Identifying customer needs – jobs to be done – it’s the core of innovation. But what are the jobs that need to be done? What are those things left undone as we head into the 2025 growing season? And what does the current economy, trade environment and overall farm sentiment mean for innovators and the farmers they serve? Brad Fruth, Director of Innovation at Beck’s Hybrids, joins this week to make sense of it all. We get into:
The Indiana Economic Development Corporation (IEDC) and Global Entrepreneurship Network (GEN) today announced billionaire entrepreneur, philanthropist and investor Mark Cuban as the keynote speaker for the 2025 Global Entrepreneurship Congress (GEC 2025), which will be held in Indianapolis June 2-5, 2025. A graduate of Indiana University, Cuban has achieved significant success as an entrepreneur and investor. In addition to founding disruptive companies like Cost Plus Drugs, which is transforming the prescription drug market, Cuban has invested in hundreds of companies and has served as a lead investor featured on the Emmy-Award-winning show “Shark Tank” since 2011.
“Many of my business and entrepreneurship activities first took shape during my college days in Indiana,” said Cuban. “I look forward to returning to Indiana to share my story and engage with entrepreneurs, investors and policymakers from around the world.”
Hosted by GEN in a different rising entrepreneurial city each year, the GEC gathers thousands of delegates from 200 countries to share and strengthen innovative approaches to empowering entrepreneurs everywhere. Indianapolis will be the second U.S. location to host the annual convention since its inaugural event in 2009, underscoring the state’s focus on entrepreneurship.
“As an entrepreneur and business owner for 37 years, I understand the importance of supporting entrepreneurs in all stages as they drive our economy forward,” said Indiana Governor Mike Braun. “With an intentional approach to growth, long-term fiscal stability and lower costs, Indiana is one of the top-rated states to start a business. We are thrilled to host GEC 2025, welcoming thousands of guests from around the world to remove entrepreneurial barriers and build relationships.”
In addition to a compelling keynote from Mark Cuban and insightful talks from other global leaders, the GEC 2025 program includes informative summits, workshops and masterclasses, investor matchmaking, a government ministerial and networking events.
Over the course of four days, thought leaders will inspire and challenge new thinking, trends and opportunities. GEC 2025 is targeted toward company founders, investors, policymakers and entrepreneurial ecosystem builders, providing a specific track with curated content for each audience.
“The Global Entrepreneurship Congress unites bold changemakers committed to tackling the world’s most pressing challenges,” said Jonathan Ortmans, founder and president of GEN. “Visionary founders, forward-thinking policymakers, investors and support organizations from economies of all sizes will come together in the same room — turning ideas into action to fuel economic growth and drive meaningful change to expand human welfare.”
Indiana hosting GEC 2025 is another example of the state’s focus on cultivating a robust entrepreneurial ecosystem. Indiana was ranked as the No. 11 emerging entrepreneurial ecosystem in the U.S. per the latest Global Startup Ecosystem Report from Startup Genome and GEN. Last year, Forbes named Indiana the second-best state in America to start a business.
Sponsors for GEC 2025 include Indiana University, Eli Lilly & Company, University of Notre Dame and Google. A few sponsorship opportunities are still available. For more information, reach out here.
To learn more about the GEC 2025 event in Indiana, visit www.gec.co.
AgriNovus Indiana, a nonprofit coalition focused on growing Indiana’s agbioscience economy, announced today changes to its executive committee and its board of directors.
The board unanimously approved the addition of Robert King, executive vice president, Crop Protection Business Unit at Corteva Agriscience, and David Pugh, chief financial officer of AgReliant Genetics, to the executive committee. The board also approved the addition of Dr. Brian Lutz, vice president of Agricultural Solutions at Corteva Agriscience, and Micah Beckwith, Lieutenant Governor of Indiana, as successions to replace outgoing directors.
“Indiana’s agbioscience economy continues to grow thanks to the direction and support of the AgriNovus board of directors,” said Mitch Frazier, president and CEO of AgriNovus Indiana. “The addition of these experts to our Board brings even more breadth of expertise to our team as we work to build the agbioscience economy of the future.”
Beckwith is Indiana’s lieutenant governor, overseeing the state’s Department of Agriculture and leading the Office of Community and Rural Affairs. He grew up working in the dairy industry and for more than fifteen years, he has served as a pastor. Beckwith holds a bachelor of science in Business and Economics from Huntington College.
King is executive vice president of the Crop Protection Business Unit at Corteva Agriscience, a role he assumed in 2022. Prior to Corteva, he served as senior vice president and chief integrated supply officer at Nouryon, a specialty chemicals company, where he spearheaded the global and cross-business integration of the company’s supply chain. King has also held leadership roles at PPG, Nutrien, Agrium and Celanese, leading teams in the United States, Canada, China and the United Kingdom. King holds a bachelor of science in Chemical Engineering from Texas Tech University, a master’s of business administration from Texas Woman’s University and is also a Master Black Belt in Lean Six Sigma.
Lutz is vice president of Agricultural Solutions at Corteva Agriscience, overseeing the development of digital solutions that support the research and development pipeline. Previously, he was chief science officer of The Climate Corporation and held a leadership role on the Bayer Crop Science research and development team. Lutz was raised on a fourth-generation farm in Ohio and remains closely connected to his family’s farming operation. He earned his bachelor of science in Biology from the College of Wooster and his doctorate in Biogeochemistry from Duke University. Lutz also holds certificates from Northwestern University in executive education and business management.
Pugh serves as vice president of finance and chief financial officer of AgReliant Genetics, overseeing the financial direction of the company on key, long-range strategies. Previously, he was treasurer and vice president of finance strategy and risk management for Elanco Animal Health, where he established the treasury and risk management teams upon Elanco’s IPO and spin off from Eli Lilly. Prior to Elanco, Pugh spent 24 years with Eli Lilly & Company where he held several positions in finance and information technology. He holds a bachelor’s degree in Computer Science from Purdue University and a master of business administration from the Kelley School of Business at Indiana University.
The AgriNovus Indiana board of directors is comprised of leaders from industry, academia and government. All members are listed online at www.AgriNovusIndiana.com/Board.
Research estimates the global animal health market to be roughly $8 billion, a number analyst firm Grand View Research expects to grow at a 10% compounded annual growth rate through 2030. Much of that growth will be driven by biotechnology. Dr. Todd Zion, CEO and founder of Akston Biosciences, joins this week to help understand what is happening in the biotech markets, specifically as it relates to companion animal innovation. We get into:
New integration automates FS invoice processing, eliminating manual data entry for farmers
Traction Ag Inc., a leading farm accounting and operations software solutions provider, today announced its new automated billing capabilities with FS. This strategic integration enables seamless synchronization of FS bills directly into Traction Ag’s cloud-based platform, significantly reducing manual data entry and keeping farm records up to date.
The integration addresses a critical pain point in farm management by eliminating manual data entry – a time-intensive process that has long challenged agricultural operations. Through this innovative solution, farmers can now automatically import, review and approve FS billing data within their accounting system, saving valuable time.
“This integration with Traction Ag marks a first for FS – the ability for farmers to easily access data directly in their accounting system wasn’t previously possible,” said Brad Drake, EVP & COO at GROWMARK. “By streamlining the billing process, we’re helping our farmers spend less time on paperwork and more time focused on what they do best – farming.”
Key benefits:
Direct import of bills into a true farm accounting system, not just an expense-tracking tool
Brian Stark, Co-founder of Traction Ag, emphasized the platform’s unique position in the market: “What sets Traction Ag apart is our commitment solely to farm accounting. When farmers process their FS bills through our platform, they’re not simply tracking costs – they’re generating actual accounting transactions. This distinction is crucial for operations that rely on precise financial data to drive informed marketing and planning decisions.”
“As a farmer, every hour saved on paperwork is time back in the field or with family,” said Kyle Vogt, Traction Ag customer. “With bills automatically flowing into Traction Ag, my accounting records stay accurate without the manual data entry – exactly the efficiency today’s farms need.”
Looking ahead, Traction Ag is expanding its partnership program to collaborate with other cooperatives and agribusinesses seeking to streamline their accounting workflows. With proven integration capabilities through platforms like Agvance, used in this FS integration, Traction Ag is well-positioned to scale efficiency-driving solutions to more farmers quickly.
The integration is now available to Traction Ag customers working with FS. For more information, visit Traction Ag at the Commodity Classic trade show at booth #611 or tractionag.com.
Pitchbook reports that of venture capital deals in 2024, roughly 30% of them were down rounds or flat, meaning their valuation of the companies either went backwards or were the same round to round. It’s a trend that will continue, so how can entrepreneurs break the cycle? Matt Tyner, managing partner of America’s most active venture capital firm – Elevate Ventures, joins today to make sense of what’s ahead and how innovators can succeed. He gets into:
