A self-adhesive, lab-grade and food-grade film called SoyShield earned the $20,000 grand prize in the 31st annual Student Soybean Innovation Competition during the awards ceremony on Wednesday evening at the Purdue Memorial Union in West Lafayette, Ind. This year’s event added a new soy-based food innovation track, which was won by a high-protein snack called Soy Straws.
The Student Soybean Innovation Competition is a partnership between the Indiana Soybean Alliance (ISA) and Purdue University. ISA awarded more than $35,000 to four teams that created new products in the industry track. In the soy-based food track, five teams earned a total of $11,000. To win these competitions, Purdue University students must develop innovative applications for soybeans. More than 100 students completed the competition through the two tracks comprised of 31 teams.
“The goal of the competition is to highlight the versatility of soybeans while addressing a need in agriculture or the general public,” said ISA Board Chair Denise Scarborough, a farmer from LaCrosse, Ind. “ISA looks forward to working with Purdue students each year and seeing what unique products they create. The products made by these students can expand opportunities and markets for all Indiana soybean growers. We are excited about SoyShield and Soy Straws.”
SoyShield wins top prize in the industrial soy products track
Nineteen teams of 62 students with 21 faculty advisors competed in this year’s industrial soy products track.
SoyShield is a 100 percent biodegradable, highly elastic, self-adhesive lab-grade and food-grade film designed to be used in commercial laboratory settings for sealing chemical containers, while also being suitable for home use as an alternative to plastic wrap. SoyShield was created by Purdue University students Claire Eckhardt, Nicholas Emge and Leah Hartzell. Both Eckhardt and Emge are sophomores majoring in environmental and natural resources engineering. Eckhardt is from Albuquerque, N.M., and Emge is from O’Fallon, Mo. Hartzell is a sophomore from Miami, Fla., majoring in agricultural engineering.
Originally intended for a laboratory market, SoyShield is an environmentally friendly alternative to petroleum-based films. The SoyShield team said there is a growing need for biodegradable solutions for one-use-only materials as many university-based laboratories are adopting new environmental standards. Due to its soybean ingredients, SoyShield has the added benefit of being able to replace plastic wrap in kitchens for preserving food. Because SoyShield is permeable, there may be additional uses for this product.
“In the home consumer market, there is a great need for elastic films to seal food,” Eckhardt said. “Additionally, the permeable and compostable nature of SoyShield makes it much less of a choking hazard for children in the home compared to non-permeable plastic counterparts currently on the market.”
Each student said they were pleased with the experience of participating in the Student Soybean Innovation Competition. “Participating in this competition has been an incredibly rewarding experience,” Hartzell said. “Co-creating SoyShield has helped me gain a deeper understanding of the business and marketing aspects of a project rather than solely focusing on technical skills. Being able to see our vision come to life in the lab and then working with my teammates to continually improve our prototype was such a gratifying process.”
Soy Straws team wins soy-based food innovation track
The soy-based food innovation track was a new addition to the competition this year. The competition required students to develop novel high-protein snack items using soy. In total, 12 teams all of whom are College of Agriculture students who worked with Purdue Food Science Department to create products made with the food grade facilities on campus competed for top prize.
Soy Straws, a lightweight, shelf-stable snack that resembles an egg roll cookie from Spain called a barquilleros, earned the $5,000 top prize in the first-ever Student Soy Food Competition. The creators of Soy Straws said they offer the ability to deliver a variety of flavors and a simple manufacturing process. The product’s marketing plan said Soy Straws are a crispy, high protein snack with 15 grams of protein and 0 trans fats. The winning team called themselves The Edemamas and featured Purdue students Anna Hicks, Rong Yang and Sara Thomason.
“Getting crispy products can be a little bit tricky, especially a protein snack,” Hicks said. “It can be a little bit tricky to get the textures you want. There is a lot of trial and error with different formulations to get the texture you want. We were really excited when we were brainstorming because those crispy round snacks aren’t currently on the market.”
Dr. Rodolfo Pinal People’s Choice Award
In addition to the other prizes, the more than 400 attendees of the Student Soybean Innovation Competition Awards Ceremony could each vote for their favorite product for the $500 People’s Choice award. This prize was officially renamed in honor Dr. Rodolfo Pinal, Associate Professor of Industrial and Molecular Pharmaceutics who died in December 2024. Pinal was a frequent faculty advisor for students in this competition, many of whom were prize winners, including the past two winning teams.
This year’s award went to SoyCare, soybean-based diapers that provide a cost-effective, highly biodegradable and renewable solution to meet a growing demand. The integration of soy-based absorbent technology and soy-derived fabric ensures high absorbency, comfort and complete biodegradability – which is important with diapers significantly filling U.S. landfills. The SoyCare team members include Soumil Gupta, who plans to major in chemical engineering; Mary Busayo Oluyemi, a doctoral student in the Department of Food Science; and Himanjali Tavva, a freshman food science major.
The contest introduces Purdue students to the multi-faceted uses and vast potential of soybeans while drawing on students’ creativity to develop products that utilize soy.
“Indiana soybean checkoff funds are used, in part, to find new uses and new markets for our soybeans – creating more demand and higher value uses to help our farms to be more profitable and sustainable,” said ISA Board Director Jenna Scott, a farmer from Muncie, Ind., at chair of ISA’s Sustainability and Value Creation Committee. “The Student Soybean Innovation Competition allows ISA to create relationships with bright and creative students and their advisors at Purdue. Products from this contest have the potential to help us increase the value of the soybeans we grow.”
Industry working with students
The students involved in the competition represented a variety of majors including agronomy, biological engineering, animal science, pharmacy and environmental and natural resource engineering. Each team works with two faculty advisors who provide technical and market research support. Many advisors worked with more than one team of students.
This year’s industrial track judges included four ISA board members: Allen Buchanan of Fowler, Ind.; David Hardin of Avon, Ind.; Roger Wenning of Greensburg, Ind.; and Brian Warpup of Warren, Ind. Also three industry experts served as judges including Dan Dawes with AgriNovus, Dr. Clayton Westerman of BioBond Adhesives and Brit Walker with ADM.
The food track judges were ISA Board Directors, Jenna Scott and Andrew McDaniel, a farmer from Waldron, Ind., Soy Nutrition Institute Global CEO Julie Ohmen, Purdue Food Science professor Dr. Owen Jones and Egglife Foods Research and Development scientist Audra Craft.
Additional industrial track winners
Earning second place this year, and a $10,000 prize, were the creators of SoySleek, a soy-based shampoo bar. SoySleek is made with natural, chemical-free ingredients. Each ingredient was chosen to produce healthy, shiny hair that maintains the hair’s natural oils and color. The bar is concentrated with cleansing, longevity, and eco-friendly properties.
The SoySleek team members include three Purdue sophomores including Riya Miglani, a biological engineering major; Shreya Prakash, a mechanical engineering major; and Angelus Vanhappilly, an industrial engineering major.
Finishing third, and earning a $5,000 prize, were the creators of PuraSoy, a multi-purpose pad. PuraSoy is a 100 percent soy-based, dry multi-purpose pad product made with two pure soy-based ingredients. It is gentle on a variety of surfaces including skin, face, glassware and dishes. PuraSoy has a silky feeling and has soybeans incorporated in every aspect of the production process, including the base pad and the wax used. The PuraSoy team consists of Jocelyn Erickson, a freshman majoring in industrial engineering, and Jessica Parks, a freshman majoring in supply chain and operations management.
Additional food track winners
Earning the $3,000 second prize was Team Senbabes, which created a snack called Senbae that is based on a traditional Japanese rice cracker. The developers of Senbae said these soy-based snacks include vital micronutrient and antioxidant properties that are beneficial for consumers. The crackers come in flavors such as miso paste, curry powder and soy sauce. The Purdue students who make up Team Senbabes are Natcha Ngaosuphanvongs and Karn Phureesitr.
Taking the $2,000 third prize was a plant-based jerky called Tempehrados. This jerky combines a nutritious Indonesian food known as tempeh with bold Mexican flavors such as Chile Ancho, Chile Colorado and Chili Flakes. Tempeh is rich in vitamins and minerals, including riboflavin and manganese. All of the Mexican flavors are balanced with the sweetness of natural honey. The Tempehrados team is made up of three Purdue students: Shams Adigozalzade, Claudia Guillen and Nicolas Rosy.
Indiana soybean farmers’ investment in finding new soybean innovations is not limited to the competition. The state soybean checkoff also funds the Soybean Utilization Endowed Chair at Purdue’s College of Agriculture, Dr. Nathan Mosier, to lead research into new uses for soybeans. Also attending the awards ceremony was United Soybean Board CEO Lucas Lentsch. The United Soybean Board is the national soybean checkoff program, and Lentsch said developing new products is a focus for the future.
Click here for more details on ISA’s investment in soybean innovation. To watch the awards ceremony, go online to Purdue’s YouTube page here.
The Fertile-EyezTM platform tells users which animals to inseminate and when
A 400-sow study conducted in 2024 has validated that sow insemination protocols using Verility Inc.’s fertility analysis technology called Fertile-EyeTM delivered comparable pregnancy and embryo rates to traditional breeding protocols while requiring fewer semen doses, heat tests and boar exposure days, which led to a reduction in overall breeding system labor.
Verility CEO Liane Hart said the bottom line of using the patented Fertile-Eyez technology was a 1.6 return on investment for swine breeders and producers. She earned her bachelor’s degree in animal sciences and her master’s degree in breeding and genetics from Purdue University’s College of Agriculture.
“Both protocols delivered comparable performance, but the Verility protocol ultimately required only an average of 1.15 inseminations per sow compared to two per the standard breeding protocol,” she said. “So a single insemination using Fertile-Eyez as part of the protocol had a comparable rate to traditional double insemination.”
Benefits of Fertile-Eyez on sow insemination
Hart said the study revealed the following benefits of using Fertile-Eyez in sow insemination protocols compared to traditional methods:
A 40% reduction in semen doses.
A 45% reduction in boar heat tests.
A 20% reduction in boar exposure days.
A 38% pregnancy rate in nonstanding heat sows, which typically aren’t inseminated. “They are seen as nonproductive females, which can lead to unnecessary culling,” Hart said.
A 24% reduction in overall system labor.
A reduction in nonproductive sow days.
A 91% overall conception rate. “This may prove to be an additional benefit in settings where, today, pregnancy rates are below desired levels,” Hart said.
“These results provide an opportunity to use high-indexing boar semen to accelerate genetic improvement in each herd,” Hart said. “Because we used fewer semen doses, we can now use the higher-indexing boars, which delivers a more productive and highly improved genetic-quality animal.”
AcuFast partnered with Verility by providing animals and study oversight.
“We have never seen results this positive with other ovulation interventions,” said Amanda Minton, AcuFast’s manager of swine reproductive solutions. “An additional benefit is that Fertile-Eyez is a diagnostic that works with the biology of the animal and not a hormone that is used to force ovulation.”
Additional investments, next steps and issued patents
As a result of the study, Verility has received its final tranche of a $4 million total funding round from Nashville, Tennessee-based venture capital firm Mountain Group Partners.
“We are very excited about the progress and potential of Verility to transform production animal fertility through its Fertile-Eyez diagnostic and analytics platform,” said Rob Readnour, managing director at Mountain Group Partners. “We believe that Fertile-Eyez will play an important role in reducing labor and increasing production efficiency while accelerating genetic progress going forward.”
Hart will share results of the study with breeders and producers to continue to grow Verility.
“From this point onward, we are looking to conduct customer trials throughout 2025 and into 2026, picking up potential letters of intent and purchase orders,” she said. “And we’re also looking to close out a Series A-2 round of funding in July for initial commercialization efforts.”
Verility holds exclusive licensing rights to a suite of intellectual property developed by leading investigators at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, a teaching affiliate of Harvard Medical School, where it was originally created and validated in humans.
“Now the technology has been validated across multiple species and applications,” Hart said. “These AI-driven technologies enable ovulation detection and semen analysis, leveraging smartphone-enabled solutions to deliver unprecedented accuracy and accessibility. Our portfolio includes issued patents across the U.S., Canada, Europe and Australia.
“With applications in both human and animal health, our technology stands at the forefront of reproductive diagnostics, empowering users with next-generation solutions that drive scientific advancement and global accessibility.”
Hart said Verility had begun marketing Fertile-Eyez focusing on analyzing semen quality, conducting a study that led to positive results and a peer-reviewed publication, but the company has pivoted to focus on ovulation.
“The sow ovulation market — ovulation for all species — is the Holy Grail of animal breeding,” she said. “It’s a difficult subject to tackle because it’s a complex biological process that can have much variability. Not only can it be influenced by external factors, but it can also have detection challenges since not all ways to track ovulation are accessible, affordable or accurate, and some can be downright invasive.
“The traditional way to determine which animals to inseminate and when has been done the same way for decades, whereas our work has validated the use of pioneering technology and data to make the process simpler, faster, and more efficient and profitable for breeders and producers.”
The Economic Policy Institute estimates there are 2.4 million employees in U.S. agriculture and Purdue finds that 40% of new ag jobs go unfilled. One entrepreneur is turning to computer vision, artificial intelligence and robotics – maybe a little autonomy – to try to address these challenges facing farmers. Mike Jacob, founder and CEO of TerraForce, joins to talk farmer-led innovation, solving for the labor gap and jobs to be done. We get into:
The overview of the farm labor market, its challenges and where TerraForce specifically focuses right now in the specialty melon crop market
What challenges face melon producers when it comes to harvest
How Mike sees this new era of AI and computer vision shaping precision in agbioscience innovation
What TerraForce does, solving labor challenges and how they plan to tackle a real problem facing farmers
Mike gets into seeing his first melon harvest, identifying the problem to be solved and innovating from there
The criticality of melons – yes melons – to make an impact on his community as an entrepreneur
Where the TerraForce product sits today and how regional producers are the critical testbed to the company’s success
TerraForce’s recent fundraise and what it will enable them to do
Mike’s take on the ag’s jobs to be done: ag becoming less optimized and finding ways to become more resilient to big changes
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:
What’s on farmers minds given the current state of the ag economy
Big trends Brad is seeing aside from the macroeconomic headwinds and tailwinds
The role of biologicals and seed traits in this current economy
Beck’s approach to innovation and helping emerging companies bring new ideas to market
The differentiation of go-to market in ag versus other industries and the criticality of patient capital from VCs
Areas for great impact in agtech right now as Brad sees it
The importance of staying lean when you’re starting up and recalling really great technologies that didn’t hit the market because they ballooned and got too big, too fast
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:
Where the market sits today and how it is evolving
Akston Biosciences’ 2024 partnership announcement with Purdue University’s College of Veterinary Medicine focused on a therapeutic for canine oncology
His approach to animal health innovation through precision proteins creating affordable, effective treatments for companion animals
What sits in the Akston Biosciences pipeline currently and the company’s approach to cost-effectiveness while also staying innovative
Todd’s past work in human health, how he sees two sides – animal and human health – coming together to push innovation further, faster
The regulatory hurdles faced by both human and animal health innovators that delay getting safe, effective treatments to market
A big need for more risk capital coming into the animal health innovation market
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
Updates accounts payable while adjusting input balances for accurate inventory management
Significant time savings during peak billing seasons
Enhanced accuracy by eliminating manual entry errors
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:
The current state of venture capital – and the criticality of taking a step back to understand where things sit today
Investors’ increased focus on profitability and not being able to cut your way to growth
Artificial intelligence as an enabler – not a vertical
Does the future include a shift to debt versus venture
The cost of innovation and the role of an investor in this era of venture capital
What the current conversation with portfolio companies looks like for Elevate Ventures
What Matt sees as emerging trends in agbioscience
The most important jobs to be done in the industry
Indiana tech innovators and talent development leaders hail from Bloomington, Carmel, Evansville, Gary, Indianapolis, Muncie, South Bend and West Lafayette
TechPoint, the industry-led growth initiative for Indiana’s digital innovation economy, today honored 20 Indiana tech sector innovators and tech talent development leaders at the 2025 Mira Awards gala, commonly known as “The Oscars of Indiana Tech.”
More than 1,500 members of the Indiana tech sector gathered at The Palladium at Allied Solutions Center for the Performing Arts in Carmel for the annual gala, now in its 26th year. The Mira Awards are designed to elevate the most innovative companies in Indiana’s tech ecosystem. Winners were selected by a rigorous judging process who reviewed 221 submissions.
“Indiana’s tech ecosystem is growing deeper and more innovative every year,” said TechPoint President and CEO Ting Gootee. “It’s always a difficult decision, choosing among the state’s wide array of promising leaders and innovators, and this year was no exception. It’s inspiriting to be in the room with this group.”
This new award recognizes outstanding startups and innovators within larger agbioscience corporations that are solving some of the world’s biggest challenges while also contributing to economic growth.
ReproHealth Technologies enables farmers to be more sustainable and efficient. Its founding team has more than 25 years of experience across human and veterinary reproductive medicine, embryology and biomedical engineering and has multiple innovations in reproductive care and technology. Founder and CEO Dr. Jim Donahue, who began his career as a human fertility doctor, used his unique perspective to provide an innovative solution to a gap in the agbioscience market that has brought new opportunities to the industry. Market response validates the opportunity and need for the company’s technology.
Exceptional Employer of the Year: SEP (Carmel)
Established in 1988, the 100 percent employee-owned SEP credits its success to a focus on the diversity, daily collaboration and talent of its teams, and company leaders’ commitment to evolve. The full-time, in-person workplace, routinely attracts and retains local talent with opportunity to work remotely for companies across the world and has a 95.6 employee retention rate. Team members are empowered to tell clients kind truths, even if it means sacrificing business. Twenty-five percent and 37.5 percent of SEP’s C-Suite and directors, respectively, is made up of women. The SEP Foundation has awarded five STEM scholarships within the community, opening doors to high school graduates from underrepresented groups across the state and works closely with organizations dedicated to developing Indiana tech talent from underserved groups.
Digital Transformation of the Year: NextGear Capital (Carmel)
NextGear Capital (NGC) is the largest independent inventory finance company in North America, providing flexible lines of credit for dealers to purchase inventory from more than 1,000 live and online auctions throughout the United States. The company’s 14,000+ active dealers conduct about 140,000 audits per year via third party staff of more than 350 auditors. This one size fits all approach has been a consistent pain point for dealers as collateral audits are time-consuming and often disrupt operations. Launched in 2024, NextGear’s “Digital Audit Transformation” eliminates the need for third party auditors with its suite of in-house solutions that enriches risk management and offers a best-in-class client experience. Additionally, an industry-first Dealer Self-Audit experience efficiently manages risk with minimal effort needed from clients and the internal team.
Talent Impact: STARTedUP Foundation (Indianapolis)
Since 2017, STARTedUP has worked with more than 10,000 students in 59 Indiana counties and has created the largest high school pitch competition in the country. It encourages creativity and critical thinking and provides students with hands-on experiences that build essential skills for the future workforce. In addition, the foundation has trained and supported more than 210 educators. Through partnerships and alliances with private sector companies, STARTedUP is working to expand STEM education in rural and underserved areas, ensuring students have access to quality resources and mentorship, bridging the gap between education and real-world applications. It has collected $15 million for scholarships from 12 university partners and trade schools. More than $650,000 has been awarded to high school students to further their entrepreneurial endeavors. Ninety percent of STARTedUP students choose to remain in Indiana after graduation.
Higher Education Innovation Award: MathTrack Institute (Indianapolis)
The only institution to develop an apprenticeship-based bachelor’s degree pathway in Mathematics, MathTrack Institute addresses a critical shortage of qualified mathematics teachers by reimagining how educators are trained, licensed, and professionally developed. MathTrack successfully lobbied state legislators to include teachers on the NEXTLevel Jobs list, enabling access to work-based learning funds through workforce boards. With partnerships and approvals in multiple states, and licensure reciprocity in 40+ states, MathTrack has developed a far-reaching network that allows it to support teacher licensure and development on a national scale, has advanced the teacher preparation field and fostered a new model of higher education responsive to workforce needs, teacher development, and student outcomes.
Community Impact Award: IronWorkz (Gary)
Founded in December 2022, by Faith N. Spencer, Alex Termini, and Emmani Ellis, IronWorkz was created to address long-term equity issues in the Gary area by providing a grassroots-focused, entrepreneurial hub for individuals to create and innovate. Through various programs and initiatives, IronWorkz connects residents with local organizations and resources that can help them develop their ideas and start their own businesses, which stimulates economic growth and promotes self-sufficiency and personal development. The name of the company is an homage to the city’s steel industry, which attracted families from southern states who were looking for opportunities to improve their lives.
Startup of the Year: rScan (South Bend)
rScan was established to address inefficiencies and sustainability challenges associated with product returns in the retail industry. The company’s platform empowers users to efficiently establish resale operations. Seamlessly integrating with major retail and e-commerce platforms like Amazon, eBay, and Walmart, rScan’s technology optimizes inventory management, pricing and logistics. This automation simplifies the resale market, creating opportunities for economic growth while contributing to environmental sustainability. rScan, which expects to earn annual revenue of more than $2 million, plans to expand its headquarters in South Bend and create 152 new jobs over the next four years. By promoting the resale of returned products, rScan diverts substantial volumes from landfills, directly contributing to environmental conservation. Strategic partnerships with industry leaders have validated rScan’s technology and demonstrate its potential for scalability and market influence.
Rising Entrepreneur of the Year: Jorge Saenz (Indianapolis)
Jorge Saenz launched AeroCore Technologies from his garage, based on his vision for improving jet engine performance and to contribute to national security and environmental sustainability. Currently employing about 100 people, the Lebanon-based company is poised for significant growth and impact. Saenz invented nucleated foam technology, which has helped position AeroCore at the forefront of enhancing the efficiency and sustainability of jet engines for the U.S. military and commercial airlines. In addition to its work in the aerospace sector, AeroCore also provides innovative solutions to the oil and gas industry, specifically in refineries. Saenz, who graduated from West Lafayette High School and Purdue University, also works to develop tech talent and raise awareness of Indiana as an innovation hub.
Arcamed (est. 2012) is a contract manufacturer of surgical case and tray systems, primarily serving orthopedic Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs). In 2018, the company expanded its production capabilities to include precision machined instruments and orthopedic implants, providing surgeons and physicians with what they need to improve a patient’s quality of life. As part of their ongoing innovation strategy, the firm deployed five Universal Robots cobots with integrated machine vision and artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities, revolutionizing their computer numerical control (CNC) machine tending and press brake production operations. The cobot-based system was implemented by two of Arcamed’s young engineers and paired with custom-designed infeed, outfeed, and part picking processes. The new automation has enabled Arcamed’s production team to flexibly manufacture high-mix, low-volume products, and seamlessly handle parts of varying sizes from as small as a jewelry box to as large as a shoebox.
BioCrossroads Life Sciences Innovation Team Award: GeniPhys (Indianapolis)
This new award recognizes groundbreaking advancements in life sciences, honoring teams that drive innovation to benefit patients and elevate Indiana’s leadership in health and biotechnology.
GeniPhys stands out for its pioneering work in regenerative medicine, developing advanced extracellular matrix-based biomaterials that promote natural tissue repair and healing. The company’s innovative solutions address critical challenges in tissue engineering and wound care, offering transformative potential for patient outcomes. As the first-ever recipient of this award, GeniPhys exemplifies the spirit of collaboration and impact that this recognition celebrates. Its work highlights the immense value of Indiana-based life sciences teams in shaping the future of healthcare and advancing the state’s position as a global hub for innovation.
Resilience Award: Nida Ansari (Indianapolis)
Ansari was born in the Middle East and moved to the Washington D.C. area as a child seven months before the September 11 attacks. In the aftermath, her father faced discrimination at work, she was told not to speak up in school and a next-door neighbor’s home was raided for having affiliations with the local mosque. Despite Ansari’s academic proficiency, she found little guidance in her high school and was the only Pakistani for most of her time in college. Visa delays kept her in Pakistan for eight weeks during her freshman year, forcing her to withdraw from college for a semester but she graduated on time as a Chemistry major. She faced challenges with her Visa status but continued to successfully pursue advanced degrees. She became a US citizen after 19 years of struggle. After finding corporate success, she launched Karmic Partners to help early-stage entrepreneurs grow their businesses. She serves as an angel investor, is the Chief Innovation Officer at 16 Tech and has helped develop Indiana’s hardtech ecosystem. She works with multiple community groups and established the Networking with Purpose initiative, which has served nearly 80,000 meals to food insecure Hoosiers, Syrians, Turks, and Yemenis.
Emerging Tech Leader of the Year: Kevin Celisca of Integrate School (Bloomington)
A first-generation Haitian American, Celisca’s journey to democratize education required him to overcome adversity, personally and professionally. Zip Code discrimination motivated him to level the playing field for all students, regardless of their geographic circumstances. He co-founded Integrate School, a platform that saves teachers across the U.S. hours of administrative work, improves the quality of instruction and provides transparency to parents and administrators. Celisca’simpact goes beyond his product. He is a leader who cares deeply about his team, educators, and the students they serve. He has built a culture at Integrate School that values diversity, collaboration, and constant improvement. His ability to combine empathy with business acumen has enabled him to secure investments, drive growth and build a sustainable, socially impactful company.
Innovation Service Partner of the Year: Reveal Risk (Carmel)
The U.S. cybersecurity market is projected to grow to $166.73 billion by 2032, but only a small fraction of amount is directed toward helping businesses teach their workforces what they need to know and do to protect themselves, their families, and their companies from cyber threats. Reveal Risk, launched in 2018, reimagined what advising, transforming and powering a cybersecurity program should be and could become. The company’s Human Risk Management (HRM) / Cyber Workforce Awareness service, which essentially enables clients to stay a step ahead of cyber criminals, has attracted national attention for its potential to address this ever-growing challenge.
Tech Innovation of the Year: Anu (Evansville)
Working with Eko Solutions in 2024, Anu overcame key technical limitations in its indoor farming and controlled environment agriculture industries. Historically, indoor farming systems have struggled with low yield densities, power inefficiencies, and labor-intensive operations, making them less viable for high-demand, remote, or urban areas. Anu’s Rotary Aeroponics® system addresses these limitations by offering unprecedented power efficiency, scalability, and ease of use. The system significantly reduces energy consumption while increasing yield density and reducing labor needs through AI-driven automation. The collaboration allows for highly customizable, modular, climate-controlled farms that can be deployed in various verticals, including universities for research and experiential learning, hospitals for food-as-medicine programs, military bases for tactical self-sufficiency, and more. Anu uses AI-driven image data collection to optimize plant growth, reduce water and nutrient usage, to deliver tailored growth environments for each plant. This fusion of AI and agriculture ensures consistency, high quality, and scalability, allowing the technology to be applicable in food security initiatives, high-demand urban settings, and remote locations that face supply chain vulnerabilities.
Tech Company of the Year with fewer than 500 employees: Accutech Systems (Muncie)
Accutech started in 1987 as a provider of trust accounting software for community banks. The company has experienced explosive success in areas previously dominated by large fintech companies and now provides comprehensive software platforms to trust and wealth management institutions and to financial planners. The company also developed a trust platform named Cheetah, which revolutionized the trust industry. It was the first platform of its kind to be cloud native and browser-based, saving clients time and money and delivering enhanced security and has evolved into a comprehensive suite of wealth management solutions focused on efficiency and speed serving hundreds of banking and wealth management clients with hundreds-of-thousands of customers managing hundreds-of-billions of dollars. Unger has declined to relocate the company from Muncie. Accutech was named to the 2022, 2023 and 2024 Inc. 5000s list of fastest growing privately owned companies.
Tech Company of the Year with more than 500 employees: Republic Airways (Indianapolis)
Republic Airways is most commonly known for its fleet of 200+ Embraer aircraft, which fly millions of passengers annually, but its innovative technology solutions set it apart from its peers. The company develops powerful, cross-functional teams that develop and integrate cutting-edge technology into every aspect of company operations. Recent examples of in-house developments include its cloud-native CrewPay system, which simplifies the daily complexities of crewmember pay and expands the reach of the company’s operational tech portfolio, as well as the multi-year YXBlue project that revolutionized the company’s entire suite of Flight, Maintenance (MX) Control, and Ops/Crew Management applications, the very heart of its operation. The Flight and aircraft MX control components were launched in 2024. The Ops/Crew module in on pace to be delivered in 2025. Republic’s investment in technology has led to measurable improvements in its operations, including a more precise flight planning capability. Through it, Republic has reduced the amount of fuel which needs to be loaded per flight, providing tangible results in alignment with its sustainability and community efforts. The company operated 235,000+ flights in 2024 with an on-time performance exceeding 85 percent.
Award-winning mobile platform launched by DIAL Ventures sees rapid growth and user adoption while helping farmers streamline equipment tracking and operational knowledge
Gripp, an award-winning mobile-first platform revolutionizing agricultural operations management, today announced it has raised $1.5 million in pre-seed round funding. The round was led by Ag Ventures Alliance, with participation from Two Ravens, Infinity Holding Ventures, C2 Ventures, Tundra Angels, Countryside Angels, DMM Holdings, and Glen Haven Farms, Inc.
Launched out of the DIAL Ventures studio at Purdue University, Gripp has demonstrated strong market validation with zero churn across more than 70 agricultural operations since launching in 2023. The platform enables farmers to digitize their operations through a simple QR-based mobile system that tracks operational activities and conversations, manages equipment and preserves critical operational knowledge.
“The agricultural industry has been asking for solutions that truly understand their day-to-day challenges like easily keeping tabs on equipment and maintenance needs,” said Tracey Wiedmeyer, Co-Founder and CEO of Gripp. “We are proud to be meeting farmers in the field and building exactly what they need – a simple, friction-free system that helps them get a grip on their operations without requiring expensive hardware or complex implementations. The overwhelming response from our early customers shows we are solving a real pain point for farmers – who continue to be overlooked by those outside the industry.”
The funding will accelerate Gripp’s market expansion through:
Product development based on direct farmer feedback
Sales and marketing programs
Strategic partnerships with leading agricultural organizations, associations and trusted farm advisors
“We are looking for innovation that can increase farm profitability,” said Spencer Stensrude, CEO of AgVentures Alliance. “Gripp is solving a real problem for farmers. Gripp could be on every farm in America.”
Gripp was the third startup launched from the DIAL Ventures studio program, which focuses on solving problems in the agri-food industry through digital innovation.
“The agricultural sector’s digital transformation is essential for meeting future food production demands,” said Allan Gray, Executive Director of DIAL Ventures. “Gripp exemplifies our mission to bring practical innovation to the field that solves real problems. Their approach to preserving operational farm knowledge while simplifying day-to-day management addresses a critical need as the ag workforce evolves.”
The seed round funding comes on the heels of Gripp being named:
