AgriNovus Indiana, a non-profit initiative focused on growing Indiana’s agbioscience economy, announced today its spring 2022 class of Field Atlas ambassadors to spark conversation about the agbiosciences on college and university campuses across the state.
Field Atlas ambassadors are college students selected to serve as the on-campus connection between students, professionals and academic advisors and the Field Atlas career exploration platform (MyFieldAtlas.com). The ambassadors will provide information about fields of study, traditional and allied career paths in the industry and companies offering those opportunities across the state. Additionally, ambassadors connect peers to real-time internship, entry-level and early career opportunities via the Job Board (Jobs.AgriNovusIndiana.com).
For the 2022 spring semester, Field Atlas has selected these students to represent the program:
Baylee Dwenger – Senior, Hanover College
Baylee Fidler – Sophomore, Vincennes University
Julia Hamblen – Freshman, Purdue University
Ridge Kennedy – Freshman, Vincennes University
Kara Linder – Senior, University of Notre Dame
Chesney Loehr – Sophomore, Franklin College
Harshika Nagubandi – Sophomore, Purdue University
Jack Reford – Junior, University of Notre Dame
“Field Atlas Ambassadors provide a critical connection between the world-changing opportunities in the agbiosciences and students at Indiana’s colleges and universities,” said Mitch Frazier, president and CEO of AgriNovus. “Our ambassadors’ work to engage their fellow students, advisors and professors creates a powerful connection with our online Field Atlas platform that enables students across all fields of study – from finance to marketing and computer science to chemistry – to explore the myriad of careers available in the agbiosciences.”
Launched in 2020 and available online at myFieldAtlas.com, the Field Atlas platform enables students to explore agbioscience careers through online talent assessments, videos and career resources and identifies jobs and companies that align with their personal and professional interests.
Pure Green Farms is running a 2-week long social media contest on Facebook and Instagram, where consumers can enter to win a year’s supply of lettuce. The contest itself was designed to increase brand awareness and establish brand loyalty within existing Pure Green Farms customers.
“We love discovering creative ways to give back to our loyal customers,” said Jim Marcum, Vice President of Sales for Pure Green Farms. “We also strive to continuously evolve our consumer marketing efforts in hopes to show the true spirit behind the Pure Green Farms name.”
From January 17 through January 31 consumers can enter to win by following 3 steps below. Two winners will be randomly chosen on January 31 to receive 104 free product coupons valid for 2022.
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“Our customers mean everything to us,” said Joe McGuire, CEO of Pure Green Farms. “What better way to start out the new year than with a contest that promotes healthy eating and customer appreciation.”
About Pure Green Farms
Launching in 2021, Pure Green Farms grows, packs and ships leafy greens hands-free in the Midwest. Their purpose is to grow responsible fresh produce through innovative farming. Located in South Bend, Indiana, the farm uses environmentally friendly practices to grow their greens through its high-tech, climate-controlled space and hydroponic growing system to produce the highest quality of leafy greens for their customers year-round. Pure Green Farms’ vision is to reimagine the way of farming with their innovative technology to provide fresh produce consumers can trust. To learn more about Pure Green Farms check out their website, http://www.enjoypuregreen.com/.
The Purdue Foundry is hosting a spring semester callout and info session for the $100,000 Ag Innovation Ag-Celerator at 11:00 AM ET Thursday, February 3rd ET via Zoom. This unique funding opportunity is open to all Purdue innovators (students, faculty, alumni, other Purdue Affiliates) creating a startup company that impacts any related agricultural field, including animal health. Applicants must become active Purdue Foundry clients. Those commercializing Purdue intellectual property must obtain a full license.
Innovations can be anything impacting any related agricultural fields including, but not limited to, innovations advancing crop traits, generating higher yields, using big data to improve farm management, new uses of plants, animal health, precision agriculture, and advanced breeding techniques, as examples.
Attend the callout to learn more about how you can apply for the $100,000 Ag-Celerator.
Insignum AgTech and Verility Inc., two companies founded by Purdue University alumni, have received $100,000 each from the Purdue Ag-Celerator, an agriculture innovation fund.
Insignum AgTech creates plants that warn growers of an early-stage infection so that crops can be protected. Founder and CEO Kyle Mohler said the plants turn purple before a pathogen can be identified, providing growers with information to fight disease.
“Investment from Ag-Celerator is a wonderful validation of our progress over the past few years and trust in our trajectory,” Mohler said. “We at Insignum are excited that Purdue Foundry is joining our seed round, which will propel our product development in corn and allow us to begin developing technology for additional crops.”
Verility Inc. is a global animal health platform providing fertility analysis products. Co-founder and CEO Liane Hart said the products enable livestock producers and breeders to accelerate reproductive performance through accurate, simple, cost-effective analysis by predicting ovulation phase and assessing sperm quality at the point of care.
“The $100,000 from Ag-Celerator will allow us to finalize our proof-of-concept ovulation studies scheduled throughout the first half of 2022,” Hart said. “It is an honor to be selected for this award not only as the CEO of Verility, but also as a Purdue alumna. We appreciate the esteemed panel of judges’ recognition of the significant and successful results that we have accomplished throughout our startup journey. This opportunity definitely allows us to push forward farther faster, creating more value for our company.”
Ag-Celerator, created in 2015, is a $2 million innovation fund designed to provide critical startup support for Purdue innovators who bring Purdue patented intellectual property or Purdue “know-how” technologies to market.
“The College of Agriculture is dedicated to building a culture of innovation and entrepreneurship among students, faculty, staff and alumni,” said Bernie Engel, senior associate dean of research and graduate education. “Pitching to Ag-Celerator provides a tremendous opportunity as well as inspiration for these groups, and being awarded these generous grants takes the awardees that much closer to achieving their envisioned impact.”
Riley Gibb, director of business development for Purdue Foundry, said, “There are many high-quality entrepreneurs bringing Purdue-related startups to market. These companies, including the recipients of Ag-Celerator investments, are already making an impact in plant sciences and animals sciences.”
In August, Ag-Celerator eligibility was opened to startups in all agricultural fields. Previous recipients of Ag-Celerator investments are AkanoCure Pharmaceuticals Inc., Heliponix, JUA Technologies International LLC, Karyosoft LLC, Krishi LLC, LeafSpec AgTech, Ongenia LLC, Phicrobe LLC, Progeny Drone Inc., Rogo Ag LLC, VinSense LLC and ZeaVaxx.
Today Elevate Ventures, through its higher-education program Elevate Nexus, announced the winners of the most recent regional pitch competitions, which resulted in $660,000 in investments.
“This was an extremely difficult competition to judge with many great companies,” said Landon Young, executive director of university initiatives at Elevate Ventures. “We are thrilled to see the quality of Indiana companies continue to rise, a testament to Indiana’s support of innovation-driven companies. At least one company has already raised additional follow-on capital and we look forward to the continued growth of all winning companies in 2022.”
Most of the winners are connected to a university:
Northern Indiana
Pre-Seed ($20,000 investment)
Groundata Technologies, South Bend, University of Notre Dame
SAFA, South Bend, University of Notre Dame
Tessellated, South Bend, University of Notre Dame
Seed ($80,000 investment)
Intrepid Phoenix Ventures, South Bend, University of Notre Dame
ProstheTech, South Bend, University of Notre Dame
Central Indiana
Pre-Seed ($20,000 investment)
Adjuster Tools, Indianapolis, Indiana State University
Fia Technologies, Bloomington, Indiana University
NanoBio Designs, Indianapolis, Purdue University
Seed ($80,000 investment)
LeafTech Ag, Greenfield, Purdue University
Peak Mind, Indianapolis, Purdue University
Southern Indiana
Pre-Seed ($20,000 investment)
American Evidence Management, Vincennes, Purdue University
Utiliz, Evansville, Innovation Pointe
WANDR, Bloomington, Indiana University
Seed ($80,000 investment)
DiningTek, New Albany
WayZada, Bloomington, Indiana University
“Winning this investment from Elevate Ventures means that we can continue to build innovative mental well-being technology that could save lives,” said Alicia Mckoy, founder of Peak Mind. “We are in a mental health crisis and better mental well-being preventative tools, like Peak Mind, are needed more than ever. We are excited to use these funds to develop our next-level innovation for the workplace.”
In addition to being recognized as Elevate portfolio companies, all 15 winners have the opportunity to compete for $320,000 during the Elevate Nexus Statewide competition in summer 2022.
To stay up to date on future competitions, deadline reminders and program updates, sign up for the Elevate Nexus newsletter.
Applications are now open for Endeavor’s 2022 Scale Up program for entrepreneurs in Kentucky, Indiana, and Ohio. In partnership with EY, Scale Up is a non-dilutive growth accelerator that supports high-potential, fast-growth entrepreneurs by giving access to the resources, successful founders, and mentors in Endeavor’s regional network to scale to the next level. In 2022, Endeavor will select and run two cohorts (from February to June and from August to December) and each cohort will have a maximum of four companies.
Apply for Scale Up 2022
Applications for Scale Up 2022 are open on a rolling basis. The application deadline for the first cohort will close on Monday, January 17, 2022. Entrepreneurs and founders of high-potential, fast-growth companies across Kentucky, Indiana, and Ohio are encouraged to apply here.
Endeavor will select companies based on their global selection criteria:
Entrepreneur: founder(s) willing to listen, learn, and grow from feedback. Entrepreneur(s) committed to both going big, paying it forward, and giving back.
Business: high-growth companies based in Indiana, Kentucky, or Ohio with the potential to be the next regional scale-up success story with an exponential impact.
Timing: post-revenue companies across any industry. Seed to Series A stage (for venture-backed companies) with ideally over $1M in annual revenues.
Ideal Scale Up companies also have many of the following indicators:
First-time founders or founders without a strong personal network seeking to tap into a regional entrepreneurial network
A team with 5-20 employees, including the founders
Companies that have raised over $500k in early capital and/or are raising $1M+ in institutional capital
Annual growth rates of 50-100%+
Entrepreneurs with a massive vision and bold goals
Founders who value connection to later-stage entrepreneurs and a strong regional network across Indiana, Kentucky, and Ohio (the Endeavor team is located in Louisville, Indianapolis, and Cincinnati)
The Pantheon Ag Tech showcase is designed to expose and connect our local progressive farmers and ag businesses with cutting edge ag technology opportunities. This year we will be hosting 5 ag tech companies ( Intellinair, Rantizo, Provision Analytics, Taranis, 1 is still a WIP) along with keynote speaker Jason Mauck (Farmer and entrepreneur). The Ag Tech showcase has been our flagship program and is open to anyone interested in Ag tech and digital technology.
According to Lt. Gov. Suzanne Crouch, who also serves as the state’s secretary of agriculture, specialty crops include fruits, vegetables, tree nuts, dried fruits and horticulture and nursery crops. For a full list of specialty crops please visit ams.usda.gov.
“Specialty crops are big business for Indiana. Our state grows over 30 types of specialty crops and ranks as a top five producer in the nation in many crops like melons, pumpkins, tomatoes and mint,” Crouch said. “I look forward to seeing the industry grow from the research funded by these grants.”
Annually, Specialty Crop Block Grants are available to non-profit and for-profit organizations, governments and public or private colleges and universities for up to a three-year project term and will fund specialty crop research, education and market development. To qualify, projects must aim to benefit the industry as a whole, rather than one product, individual or organization. Applications undergo a competitive scoring process, including review by an external scoring committee.
Some of the projects awarded this grant cycle include Purdue University’s Department of Horticulture and Landscape Architecture developing hydroponic technologies to increase organic lettuce production and stability and Purdue Extension identifying suitable food contact surfaces and best practices for managing these surfaces in compliance with the FDA’s Food Safety Modernization Act’s Produce Safety Rule.
Indiana State Department of Agriculture Director Bruce Kettler is looking forward to seeing how these projects enhance Indiana’s vibrant specialty crop sectors.
“This funding from USDA is critical to advancing our specialty crop sector and based on this year’s grantees, many different research areas will be impacted,” said Kettler. “Everything from hydroponics to pollinators and from drip irrigation to food safety, these awards will go far in enhancing our Hoosier specialty crop industry.”
Unique to 2021, the ISDA was awarded two separate grants from the USDA’s Specialty Crop Block Grant Program. The projects below represent those funded in March through the first grant solicitation. Currently ISDA is reviewing applications submitted through the second solicitation and expects to announce selected projects in the spring of 2022.
The following list includes the organizations that received funding for the 2021-2024 grant cycle:
Purdue University Department of Entomology – Conservation of Indiana Specialty Crop Pollinators
Award: $119,653.04
Project: Purdue University entomologists will partner with growers across the state to evaluate pollination services provided by native pollinators to Indiana’s leading specialty crops. Over 50% of the state’s specialty crop economy is dependent on pollinators to secure high marketable yields. While many specialty growers supplement their crops with honeybees, Indiana is home to more than 400 species of native bees which can supply free and superior pollination services. However, little is known about which pollinator species contribute to securing high marketable yields in Indiana’s specialty crops. Thus, the value of these services is poorly understood and underutilized. The overarching goal of this proposal is to identify and help conserve pollinators for specialty crop production in Indiana. Supporting this goal are two objectives, the first is to conduct a series of surveys across major Indiana specialty crops: watermelon, tomato, apple and blueberry. These surveys will determine significant pollinator species and the relative economic worth of native pollinators to each crop. Secondly, this team will develop extension resources for growers to identify and assess pollination services in watermelon, tomato, apple and blueberry. In achieving these objectives, Purdue University will target meaningful conservation practices that protect these significant pollinator species and sustain high marketable yields in Indiana’s specialty crops.
Purdue University Department of Horticulture and Landscape Architecture – Increasing Productivity & Consumer Accessibility of Hydroponically Grown Organic Lettuce in Indiana
Award: $143,391.00
Project: Many hydroponic growers in Indiana are converting to organic farming and expecting higher profits. Organic production is characterized by low productivity and variable crop yields due to decreased and variable nitrogen availability to crops. In addition, a select group of consumers have access to organically grown produce due to premium prices. These inequitable factors increase risk and negatively affect sustained profits in the organic hydroponics industry. Crop productivity and yield stability must improve for sustained profits in organic hydroponics industry. This will further lower the price of organically grown produce and make it more affordable to all consumers. Increased sales and diverse consumer base are key to sustained profits. Purdue University will develop technologies that will aid in increasing nitrogen availability to crops to improve crop productivity and yield stability in the organic hydroponics industry. In addition, Purdue Extension workshops geared toward educating Indiana growers with developed technology will be implemented. The hydroponics technology will be displayed at 16 Tech Innovation District, located in Indianapolis, for maximum visibility. Workshop programming will include getting started with home hydroponics, the environmental benefits associated with hydroponics, the promotion of the nutritional value of leafy green consumption in the diet, cooking and storage of leafy greens, and promotion of the health benefits of organically grown produce with a focus on serving underappreciated communities facing food insecurity.
Purdue University Department of Horticulture and Landscape Architecture – Improve Drip Irrigation Management for Vegetable and Melon Production in Indiana
Award: $139,384.69
Project: Purdue University will improve Indiana vegetable and melon farmers’ ability to implement precise drip irrigation, which will improve crop water use efficiency and minimize negative environmental impacts that can result from over-irrigation. The team will achieve the targeted goal by developing a watermelon specific irrigation threshold and delivering comprehensive drip irrigation management education to Indiana farmers who grow many kinds of vegetables.
Purdue University Extension – Determining the Suitability of Materials for Use as a Postharvest Food Contact Surface
Award: $57,437.95
Project: Purdue Extension will conduct applied produce food safety research to determine the suitability of various materials for use in postharvest settings. As part of the Food Safety Modernization Act, the Produce Safety Rule (21 CFR 112) (PSR) sets minimum standards for equipment and vehicles used in the harvest and transport of produce. This project will study the suitability of materials for use as food contact surfaces on equipment and transport vehicles. This project will determine best practice for management of food contact surfaces, as well as assist growers in complying with the Produce Safety Rule and will be conducted primarily at the Purdue Extension Food Safety Training Hub, located in southwest Indiana, near Vincennes.
Visit www.isda.in.gov for more information about the Specialty Crop Block Grant program. To view the full announcement from USDA click here.
Intelinair announced today that Tim Hassinger has been named CEO & President of IntelinAir, Inc. and Chairman of the Board of Directors, effective January 3, 2022. Hassinger succeeds company co-founder Al Eisaian, who has served as CEO & President of the company and Chairman of its Board of Directors since 2015. Eisaian will continue to serve on the board of directors for Intelinair.
Under Eisaian’s leadership, Intelinair has been recognized for its industry-leading innovation with its flagship product AGMRI®. Over his 30+ year career, Eisaian has worked on a string of startups and most recently co-founded and led Intelinair.
“I am extremely pleased to have Tim assume leadership of our growing agtech company,” said Eisaian. “Tim brings more than three decades of agricultural industry experience and a proven track record in leading global agricultural businesses – accelerating innovation and growth. Tim takes over at an exciting time as the business is well positioned to execute our long-term strategy and drive growth for Intelinair.”
Tim Hassinger Biography Hassinger brings more than 37 years of experience in the agricultural industry. He has been the CEO of two other companies in recent years – first with Dow AgroSciences, the Indianapolis-based agricultural subsidiary of The Dow Chemical Company, followed by Lindsay Corporation of Omaha, Neb. Hassinger joined Dow AgroSciences in 1984 where he held a number of sales, supply chain, marketing, and management roles over 33 years. He was named President and CEO of Dow AgroSciences in 2014 and served in that capacity until mid-2017. From 2017-2021, Hassinger was President and CEO of Lindsay Corporation. In addition to Intelinair’s board, Hassinger serves as a Board Member for AGDATA, LP. He was raised on a farm in Central Illinois and earned a bachelor’s degree in Agricultural Economics from the University of Illinois. He was named National Agri-Marketing Association’s (NAMA) 2021 Agribusiness Leader of the Year.
“I am excited to join Intelinar as its next CEO,” said Hassinger. “I’ve had the pleasure of serving as a member of the Intelinair board of directors over the past 10 months, and I am looking forward to leading Intelinair through its next chapter of growth.”
About IntelinAir, Inc. IntelinAir, Inc., is an automated crop intelligence company that leverages AI and machine learning to model crop performance and identify problems enabling farmers to make improved decisions. The company’s flagship product, AGMRI aggregates and analyzes data including high resolution aerial, satellite, and drone imagery, equipment, weather, scouting, and more to deliver actionable Smart Alerts on specific problems in areas of fields as push notifications to farmers’ smartphones. The proactive alerts on operational issues allow farmers to intervene, rescue yield, capture learnings for the next session, and identify conservation opportunities for sustainable farming. Annually Intelinair analyzes millions of acres of farmland, helping growers make thousands of decisions for improved operations and profitability. For more information, follow Intelinair on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram and visit www.agmri.com.
The Great Resignation: you’ve heard of it and in all likelihood, you (or someone you know) has participated in it this year, too. On this week’s episode, Mitch Frazier is joined by Todd Richardson, CEO of EDGE Mentoring, and Bethany Gremel, Director of Culture + Brand Experience at Beck’s Hybrids. They talk about the all too real record-breaking August where over 4 million people voluntarily left their jobs, what employees are searching for and how companies can begin to turn the tides and create a culture that focuses on its people.
It’s our Season 4 finale! We want to thank you for choosing us each Monday morning and look forward to bringing you more conversations on innovation in agbioscience in 2022.
