 2025 and where are we headed in 2026? Perhaps no one better a source than Jennifer Marston, Global AgTech Editor at AgFunder News, to join us as we talk through the state of venture capital, its down market and the good news about where it’s headed in the future. She gets into:

A high-level overview of the venture capital market in 2025

The categories of agbioscience that are securing deals – and the areas of the globe that seem to be doing better than others with venture capital deals

The shifts in the last 18-24 months across dealmaking and what feedback Jenn has heard while talking with both VCs and startups while writing stories

What the startups and entrepreneurs who are winning are doing differently

With longer sales cycles, regulatory pressures, etc., does Jenn think we are due for a reset in how innovation is funded in agbioscience?

Indiana’s unique models unfolding with Corteva Catalyst, the launch of Elanco’s One Health Innovation District and how those might create a new ecosystem in the Midwest for entrepreneurs to grow and thrive

New startups and innovation partnerships out of the Midwest that have Jenn most excited right now

Upcoming stories and things coming from AgFunder News that she wants people to know about

Turning curiosity into career exploration, peer connection with Field Atlas’ Angel Vazquez

Indiana Farm Bureau’s Katie Nelson on legislative priorities, trade agreements + navigating uncertainty

Princeton University’s Sarah Glaven on growing the bioeconomy + finding critical alignment among policy, innovation + research

Turning curiosity into career exploration, peer connection with Field Atlas’ Angel Vazquez

Eurofins’ Dave Riggs on balancing food innovation with the regulatory landscape + opportunities for creativity across the value chain

As an entrepreneur, sometimes the boldest move you can make is to pivot. This week, we are joined by Rian Mc Donnell, CEO of FloVision Solutions, to talk about AI-driven solutions to help the food industry become more financially and environmentally sustainable by reducing waste and maximizing yield. We get into:

The work Rian leads with his team to optimize the food chain starting with protein – and how that vision varies from when he started the company

Insights that FloVision drives downstream to food processors and the capabilities they have because of these technology

FloVision’s market differentiation

How Rian sees the company playing a role in this massive food evolution

Feedback he gets from working with customers – especially food processors who are very traditional in their operations

FloVision’s recent $8.7 million Series A fundraise and what it will enable the company to do

The company’s tech stack and how the data drives different decisions and solutions based on their position around the globe, their food priorities and regulatory frameworks

Areas ripe for collaboration and what’s ahead in 2026