An Indiana company is up-cycling former coal mining sites to create sustainable community development and job creation. On this week’s episode, AgriNovus CEO, Mitch Frazier, is joined by President and Co-Founder of Land Betterment, Kirk Taylor.
They talk about how this concept came together, the work that goes into restoring the land and how the communities react to these projects. Kirk also talks about the entrepreneurial mindset and future growth of the company.
TechPoint has officially launched the entry process for the 23rd annual Mira Awards, Indiana’s largest, best known and most prestigious technology awards program. People are encouraged to enter the awards themselves or they can nominate others in 15 different “Best of Tech in Indiana” award categories.
The Mira Awards gala, which is often referred to as “Tech’s Biggest Night” and the “Oscars of Tech” for the state of Indiana, will return to the JW Marriott in downtown Indianapolis as an in-person event next spring on Saturday, April 23, 2022. A limited number of sponsorship opportunities for the ball gown and black tie event are available.
This year, TechPoint has introduced a new category recognizing leadership and excellence in workforce development, including the vital pipelines into Indiana tech careers. The new Talent Impact Award celebrates initiatives and programs that are influencing our state’s talent recruiting, attracting, hiring, training and retaining efforts, which are collectively the lifeblood of our information-based, talent critical economy.
“To inclusively grow Indiana’s tech workforce, bold, creative solutions by employers, educators, government and community organizations will be required,” said TechPoint President and CEO Mike Langellier. “We look forward to recognizing remarkable organizations and individuals and inspiring others through the new Talent Impact Award. Pandemic permitting, we will deliver the Mira Awards in-person. Since we last celebrated together at an in-person Mira Awards gala almost three years ago, Indiana tech companies have raised nearly $1.5 billion in venture capital and countless new companies and programs have launched. There will be much to celebrate. The energy and excitement in the room will be amazing.”
As part of its work to bring equity to all levels of the state’s tech ecosystem, TechPoint is especially encouraging community nominations for (and self applications from) women and people of color who might not have been as visible in the traditional tech circles of the past. Employers, educators, investors, entrepreneurs, municipalities and community champions who, through improved programs, policies, training, etc., are advancing diversity, equity and inclusion and/or creating employment and development pathways for underrepresented individuals are also encouraged to apply.
TechPoint created the awards program in 1999, to recognize tech-related achievements and innovation statewide, and ultimately to stimulate future tech growth and entrepreneurship. Each year, nominees and winners reap millions of dollars in value from promotion and often venture capital investment, hiring success and connections as a result of the visibility.
Any company, startup, scale-up, community, school, team or individual may enter the Mira Awards. It is not required that an applicant be nominated by someone else to enter the awards.
Bridge Builder Award (Chosen by TechPoint Foundation for Youth)
Rising Tech City Award (Including Communities, Towns, Cities, Counties or Regions)
Tech Product of the Year
Service Partner of the Year
Innovation of the Year
Trailblazer Award (Chosen by the TechPoint Board)
Exceptional Employer
Rising Entrepreneur (Startup Founders of Any Age or Experience)
Investor of the Year (Individuals or Firms Invested in Indiana Tech Companies)
Startup of the Year (Launched after January 1, 2020)
Scale-up of the Year
Large Enterprise of the Year
Fifty-two independent and diverse subject matter experts evaluate and rank the applications. The rankings determine which entries become nominees, which will be announced on February 15, 2022. Next, nominees deliver presentations and answer questions virtually in front of a panel of judges on March 9 and 10, 2022. Following the interviews with one of the independent judging panels, the judges deliberate and select the winners. The process culminates in the state’s largest tech community event, the Mira Awards gala, which will be held on Saturday, April 23, 2022, at the JW Marriott in downtown Indianapolis.
The Mira Awards are named after the first of the brilliant variable stars to be discovered—the Mira Star. Mira is also the Latin word root meaning worthy of admiration, wonderful, marvelous.
TechPoint:
TechPoint is the nonprofit, industry-led growth initiative for Indiana’s technology companies and overall tech ecosystem. The team is focused on attracting talent, accelerating scale-up companies, activating the community and amplifying stories of success. For more information, please visit www.techpoint.org.
AgriNovus Indiana announced today several additions to its board of directors.
The board unanimously approved new seats for the following:
Brian Anderson, director of economic development, Wabash Valley Power Alliance
Anna Haldewang, founder and CEO, InsightTRAC
Ambassador Kip Tom, formerly of the United Nations Agencies for Food and Agriculture (Rome, Italy)
Former AgriNovus board chair, Aaron Schacht, was also approved for an at-large seat representing Elanco’s recent carve-out focused on a microbiome research and development platform. A name for this independent biopharmaceutical company has not yet been released.
“AgriNovus has a bold ambition to fuel growth across Indiana’s agbioscience economy – from agtech and animal health to plant science and value-added food,” said Mitch Frazier, president and CEO of AgriNovus Indiana. “The leaders joining our board add even more strength and new perspectives to guide our work at such a critical time in the global food and agbioscience economy.”
Anderson currently serves as the director of economic development for Wabash Valley Power Alliance. He was previously the president and CEO of Middle Michigan Development Corporation. Anderson earned his bachelor’s degree in Urban and Regional Planning at Michigan State University and his master’s in business administration at Northwood University. He also holds an Economic Development Financial Professional certification and is a candidate for certification by the International Economic Development Council.
Haldewang is the founder and CEO of InsightTRAC, a company launched in 2019 that uses precision robotics and cloud-based data to help almond growers better manage and optimize their profit per tree. She previously launched Plan Bee, which was featured by CNN and TIME Magazine, and led to recognition by Forbes at their AgTech Summit in Indianapolis. Haldewang holds a bachelor’s degree in Industrial Design from Savannah College of Art and Design.
Tom is a former U.S. ambassador to the United Nations Agencies for Food and Agriculture and a seventh generation Indiana farmer. Tom received his associate degree in agriculture management from Texas A&M University, where he also attended the Texas Executive Agriculture Program. He received the 2012 AgriVision Award, which is given to those who demonstrate exemplary leadership to maximize the potential of Indiana agriculture. Tom is a board member of the Indiana Economic Development Corporation (IEDC), the Indiana Chamber of Commerce, the Farm Journal Agricultural Foundation, 246 Capital Investments, MAISCO and the Indiana State Department of Agriculture (ISDA).
These additions and changes to the AgriNovus Indiana board of directors brings total board membership to 35 leaders from industry, academia, community and government.
It’s the most wonderful time of the year! You heard that right – gBETA Pitch Night is coming up soon. On this week’s episode, Gerry Dick with Inside INdiana Business is joined by Doug Applegate, Director of gBETA Agbisocience. They talk this year’s fall cohort, innovation in agbioscience and what we can expect from the startups when Pitch Night rolls around.
Have you registered to attend the 12/7 event? Click here!
She’s a third-year student at Purdue’s College of Veterinary Sciences AND she recently won a competition put on by the College of Engineering where she developed a fabric for use in face masks made from waste stream in soybean processing. Ash Chitnis joins Gerry Dick on this week’s episode of the podcast. They talk animals, the entrepreneurial mindset and keeping your ambition high to avoid regret.
Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology is home to some of Indiana’s best and brightest talent — an area ripe for entrepreneurial development. On this week’s episode, Gerry Dick with Inside INdiana Business talks with President Robert Coons of Rose-Hulman.
They talk about the launch of The Sawmill Society, which gives alumni entrepreneurs a forum for sharing insights, experience and inspiration with each other. They also talk Rose-Hulman students, their entrepreneurial efforts and potential for impact on Indiana’s agbioscience sector.
Corteva, Inc.’s Board of Directors announced that it has appointed Chuck Magro as the company’s new Chief Executive Officer, effective November 1, 2021. He will also join Corteva’s Board of Directors. Mr. Magro most recently served as Chief Executive Officer of Nutrien and brings to Corteva extensive experience leading global agriculture companies to support value creation for all stakeholders. He succeeds James C. Collins, Jr., who will work with Mr. Magro to assure a smooth transition and will retire from Corteva at year-end.
Greg Page, Independent Chairman of Corteva, said, “Chuck has an extensive, proven track record driving profitable growth through innovation and execution in the agriculture industry. During nearly a decade of strong leadership at Nutrien and its predecessor Agrium, Chuck led the creation and integration of the world’s largest crop inputs, services, and solutions company and established a culture with a clear commitment to operational excellence and advancing sustainable agriculture solutions. Our Board is confident that he is the right leader to carry our strong momentum forward and create significant near- and long-term shareholder value.”
“Corteva has established itself as the premier global agricultural technology company and I am excited to build on the momentum Jim Collins and this terrific team have generated,” said Mr. Magro. “With an unparalleled tradition of innovation, exceptionally strong customer relationships, and sustainability at the core of its business, we have an incredible opportunity to accelerate Corteva’s growth and value creation. Corteva is ideally equipped to advance the transformation of agriculture, helping farmers become more productive and sustainable and enabling us to feed a growing population while finding new ways to protect the planet. I can’t wait to get started.”
Mr. Page added, “On behalf of Corteva and our entire Board, I would like to thank Jim Collins for his indelible contributions while leading Corteva’s formation and first two years as an independent company. As a result of Jim’s efforts and clear vision, Corteva has the culture, capabilities, and strategy in place to capitalize on its unique value creation opportunity moving forward. We are especially grateful that he will work with Chuck to help assure a smooth transition.”
Chuck Magro Biography
Mr. Magro served as President and Chief Executive Officer of Nutrien from the company’s launch in 2018 until April 2021. Prior to that, for four years Mr. Magro served as President and Chief Executive Officer of Agrium, which merged with PotashCorp to create Nutrien.
Before his appointment as Chief Executive Officer of Agrium in 2014, Mr. Magro held a variety of other key leadership roles, including Chief Operating Officer, Chief Risk Officer, Executive Vice President of Corporate Development, and Vice President of Manufacturing. He joined Agrium in 2009 following a productive career with NOVA Chemicals.
Mr. Magro serves an active role on the Canada Pension Plan Investment Board. He was also vice chairman of the International Fertilizer Association and past chair and board member of The Fertilizer Institute, and served as a Board Steward for the World Economic Forum’s Food Systems Initiative, providing strategic leadership to build inclusive, sustainable, efficient, and healthy global food systems.
Mr. Magro holds a Bachelor of Applied Science (Chemical Engineering) from the University of Waterloo and a Master of Business Administration from the University of Windsor.
Southwest Indiana is known for its melon production. Now they want to be known for agtech in specialty crops, too. On this week’s episode, Gerry Dick with Inside INdiana Business, talks with Nichole Like, CEO of The Pantheon. They talk about the theatre’s recent renovation and evolution into a business incubator, creating opportunities for entrepreneurs in southwest Indiana and advancing agtech in the region.
Indiana Secretary of Commerce Brad Chambers today announced the promotion of Dave Roberts to executive vice president of entrepreneurship and innovation for the Indiana Economic Development Corporation (IEDC), effective Nov. 1, 2021. Roberts has served the IEDC since 2016, most recently as chief innovation officer.
“Dave is a valued member of the IEDC team, and Indiana and its entrepreneurs will benefit from his continued leadership,” said Sec. Chambers. “Dave’s track record within the IEDC provides the foundation we need to continue our momentum in establishing Indiana as the premier destination for entrepreneurs.”
In his new role, Roberts will report to Sec. Chambers and will oversee entrepreneurial ecosystem and capital, tech commercialization, strategic futures and the Indiana Small Business Development Center.
Before leading the IEDC’s entrepreneurship and innovation efforts, Roberts served as president of the Battery Innovation Center, a public-private partnership focused on next generation energy technologies. He was also the CEO of EnerDel Inc., legal counsel for Caterpillar, an engineer for Lockheed Martin, a corporate board member of domestic and international organizations, and a patent and business attorney with Gutwein Law.
Roberts represents the state for various initiatives, including the Techpoint, AgriNovus Indiana and 16Tech boards, and the Volkswagen Mitigation Trust Committee. He is a graduate of Lehigh University and Indiana University School of Law. He resides in the Indianapolis area with his wife and two children.
Listen to Nichole’s episode here: