SePRO Corporation, the science-led, digital-first leader in water and land restoration, today announced the acquisition of Earth Science Laboratories, Inc. (ESL), a proven provider of advanced water treatment technologies. The addition of ESL expands SePRO’s portfolio of science-led treatment solutions, strengthening support for the water managers, municipalities, and communities responsible for keeping water systems clean, safe, and enjoyable.
Integrating ESL’s fast-acting treatment technologies into the SePRO platform and leveraging over three decades of field science, diagnostic capabilities, and digital intelligence positions SePRO to deliver more precise and comprehensive solutions across a broader range of applications, from lakes and reservoirs to water conveyance infrastructure and drinking water systems serving millions of residents.
“The acquisition of Earth Science Laboratories strengthens our ability to support customers as water challenges continue to evolve,” said Dr. Tyler Koschnick, CEO of SePRO Corporation. “By bringing together ESL’s team and advanced treatment technologies with SePRO’s deep scientific insight and digital intelligence, we are expanding our portfolio to advance water quality and support healthier, more resilient systems over time.”
ESL’s flagship products, EarthTec®, a versatile solution for controlling algae and reducing taste and odor complaints, and EarthTec® QZ, a specialized formulation for invasive mussel control, are widely used across aquatic and municipal environments, including drinking water systems and critical infrastructure.
“SePRO is a strong strategic fit for our technology, and we are confident in their ability to expand our reach to a broader group of customers,” said John Cooper III, CEO of Earth Science Laboratories. “This will improve water quality for both existing and new customers, and importantly, for the people who depend on that water every day. This is a positive outcome for our team, our customers, and the communities we serve.”
For more information about SePRO’s science-led solutions, visit sepro.com.
2026 Velocity empowers innovators to build tech solutions in bioinnovation, farmer-focused innovation, food is health
AgriNovus Indiana, an initiative to grow the agbioscience economy, released new research today identifying critical challenges ripe for innovation that will serve as the foundation for the 2026 Velocity Accelerator, a six-month program that awards entrepreneurs three separate $25,000 cash prizes for their technology solutions in bioinnovation, farmer-focused innovation and food is health.
Conducted by Arrowpoint Labs, the study entitled Advancing Innovation: Priority Areas for Indiana’s Agbioscience Future, updates the sector’s economic impact in Indiana, synthesizes insights from key state and national agbioscience leaders and provides problem statements for the innovation community – from students to startups and existing companies – to solve through Velocity.
“Velocity is an accelerator that focuses on the core challenges facing our agbioscience industry,” said Christy Wright, president and CEO of AgriNovus Indiana. “This study defines where Indiana is best positioned to lead and gives participants the tools they need to create purpose-built, scalable technologies. We look forward to working with our entrepreneurial ecosystem to drive progress in these focus areas.”
According to the study, there are three challenge areas for innovators to address through innovation for this year’s accelerator:
BioInnovation
Develop technology that unlocks powerful markets for bio-based products, including focuses on gene editing for operational simplicity, mid-scale biomanufacturing and fermentation infrastructure, and agricultural waste stream biorefinery transformations.
Challenges to address include:
- Advance gene editing technologies delivering enhanced crop traits (climate resilience, nutritional density, nitrogen-use efficiency) through improved seed varieties that minimize operational change requirements.
- Advance technologies enabling modular, flexible mid-scale fermentation and bioprocessing infrastructure that support pilot and scaling of precision fermentation, microbial strain engineering, and bio-based chemical production domestically.
- Develop enzymatic hydrolysis, fermentation, and chemical conversion technologies transforming high-volume agricultural waste streams into high-value bioplastics, biochemicals, specialty food ingredients, and advanced materials at commercial scale with positive economics.
Farmer-Focused Innovation
Leverage technology to assist farmers with some of the most critical issues facing their operations; including farm data intelligence and interoperability, regulatory navigation and compliance automation, and human-out-of-loop automation for labor-intensive operations.
Challenges to address include:
- Build unified farm data platforms that consolidate 500,000-plus daily data points from fragmented systems into predictive decision support tools that demonstrate clear ROI and integrate seamlessly with existing farm operations.
- Develop automated compliance and regulatory navigation platforms that reduce time burden of complex EPA pesticide point systems, conservation program paperwork, and multi-jurisdictional requirements while maintaining farmer access to essential chemistry and economic incentives.
- Create autonomous equipment and AI-enabled robotics for complex farm tasks (specialty crop harvesting, livestock management, processing operations) that deliver under two-year ROI, mitigate skilled labor needs, and integrate with existing farm infrastructure.
Food is Health
Develop and accelerate innovation that increases food and nutrition access and enables food as a driver of health, giving opportunities across the agricultural and health care value chains to positively impact healthier lives, communities and environment.
Challenges to address include:
- Build platforms connecting farmers to healthcare payers, CPG companies, and health-conscious consumers that enable transparent pricing premiums for nutrient-dense crops, identity-preserved supply chains at commercial scale, and measurable clinical outcome tracking.
- Develop data collection, integration, and analytics platforms demonstrating measurable clinical outcomes (ER visit reduction, hospitalization decrease, medication use reduction) from food interventions, enabling sustainable business cases for health care payers beyond temporary grant funding.
- Develop protein-enriched ingredients and functional food components that integrate seamlessly into existing CPG manufacturing processes while improving macronutrient profiles and meeting consumer requirements.
Presented by Indiana Corn Marketing Council and Indiana Soybean Alliance, Velocity’s three tracks are guided by research and strong mentorship throughout the six-month accelerator. The program will culminate with a demo day event and winning check presentations in October. Companies, individuals and entrepreneurs who want to apply to participate in Velocity can access more information and an application link here. The deadline to register is May 1, 2026.
To read the full study and get more information on the Velocity challenge scopes, click here.
Keystone Cooperative announced today a onetime special equity redemption totaling $38.4 million, representing approximately 43% of all named equity outstanding. This historic distribution reflects Keystone’s long-standing commitment to return value to farmer-members and to uphold the strength, sustainability, and future of family farms across its service area.
The special equity redemption is being issued at a time when many farm operations face significant economic pressure. Keystone’s Board of Directors and leadership team approved the payout as a meaningful way to deliver financial relief without compromising the cooperative’s ability to invest strategically in people, facilities, assets, and long-term growth.
“This redemption is a powerful demonstration of what makes cooperatives unique: value flows back to the people who help create it,” said Kevin Still, President & CEO of Keystone Cooperative. “Our financial strength, which has been accelerated by recent mergers, operational synergies, and continued member loyalty, allows us to return capital at a moment when it can truly make a difference for farm families.”
This redemption includes member equity issued from 1967 through 2020 and is not taxable income, as taxes were paid in the year the equity was earned. Members must be in good standing to receive the distribution, and checks are being mailed directly to eligible farmer-members.
This Special Equity Redemption is part of a broader return of member value in 2026. In total, Keystone will distribute $93.7 million to farmer-members this year, including:
- $48 million in Cash Patronage
- $7.3 million in Age 70 Redemptions
- $38.4 million in this one-time Special Equity Redemption
The cooperative will continue to honor its Age 70 redemption policy, and legacy Harvest Land equity issued prior to the 2021 merger remains unaffected, as it was previously returned.
“Our cooperative was built by generations of farmers who believed in shared success, resilience, and long-term vision,” said Bill Peters, Chairman of the Board of Directors. “As Keystone approaches its 100-year anniversary in 2027, this redemption underscores our commitment to supporting member-owners today while safeguarding the financial strength that will carry us into the next century.”
“The heart of our cooperative is, and always will be, our farmer-owners,” Still added. “Together, we are building a bright, resilient, and optimistic future for the next generation of agriculture.”
The Central Indiana Corporate Partnership (CICP) has announced the launch of the Catalyst Scholars Fund, which marks the first phase of a broader Advanced Chemistry strategy for Indiana. The strategy involves a coordinated effort to position Indiana as the national leader in the development and deployment of technologies needed to reshore and secure critical supply chains for medicines, animal health products, and agricultural inputs, which is a national security priority.
The Catalyst Scholars Fund is a five-year initiative to enable Indiana’s leading STEM higher education institutions, including its four R1 research institutions (Indiana University, Purdue University and the University of Notre Dame) along with Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology to attract world-class research teams in Advanced Chemistry through strategic cluster and eminent scholar recruitment. The Fund will provide matching support for major equipment, laboratory infrastructure, and startup packages, strengthening the State’s ability to attract and retain top research talent with the expertise and capabilities to develop new technologies with translational potential that can be deployed to strengthen domestic supply chains.
Supported by a $69.4 million grant from Lilly Endowment Inc. to the CICP Foundation Inc. and matching commitments from participating universities, the Catalyst Scholars Fund, spearheaded by CICP and powered by its branded initiatives, BioCrossroads and AgriNovus Indiana, will enable these Indiana higher education institutions to recruit 25 to 45 world class faculty and their teams over five years to tackle industry informed grand challenges in analytical chemistry, novel macromolecular chemistries, automation, and artificial intelligence applications in bioscience manufacturing.
Leveraging Indiana’s unique strengths, including global life sciences leaders Eli Lilly and Company, Elanco Animal Health, and Corteva and these world-class research and teaching institutions and the State’s position as the nation’s leading exporter of life science products, the initiative will accelerate new research and translation of platform technologies. Together, these tools and capabilities are relevant across human health, animal health, and plant science, serving as a compelling example of the power of Indiana’s One Health ecosystem.
“The Catalyst Scholars Fund begins to position Indiana as the go-to location for innovation and technology implementation in Advanced Chemistry manufacturing,” said Central Indiana Corporate Partnership (CICP) CEO Melina Kennedy. “CICP and its initiatives, BioCrossroads and AgriNovus, are pleased to help align these CEOs, university presidents, and ecosystem partners around a single vision: making Indiana the national hub where world-class academic researchers and industry partners come together to strengthen our nation’s most critical supply chains.”
“The Catalyst Scholars Fund builds on IU’s longstanding strengths in the life sciences and accelerates the momentum of IU LAB to rapidly translate research into innovation that fuels Indiana’s competitiveness,” said Indiana University President Pam Whitten. “As Indiana’s largest research institution with a statewide footprint, IU brings unmatched scale, depth, and capability to this effort. By joining forces with the other initiative partners and industry leaders, we are creating research clusters and recruiting talent that will help secure the nation’s medicine and food supply while opening new opportunities for Hoosiers in every corner of the state.”
“From its two Nobel Prizes in Chemistry to the recently launched One Health strategic priority, Purdue is ready to work with industry partners to develop breakthrough research and excellence at unparalleled scale in talent pipeline through four chemistry-related departments, thus securing critical supply chains onshore and positioning our state as the default destination for advanced chemistry innovation,” said Purdue University President Mung Chiang. “The Catalyst Scholars Fund and the visionary support from Lilly Endowment accelerate our efforts to build the infrastructure and recruit and retain the best faculty in advanced chemistry.”
“Throughout our history, the University of Notre Dame has been guided by its Catholic mission and our founder’s vision to be a ‘powerful means for doing good in this country,’” said Rev. Robert A. Dowd, C.S.C., University of Notre Dame president. “By supporting advanced chemistry efforts that help to develop our nation’s early career workforce and to reshore manufacturing in critical areas, the Catalyst Scholars Fund reflects our ongoing commitment to harnessing discovery and collaboration, particularly in service of the most vulnerable and underserved in society. These efforts build upon our existing leadership of major initiatives in this space, including the NSF-funded Center for Bioanalytic Metrology and the Center for Computer Aided Synthesis. We look forward to working alongside our industrial and academic partners to realize the vision of Catalyze Indiana and strengthen the health and capacity of our state.”
Robert A. Coons, President, Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology shared, “I hope every Rose-Hulman graduate leaves with not only knowledge, but a passion for innovation and a drive to keep discovering new ways to solve hard problems. The Catalyst Scholars Fund amplifies those instincts across Indiana’s higher education institutions, empowering faculty and students to take smart risks, push the boundaries of what’s possible in advanced chemistry, and create technologies that will secure critical supply chains and improve lives for years to come.”
Indiana is uniquely positioned to become the nation’s epicenter for advanced chemistry manufacturing, with global life sciences leaders, top-tier research universities, and a deep manufacturing base that already generates more than $43 billion annually and employs nearly 40,000 Hoosiers in advanced chemistry-related sectors. By prioritizing talent through the Catalyst Scholars Fund, Indiana is building the research depth and technical capacity required to support workforce training and supply chain infrastructure.
The program also promotes statewide collaboration through coordinated equipment sharing agreements among universities, maximizing the impact of infrastructure investments. Major analytical instruments and specialized facilities enabled through the fund will be available to researchers across institutions.
Industry partners including Eli Lilly and Company, Elanco Animal Health, and Corteva will help inform annual technology priorities and engage directly with recruited scholars through sponsored research, advisory input, and collaborative programs. This structure ensures that academic research remains aligned with the real manufacturing challenges facing companies operating in food, medicine, and advanced materials.
“Modern medicines are increasingly complex to manufacture,” said David A. Ricks, Chair and CEO of Eli Lilly and Company. “Advancing the technologies that make production more efficient and reliable is essential to keeping supply secure and ensuring access for patients. This investment deepens Lilly’s collaboration with Indiana’s leading research universities and advanced chemistry experts, and Lilly is excited to work with the researchers recruited through the Catalyst Scholars Fund to help translate innovation into impact.”
Additional Perspectives from Initiative Partners
Chuck Magro, CEO, Corteva
“Innovation in advanced chemistry and manufacturing processes is essential because as the world grows, we will need to grow more food on the same amount of land, manage our environmental footprint, and strengthen the food supply chain farmers and Hoosiers depend upon. The Catalyst Scholars Fund creates exactly the kind of industry-university partnerships we need, bringing world-class scientists together with global agriculture leaders to turn new ideas into practical tools that help farmers do what they do best – feed the world.”
Jeff Simmons, President and CEO, Elanco Animal Health
“When people find their ‘why,’ they go further than they ever imagined, and the same is true for regions and ecosystems. The Catalyst Scholars Fund gives Indiana researchers and innovators a compelling purpose: supporting the health and wellbeing of pets and increasing the availability and affordability of protein that the world is counting on. Further, we’re creating a destination for global talent that wants to make a real difference in animal health and the future of food.”
