The Indiana State Department of Agriculture (ISDA) announced today that Katie Nelson has been selected as Deputy Director of the Indiana State Department of Agriculture.
“We are so excited to promote a longstanding public servant, like Katie, to second in command for the Indiana State Department of Agriculture,” said Lt. Gov. Suzanne Crouch, Secretary of Agriculture and Rural Development. “I have worked alongside Katie for over six years now and she has been a strong advocate for farmers and agriculture in Indiana. I am sure that she will continue to push this industry forward in the coming years. Congratulations, Katie.”
As deputy director of the department, Nelson will support the director in achieving ISDA’s mission and strategies. Among many responsibilities, she will oversee the day-to-day operations of the department, represent ISDA at events, engage with producer organizations and identify opportunities to grow the state’s agriculture sector.
Nelson has served and will continue to serve as a liaison between agricultural businesses, state agencies and local units of government.
“We are excited to see Katie flourish in this role within our department,” said Don Lamb, director of the Indiana State Department of Agriculture. “Katie has a passion for agriculture, public service and supporting staff. I am hopeful this role will continue to support her as a public servant and bring our staff and department great success.”
Nelson has been with the department since 2017. She was previously Director of Legislative Affairs within the department, a role she has held since 2020. Prior to that she was the program manager of policy and regulatory affairs at ISDA.
Nelson’s past work at ISDA has included evaluating the legislative and regulatory landscape at all levels of government while positioning the department to support Indiana’s agricultural industry. She also served as executive director of the Indiana Land Resources Council, which was created to assist state and local decision-makers with land use tools and policies.
“Working for ISDA over the last several years has provided me with numerous opportunities for personal and professional growth, and allowed me to support my favorite industry, agriculture,” said Nelson. “I am looking forward to this new challenge of supporting our outstanding staff and continuing to pursue the ISDA mission of bettering Indiana agriculture within policy work, growing economically and enhancing our stewardship of natural resources.”
Nelson graduated in December of 2016 from the University of Missouri with a bachelor’s degree in political science. In 2019, Nelson graduated from the Agribusiness Council of Indiana’s Emerging Professionals Leadership Program. Nelson also is a 2021 graduate of the Richard G. Lugar Excellence in Public Service Series. In the summer of 2024, she will become a graduate of the AgriInstitue’s Agriculture Leadership Program, Class 20.
Nelson resides in Franklin with her husband, two children and beloved dog.
Targeted single-dose monoclonal antibody is the first and only treatment for devastating dog disease
GREENFIELD, Ind. (May 2, 2023) – Elanco Animal Health Incorporated (NYSE: ELAN) today announced the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has provided a conditional license for the first Canine Parvovirus Monoclonal Antibody. This is the first and only approved therapeutic solution proven to treat canine parvovirus — one of the most contagious and deadly viruses a dog can contract with a 91% mortality rate if not treated with supportive care1. The treatment is the first monoclonal antibody for Elanco, an important innovation platform for the company.
With an estimated 330,000 cases of canine parvovirus available for treatment in the U.S. annually2, clinical trials demonstrate that the Canine Parvovirus Monoclonal Antibody single, intravenous dose delivers targeted efficacy in treating this deadly disease. The treatment can be administered to dogs eight weeks of age or older with canine parvovirus. The Canine Parvovirus Monoclonal Antibody treatment may provide a less intensive and more effective solution than supportive care alone by targeting the virus with single dose efficacy and a strong safety profile in healthy dogs.
“Elanco is proud to bring to market this first-in-class treatment that will help save puppies lives, while alleviating the emotional and financial burden of both pet owners and veterinary care teams,” saidJeff Simmons, president and CEO, Elanco. “We’re excited to bring our first monoclonal antibody treatment to market, reinforcing Elanco’s commitment to pioneer new tools in spaces where there aren’t existing options. We’re committed to helping the world’s pets live longer, healthier lives because we believe making life better for our pets makes life better.”
The Canine Parvovirus Monoclonal Antibody is expected to begin shipping in the coming weeks, pending individual state approvals. Elanco will also continue to provide canine parvovirus education and resources to veterinarians, shelter owners and pet parents.
“Today’s announcement is a game changer for pet owners and veterinarians,” said Dr. Kristin Zersen, DVM, DACVECC, assistant professor of small animal emergency and critical care at Colorado State University Veterinary Teaching Hospital. “Parvovirus is an unpredictable disease that causes significant strain on pet owners and is labor intensive and stressful for shelters and veterinary clinic staff. It’s lifechanging and industry-defining to be able to offer a proven solution to canine parvovirus that limits the need for hospitalization, reducing the impact this disease has on hundreds of thousands of dogs each year.”
The conditional license approval—granted by the USDA to effectively and safely meet an emergency situation, limited market or special circumstance—of the first-ever targeted monoclonal antibody treatment for canine parvovirus bridges Elanco’s expertise in both therapeutics and vaccines. In the treatment efficacy study, the Canine Parvovirus Monoclonal Antibody was proven effective in decreasing mortality associated with parvovirus infection.3 Treated dogs also had significantly faster times to resolution of the most-adverse effects of parvovirus including vomiting4, meaning that they feel better faster and get home sooner.
Prior to Elanco’s Canine Parvovirus Monoclonal Antibody, the only treatment for the highly contagious canine parvovirus was supportive therapy, which can consist of 24/7 care, multi-day hospitalization and emotional stress for the staff and pet owner with no guaranteed outcome and potentially high pet owner costs. In conjunction with its portfolio of innovative solutions, this announcement establishes Elanco’s presence in the monoclonal antibody space and reinforces its commitment to helping pets live longer, healthier lives through its portfolio of innovative solutions.
Indiana Governor Eric J. Holcomb and Secretary of Commerce Brad Chambers announced the end of a sixth consecutive record-breaking year for economic development in Indiana. In 2022, 218 companies committed to locate or expand in Indiana, investing more than $22.2 billion (+250% from 2021) in their operations and creating 24,059 new jobs with an average wage of $34.71/hour (+21.8% from 2021 and +27.6% the state’s average wage). This marks the highest capital investment and annual record for average wages since the Indiana Economic Development Corporation (IEDC) was established in 2005.
“Indiana’s economy is firing on all cylinders,” said Gov. Holcomb. “These investment and job commitments will transform our high-tech industries and ensure that Hoosiers are at the forefront of the 21st century economy. Our strategic focus on advancing entrepreneurship, innovation and quality of place is igniting our neighborhoods and communities statewide, providing more opportunities for Hoosiers and their families to thrive”
“Indiana continues to lead in building the economy of the future,” said Sec. Chambers. “Our strategic initiatives and focus is attracting first-of-their-kind investments from innovative businesses around the world while enabling growth and innovation in future-looking industries like semiconductor fabrication and design, electric vehicles and batteries, life sciences, agbiosciences and industry 4.0. These efforts will pay dividends for generations to come, creating high-value, high-quality jobs in our communities.”
These economic development figures are one component of Sec. Chambers’ comprehensive, economic roadmap designed to ensure that Indiana is at the center of the future, global economy. The 5E strategic vision is a focus on built environment and quality of place, building an economy of the future with next-gen industry, leaning into entrepreneurship, creating a plan to navigate and lead in the energy transition, and promoting Indiana’s advantages and accomplishments through external engagement.
In 2022, the 5E strategic initiatives delivered a number of successes for the state, including attracting and enabling growth and innovation in future-focused industries, modernizing economic development toolkits, catalyzing investments in quality of place and quality of life, and bolstering Indiana’s international partnerships and global reputation.
5E successes for 2022 include:
Environment:
INVESTING IN INDIANA’S BUILT ENVIRONMENT WITH READI: The nationally recognized Indiana Regional Economic Acceleration and Development Initiative (READI) fully kicked off, with quality of place projects and programs now moving forward across the state. The initiative has designated $500 million to 17 regions across the state representing all of Indiana’s 92 counties to accelerate shovel-ready projects and programs that are expected to transform Indiana communities, attract talent and improve the quality of life in the short and long term. Across all regions, READI is on track to yield a total project investment of over $9 billion from public, private and nonprofit dollars invested in enhancing Indiana’s regions for current and future generations of Hoosiers.
MODERNIZING INDIANA’S ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT TOOLKIT: Gov. Holcomb signed Senate Enrolled Act 361 into law, ushering in critical modernizations to Indiana’s economic development toolkit that will strengthen the state’s competitiveness. The bill created Innovation Development Districts (IDD), which allow the state to capture property, income and sales tax for unique economic development needs, and improve the state’s speed and ability to attract large, dynamic economic development projects in future-focused industries, including EV battery plants, microchip fabricators and energy transition innovators like solar and wind farms. The bill also creates added flexibility for traditional investment tools, enabling the IEDC to better attract high-growth companies, and it adds state tax credit incentives and a locally funded grant program for remote workers to better meet the needs of the changing workforce.
ESTABLISHING FIRST STATE-LED RESEARCH & INNOVATION MEGA-SITE: The IEDC established its first research and innovation district – LEAP (Limitless Exploration / Advanced Pace) – in Lebanon. The 7,000-acre site in Boone County, which was identified as a strategic location for future industry growth, will better position Indiana to compete globally for high-tech jobs and help the state deliver strategic, investment-ready sites to industry leaders. In May, Eli Lilly announced plans to anchor the LEAP district, investing $2.1 billion two establish two new manufacturing sites to bolster its global pharmaceutical production.
Economy of the Future:
ADVANCING THE US CHIP INDUSTRY: Indiana created and launched a new Accelerating Microelectronics Production and Development (AMPD) taskforce to help companies in the semiconductor supply chain locate, innovate and produce in Indiana. Soon after, Taiwan-based MediaTek announced plans to establish a new semiconductor design center in partnership with Purdue University, and in July, U.S.-based SkyWater Technology announced plans to establish operations in Indiana, building a $1.8 billion semiconductor R&D and production facility in West Lafayette.The state is also investing in WestGate One, a new microelectronics hub in Daviess County near the Naval Surface Warfare Center, Crane Division (NSWC Crane), to advance American-made microelectronics. The new campus has already attracted four semiconductor companies – NHanced Semiconductors, which will anchor the development; Everspin Technologies; Trusted Semiconductor Solutions; and Reliable MicroSystems – that together plan to invest more than $300 million in Indiana and create up to 549 new jobs in the coming years.
POWERING THE FUTURE OF MOBILITY: Indiana’s automotive manufacturing industry is uniquely positioned to develop and produce the next generation of vehicles. In 2022, Indiana secured more than $3 billion in investments from companies to build EVs and EV batteries here. In Kokomo, Stellantis and Samsung SDI are launching a new joint venture to build a new, next-generation EV battery manufacturing facility, creating 1,400 new jobs, and in Marion, General Motors Co. is investing $491 million in its metal plant to upgrade its operations to support the company’s EV production.
CREATING THE FUTURE OF FOOD & ANIMAL HEALTH: Indiana’s rich tradition in agriculture and agbiosciences continues to advance new technologies and sustainable innovations while attracting growth from across the U.S. and around the world. In the spring, Elanco Animal Health, one of the leading independent animal health companies in the world, broke ground on its new global headquarters in Indianapolis, expanding the city’s downtown and laying the groundwork for the region to be an epicenter of animal health.Additionally, U.S. and international agbiosiences companies chose Indiana for growth: Atarrya, a Mexico-based agtech startup is investing $4.8 million to establish its first U.S. large-scale sustainable shrimp farm in Indianapolis; Do Good Foods, a New Jersey-based company is investing $100 million in an animal feed production facility in Fort Wayne that will divert food waste from supermarkets and repurpose about 60,000 tons of food waste each year; Intelinair, a formerly-Illinois-based company celebrated the grand opening of its new Indianapolis headquarters; and Living Green Farms, a Minnesota-based company is investing $70 million to establish a 200,000-square-foot indoor farming, processing and packaging facility in Muncie.
INVESTING IN ENTREPRENEURS & SMALL BUSINESSES: The IEDC works to support entrepreneurs and small businesses through the Indiana Small Business Development Center (SBDC) and the Indiana Procurement Technical Assistance Center (PTAC). So far this year, the Indiana SBDC has provided no-cost support to more than 5,000 entrepreneurs and small businesses, helping secure $99.8 million in funding and helping launch 362 new businesses. Additionally, PTAC has served 404 new clients, with roughly 75% qualifying as women-, minority-, or veteran-owned business enterprises, helping businesses secure $295 million in federal government contracts.The IEDC celebrated the many contributions of Indiana entrepreneurs and innovators during Global Entrepreneurship Week, announcing new entrepreneurial ecosystem assets: Entrepreneurship Indiana, an annual publication honoring the entrepreneurial journey, and a new website, which is in the final stages of testing, that will provide a comprehensive, statewide listing of resources, programs and services for entrepreneurs, helping them start and grow their business.
ENCOURAGING EQUITY: The IEDC secured up to $99.1 million in federal funding through the State Small Business Credit Initiative (SSBCI) to expand access to and increase capital for Hoosier entrepreneurs, startups and small businesses. The funds, invested alongside private dollars, are expected to result in at least $990 million invested in Indiana’s innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystem and at least 37% of SSBCI funds will be allocated to traditionally underserved small businesses and entrepreneurs, encouraging greater equity in access to capital for Hoosiers.
FUELING VENTURE DEVELOPMENT: As the #1 most active venture capital in the Great Lakes Region, supports the efforts of the IEDC by providing assistance to high-growth, high-potential startups and innovators, making capital more accessible and attracting additional private co-investment. So far this year, Elevate Ventures has committed to investing more than $21 million in 113 Indiana companies through investment and grant programs utilizing the state’s 21st Century Research and Technology Fund. Since inception, and across all programs, Elevate Ventures has invested $146.8 million in Hoosier businesses, attracting $2.03 billion in capital from other sources (13.84-to-1 investment leverage ratio).
Energy Transition:
LEADING CLEAN ENERGY DEVELOPMENT: Indiana achieved a ranking of No. 4 in the U.S. for new clean energy projects, with 5,104 megawatts of projects under development, thanks to collaborative initiatives like Mammoth Solar, which is set to become the largest solar installation in the U.S. The project, led by Doral Renewables, is now in the second phase of development to transform 13,000 acres in Starke and Pulaski counties, bringing 1.3 gigawatts of clean energy to the region.Additionally, Indiana joined seven other states in creating a Midwest coalition to pursue a regional hydrogen hub, supporting technology, production, supply chain and workforce development to fuel existing and future industrial processes, enhance energy security and ensure continued affordability for energy customers.
PARTNERING GLOBALLY: For the first time, Gov. Holcomb and Sec. Chambers participated in the United Nations Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP27), joining global leaders in government, industry and academia to elevate Indiana’s global, future-focused economy and to advance investment and partnership opportunities that will further clean energy generation and technology. The Governor delivered two keynote addresses, highlighting Indiana’s efforts to usher in clean energy infrastructure and energy sources and shining a spotlight on the state’s growing electric vehicle industry.
External Engagement:
ENHANCING INDIANA’S GLOBAL REPUTATION: Gov. Holcomb and Sec. Chambers continued a commitment to global engagement and international partnerships, hosting the inaugural Indiana Global Economic Summit in May and convening more than 900 registrants and 30 international delegations to advance key conversations, spark discovery and discuss opportunities for deeper economic and international cooperation for building the economy of the future. The first-ever event featured 76 speakers across 18 thought-leader sessions, highlighting global topics like the future energy and green manufacturing, mobility, talent, life sciences, sports and entrepreneurship.Additionally, the Governor and Secretary fostered international relationships abroad, leading six economic development trips to the Arab Republic of Egypt, Germany, Israel, the Republic of Korea, Monaco, Slovakia, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan and the United Kingdom.
ATTRACTING NEW US & INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS: This year, the IEDC, in partnership with local communities, secured 71 commitments from businesses to establish new operations – either as a startup company or as an established business investing in Indiana for the first time. Together, they plan to invest approximately $15.5 billion and create more than 11,900 new jobs, accounting for 70% of the year’s overall investment and nearly 50% of the year’s total new jobs committed.The state also had another robust year for foreign direct investment, with 32 foreign-owned businesses committing to locating or growing in Indiana. Together, these firms plan to invest $7.25 billion (+104% from 2021) in Indiana, creating more than 6,400 jobs with an average wage of $29.30 per hour and accounting for more than 26% of the total new jobs committed in 2022.
TELLING INDIANA’S STORY OF INNOVATION: In 2022, Indiana expanded and created new partnerships to better share its story nationally and globally as a state focused on innovating and building the economy of the future. In January, the IEDC partnered with the Indy Autonomous Challenge to showcase Indiana at the Consumer Electronics Show, highlighting the world’s most advanced autonomous racecar – named a top three tech trend to see by Inc. Magazine – and the state’s commitment to shaping the future of mobility. The IEDC also sponsored the 8th annual Fast Company Innovation Festival in New York City, highlighting the state’s forward-looking economy, and announced a new partnership with Avalanche Andretti Formula E to increase global awareness about Indiana’s leadership in the future of clean energy technology.
In order to continue this momentum and advance economic development opportunities for years to come, the IEDC is committed to utilizing the 5E approach focused on advancing innovation and entrepreneurship, ensuring a diverse economic environment, creating the jobs of tomorrow, and retaining and attracting top talent by investing in quality of place.
Agribusiness Council of Indiana today announced that Bruce Kettler will be the organization’s next president and CEO. He will join ACI in early January.
Prior to joining ACI as president and CEO, Kettler served as the director of the Indiana State Department of Agriculture and the director of agribusiness development for the Indiana Economic Development Corporation. In these roles, Kettler focused on agricultural advocacy, economic development, youth development and environmental stewardship.
“I’m incredibly honored to be chosen as the next president and CEO of the Agribusiness Council of Indiana, an organization I’ve had a working relationship with for many years now,” Kettler said. “I know firsthand the importance of Indiana’s agribusiness industry, and I am grateful for the opportunity to continue serving Indiana agriculture by leading this organization.”
Prior to joining ISDA, Bruce was the director of public relations for Beck’s Hybrids. He began his professional career at Dow AgroSciences, where he held a variety of roles including sales and marketing, finance management, advertising and public relations.
“After a national search, we are thrilled to welcome Bruce as ACI’s next president and CEO,” said Kevin McGuire, ACI board chair. “He is no stranger to Indiana agribusiness, and we are happy to have found a local leader who brings a decades-long passion for Hoosier agriculture to our organization. The board and our members truly look forward to seeing how ACI grows under his leadership.”
Bruce Kettler is the president and CEO of the Agribusiness Council of Indiana.
Prior to joining ACI as president and CEO, Kettler served as the director of the Indiana State Department of Agriculture and the director of agribusiness development for the Indiana Economic Development Corporation. In these roles, Kettler focused on agricultural advocacy, economic development, youth development and environmental stewardship.
Prior to joining ISDA, Bruce was the director of public relations for Beck’s Hybrids. He began his professional career at Dow AgroSciences, where he held a variety of roles including sales and marketing, finance management, advertising and public relations.
Kettler grew up in western Ohio, where he developed a passion for agriculture at an early age. He was involved in 4-H and FFA and served as the Ohio FFA President and National FFA vice president. Following his National FFA service, he attended The Ohio State University and graduated with a bachelor’s degree in agronomy and agricultural business.
Kettler is a 2012 graduate of the Indiana Agricultural Leadership Program. He serves on The Ohio State University’s President’s Alumni Advisory Council and on the Purdue College of Agriculture Dean’s Advisory Council. He is a member of the AgriNovus Indiana board of directors and was recently appointed to serve on the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture board of directors.
Atarraya Inc, creator of Shrimpbox, the first sustainable ‘plug-and-play’ shrimp farming technology, and BiomEdit, a microbiome innovator focused on animal health, today announced a research collaboration to investigate microbial changes to improve the cost-effectiveness, sustainability and production output associated with shrimp farming. The research partnership will focus on nitrifying microbes and vibriosis control, and will study how microbial communities change over time in a shrimp biofloc system to define the homeostasis of the ecosystem created for sustainable shrimp farming.
The goal of Atarraya and BiomEdit’s research collaboration is to gain a better understanding of microbial communities and their correlation with nitrogen spikes and other environmental changes. The knowledge gained from the study will help to minimize water usage, improve the environmental footprint of production and reduce the amount of feed needed to produce shrimp. This will improve the cost-effectiveness of sustainable shrimp farming significantly as feed is responsible for about 50% of shrimp production cost.
“Our collaboration with BiomEdit goes back to the core idea of Atarraya: using deep science knowledge to optimize protein production and contribute to global food security,” said Daniel Russek, CEO and founder of Atarraya. “The findings from this research project will help Atarraya to increase the production output of shrimp farming while reducing costs and improving sustainability. Together, we are making shrimp the most sustainable protein choice in global food production.”
Atarraya and BiomEdit expect to learn more about the ecosystem in aquaculture by using advanced microbiological tools to analyze the composition and diversity of microorganisms that inhabit the shrimp pond, as well as their interactions with each other and their environment.
“The Microbiome project will allow a deeper understanding of the role of the microbial community in maintaining crop homeostasis,” explains André Freitas, Biotech Director, Atarraya Inc. “The future of modern aquaculture is based on the use of innovative technology applied to high productivity systems, rational use of water and production of premium quality protein. Shrimp farming in a biofloc system is the face of this new aquaculture.”
Atarraya’s shrimp farming technology uses biofloc technology to transform waste nutrients into feed with the help of microorganisms. As part of the research collaboration, BiomEdit will use its gene-sequencing platform to provide critical insights into the roles of various microorganisms in the growth cycle of shrimp through high-throughput strain isolation and characterization. The approach is especially critical in land-based aquaculture systems with low environmental impact and increases the reliability of shrimp protein production. The research findings will be used to inspire strategies that optimize the health and performance of aquaculture shrimp production.
As one of the most popular proteins in the world, shrimp plays a key role in feeding a growing global population. In the past five years, shrimp sales volume increased from 275 to 415 million pounds. Yet, conventional methods of shrimp farming are disastrous for the environment – destroying seabeds and polluting oceans. Housed in a traditional shipping container, Shrimpbox by Atarraya is the key to meeting the growing demand for shrimp by increasing production while minimizing the impact on the planet.
“We are pleased to collaborate with Atarraya to find new ways to unlock the potential of the microbiome for shrimp producers who are trying to increase production and reduce their environmental footprint to meet the demands of a growing population,” said Aaron Schacht, CEO of BiomEdit. “Our deep knowledge in the microbiome in livestock paired with Atarraya’s immense expertise in shrimp and aquaculture production systems form an ideal match to optimize the use of biofloc.”
Intelinair and Aker Technologies (Aker) have announced today a multi-year distribution agreement to deliver enhanced crop health imagery and analytics to farmers and retailers all season long.
The strategic cross-licensing agreements allow the following:
Intelinair will offer its high-resolution satellite imagery and analytics to Aker customers for season long monitoring of every acre.
Aker will offer its TrueCause™ drone imagery and analytics to Intelinair customers for broader access to full stand and leaf level insights where fixed-wing and high-resolution satellite identify problems in the field.
“Our organization is focused on providing efficiency in monitoring plant health and nutrition. This collaboration adds confidence in the management decisions for our customers by providing more ways to monitor fields with a bird’s eye view,” said Tim Hassinger, CEO for Intelinair. “Through this collaboration, customers will gain insights sooner, helping them understand field status and performance, while also providing them the opportunity to take action sooner.”
“Aker’s drone-based digital agronomy tools alongside Intelinair’s satellite analytics is a huge win for farm managers and the industry,” said Orlando Saez, CEO of Aker Technologies. “Growers are looking for easy-to-use actionable tools to improve their farm operations. This collaboration enables a powerful way to inform field task priorities, as well as quantification of stand count, assessment of disease, weed, pest and fertility for better and more profitable crop outcomes.”
Global venture firm and startup accelerator, gener8tor, in partnership with Beck’s Hybrids, Ag Alumni Seed, and AgriNovus Indiana, kicked off the fourth annual gBETA AgBioScience cohort in September. The gBETA accelerator focuses on early-stage companies working in the Agriculture, BioTech and Animal Sciences verticals across Indiana. See details about the selected companies at the end of this release.
gener8tor gBETA is a free seven-week, no-equity accelerator program that provides startup founders with intensive concierge coaching and access to its national network of mentors, customers, corporate partners and investors. The programs are designed to set a path for startups to participate in equity-based accelerator programs and investment opportunities.
gener8tor recruited startups regionally for the gBETA program in an effort to support homegrown companies while also attracting startups to relocate to Indiana.
“AgriNovus is committed to working with innovators to accelerate agbioscience startup development across food, animal health, plant science and agtech,” said Mitch Frazier, CEO of AgriNovus Indiana. “We look forward to continuing to work with gener8tor to fuel the growth of agbioscience startups as part of Indiana’s $52 billion agbioscience economy.”
Together, the gBETA AgBioScience program partners aim to bring economic diversity and job growth to Indiana.“We’re thrilled to partner with our Indiana partners to bring these programs to life and bolster the AgTech, Aquaculture, and Food Security industries in Indiana,” said Doug Applegate, gBETA Indiana Director. “We’ve seen the incredible economic impact of the gBETA AgBioScience program in recent history, and we’re excited to contribute to the impact in Indiana again this year.”
At the end of the gBETA programs, startup founders will pitch their companies to investors, community partners and the public at a showcase event to be announced in 2023.
Startup companies and founders interested in learning more about gBETA’s programming and resources or applying to a future program are encouraged to visit the gener8tor gBETA website.
gBETA AgBioScience Fall 2022 Cohort
ArcticRx addresses the lack of innovation in the global cold-chain transport and storage ecosystem with a storage pod for medicines and other products needing ultra-low temperature transport/storage. The ArcticRx pod is approximately the size of a dishwasher with two versions; both are sustainable, stackable, have no Styrofoam, and can perform multiple trips. Both pods maintain stable -78c temperature (and other temperature ranges) for 21+ days with no electricity or battery. ArcticRx has pocket space designed on the exterior of the pod to place monitoring systems to track key data (temperature, location, etc.). Every pod can be adapted to use any tracking technology with easy integration to connect to the interior temperature probe. ArcticRx secured $250K for production tooling and design after confirming performance testing with 10 prototypes.
Seedsheets produces custom roll-out gardens that make gardening easy for everyone. Seedsheet increases garden success by 50%, increases crop yields by 30%, and organically eliminates weeds. Seedsheet has generated $5M in revenue since 2020, and $2M LTM.
Inland Shrimp Company sustainably raises saltwater shrimp and other seafood items through indoor vertical farming processes in vacant, repurposed inner-city buildings. Inland Shrimp uses alternative energy, remote sensing, and automation to collect and manage data, which helps to reduce labor costs and dependence on traditional utilities. Inland Shrimp is currently conducting customer discovery and negotiating pilot programs with two midwest grocery chains.
Contango optimizes the supply chain for physical commodities such as fertilizer, grain, and energy. Contango helps traders of physical commodities use software and machine learning to make profit-critical decisions. Contango informs when and where to buy, how to move, what to charge, and how much demand to plan for. Contango has validated the product concept with half of the fertilizer industry and signed the first paying customer.
Avari Labs brings microalgae as a first food to the aquaculture hatchery industry. Avari Labs microalgae product addresses high mortality rate (40-60%), opens Recirculating Aquaculture Systems (RAS) to new species and provides customizable nutrients to the consumer market. Avari Labs is feeding an ever growing, hungry world because the world doesn’t want to eat bugs. Avari Labs has established a pilot with Purdue University in Q3 2022.
