Balancing the desire to do good with the need to build a business that can scale is a challenge for every entrepreneur. Particularly in agriculture, finding strategies that solve for both the users of the product as well as beneficiaries of the solution is key. For Marissa Cuevas Flores, Founder and CEO of MicroTERRA , it took several iterations before her team settled on a workable value proposition that could contribute to massive global challenges like preserving fresh water and feeding the w...
Feb 09, 2022•32 min•Ep. 118
Managing the genetic quality of a herd can be a wicked challenge for Australian farmers. We’re a country with a small number of animals relative to the rest of the world, and formidable, complex biosecurity protocols. Fortunately, Belinda Cardinal, Founder of breeding and genetics company Caprotek and career dairy goat farmer, enjoys spending time on wickedly difficult problems. After years spent strengthening the genetic diversity of her herd of dairy goats, Belinda attracted all kinds of cover...
Jan 26, 2022•39 min•Ep. 117
The science and technology of soil is rapidly evolving, but translating it into a scalable business that can offer viable products to farmers has long been a tricky proposition. But it’s one that Adam Litle, the CEO of Sound Agriculture , has devoted much of his career to answering. Adam was part of the executive team at Granular, the farm management software company acquired by Dupont (now Corteva) for $300M. Now, at Sound Ag, he’s leading a company that’s raised more than $95M to develop a pro...
Jan 12, 2022•34 min•Ep. 116
Originally released: 20 February, 2020 We’ll be back with new episodes in January 2022, but for the holidays we thought we’d bring back a favorite episode from the vault! Mark Ferguson or “Ferg,” is a sheep geneticist who’s paying attention to how both consumer demands and emerging technologies are impacting growers. He’s the co-founder and Director of neXtgen Agri , an online livestock consultancy, and Genesmith , a startup applying facial recognition and machine learning to the global livestoc...
Dec 22, 2021•35 min•Ep. 115
It’s fair to say most entrepreneurs (and farmers!) aren’t big fans of government rules and regulations for fear of being slowed down by red tape and bureaucracy. However, the political environment in which a startup develops can have a big impact on its ability to find investment and support, especially in agtech, where ecosystems are still very new for most countries. The United Arab Emirates is investing heavily in agtech, seeking to make Abu Dhabi the global center for innovation in agricultu...
Dec 15, 2021•44 min•Ep. 114
Where are all the women founders in agtech, especially at later-stage startups? What does an acquisition really feel like, and when does it make sense? In this Bonus episode, we answer both these questions, as well as build on the key insights from our latest series: “Later-Stage Agtech Startup Lessons”. This episode features: Anastasia Volkova - co-founder and CEO of Regrow *, an independent measurement reporting and verification platform. Regrow, (formerly Flurosat), recently acquired US agtec...
Dec 08, 2021•41 min•Ep. 113
Farmers Business Network is one of the most well-funded startups in agtech. Just recently, they announced a $300M Series G round, bringing their total funds raised to $870M and their valuation to nearly $4 billion. So, where did it all begin? In this episode, FBN co-founder and Chief Innovation Officer, Charles Baron , explains how his Silicon Valley upbringing unexpectedly collided with rural Nebraska, resulting in an idea for a new kind of agribusiness- one that would connect farmers and incre...
Dec 01, 2021•48 min•Ep. 112
“When you say, ‘can I have your money?’ Then, people speak the truth.” Paul Lightfoot is a serial entrepreneur who has learned several lessons the hard way, from raising money to communicating purpose to hiring (and firing). After spending much of his career as a software CEO, Paul wanted to follow his “calling” to enter the world of sustainability and foodtech. But this meant moving from a familiar career trajectory to an industry that, 10 years ago when Paul was entering it, barely even existe...
Nov 17, 2021•40 min•Ep. 111
In this 3-part series, we’ll share the lessons from agtech startup founders who have grown their agtech companies from idea to at least 100 employees. We’ll be examining what’s worked (and hasn’t), differences between agtech and other industries, and what the founders have learned along the way about the industry and themselves. This episode, the first in the series, features Michael Gilbert, CEO and founder of Semios , a crop management platform initially focused on tree fruit, nuts and vines, ...
Nov 03, 2021•36 min•Ep. 110
Venture investment into technology companies that have the potential to scale regenerative agriculture is accelerating. However, it is a relatively new domain for venture capital, and it comes with its own unique set of challenges. So what role can VCs play in the regen ag landscape? And what technologies and trends are VCs looking at to guide their investments? This bonus episode features a discussion from a live panel conversation at the Regenerative Food Systems Investment Forum (RFSIF), in C...
Oct 28, 2021•31 min•Ep. 109
Does the average citizen actually need to care about how their food is produced? This is the central question Australian author and journalist, Gabrielle Chan, set out to answer. Her latest book, “Why you should give a f*ck about farming” details her firm conclusion that, yes, if you eat food, you should in fact care about agriculture. While the old days of agriculture as the top contributor to GDP are over for most Western countries, Gabrielle argues the future of food and farming is becoming i...
Oct 20, 2021•39 min•Ep. 108
The divide between farmers and startups can seem like a chasm. Tech culture and agriculture have evolved from completely different backgrounds, and even seem to have their own languages. So how can agtech bring together two very different groups? In this episode, you’ll hear practical tips from farmers and agtech experts on how to build mutually beneficial relationships. For startups, this includes approaching farmers as partners, rather than ‘customers,’ and understanding ‘grower economics’. An...
Oct 06, 2021•41 min•Ep. 107
Dr. Ken Henry became well-known in Australia for his bold economic reforms as the Treasury Secretary throughout the 2000s. His approach to conservation and agriculture is equally as bold, advocating for the natural environment to be valued, and even predicting “an explosion” in financial instruments to measure soil carbon, vegetation, biodiversity and other aspects of nature.As an economist, former Chair of the National Australia Bank, and current board director of Accounting for Nature , he bri...
Sep 29, 2021•40 min•Ep. 106
For our 100th episode (hooray!), we’ve brought back some of our most popular guests to check in on what’s changed in their businesses and in agtech since we spoke, and the new technologies and opportunities we can all be looking out for. These guests were popular for a reason: Mark Wootton - dubbed the ‘carbon neutral farmer,’ Mark is a pioneer in measuring natural capital… yet, he’s also highly skeptical of the regenerative agriculture movement. Stu Austin - manager of Wilmot Cattle Co , which ...
Sep 22, 2021•1 hr•Ep. 105
Loran Steinlage has been labeled a ‘regenerative’ farmer and branded a conservationist, yet as a farmer in Iowa, in many ways he’s far from the stereotypical image of either. He lives in the heart of the Iowa corn belt, but says he now doesn’t care whether he grows corn or not. In this episode, Loran shares how his drive for innovation has come from a series of difficult and life-changing events in his personal life. This, coupled with his love of tinkering with machines has helped him unlock ne...
Sep 08, 2021•38 min•Ep. 104
Benson Hill is designing crops and ingredients for some of the world’s most popular plant-based food brands. But the company has no intention of becoming a brand itself. Instead, it’s focused on revolutionizing the entire food system, from how plants are grown, to what they taste like, to the range of crop varieties on offer. Founder and CEO, Matt Crisp , started Benson Hill nearly a decade ago as a plant biology company, using analytics and machine learning to increase yields. Now it has grown ...
Aug 25, 2021•41 min•Ep. 103
The Silicon Valley model for innovation has worked famously for many software based companies, such as Facebook and PayPal. However, when it comes to agtech, the Silicon Valley template for startup success hasn’t translated very well. This template, of either “user is the customer” or “user is the product” is rather limited in agriculture, where the farming population is small (restricting scale) and the stakes are high. This episode features Rob Trice, the founding partner of Better Food Ventur...
Aug 18, 2021•45 min•Ep. 102
Red meat is increasingly seen as the “bad guy” when it comes to climate change. Undoubtedly, animal agriculture has an impact on the environment, with 10 percent of Australia’s greenhouse gas emissions coming from livestock. But Australia's leading red meat marketing and R&D organization, Meat and Livestock Australia (MLA) says the negative environmental impacts from red meat are often overblown. While lamb and beef are still very popular in Australia, and cattle farmers are currently enjoyi...
Aug 11, 2021•43 min•Ep. 101
For some, the concept of hands-free farming is terrifying; for others, the prospect is game-changing and exciting. But, is fully autonomous farming really possible? In this episode we chat with Kit Franklin , senior lecturer in agricultural engineering at Harper Adams University in the UK, who in 2016 set out to prove an entire crop cycle could be done autonomously. The project was called Hands Free Hectare , which later expanded into Hands Free Farm after garnering worldwide attention and for p...
Jul 28, 2021•39 min•Ep. 100
Just because something can be done, doesn’t mean it should be. In agtech, this is a reminder that no matter how cutting edge the science or technology, when it comes to commercialization, functionality and novelty are simply not enough. This is especially true in the complex area of chemistry and the emerging industry of biologicals. This episode features two scientists who, instead of viewing the publication of their research as an end point, have made it the beginning of a venture-backed start...
Jul 14, 2021•41 min•Ep. 99
Can capitalism be a force for good? David Lee left the traditional corporate world to work for some of the most bullish startup companies in agrifood tech, including Impossible Foods and AppHarvest , where he was appointed the company’s President earlier this year. David did this out of a belief that the levers of capitalism and consumerism are the fastest ways to transform the food system. He says the key to address the world’s urgent food sustainability problems is by creating consumer movemen...
Jul 07, 2021•28 min•Ep. 98
Farmers are under pressure to shift toward lower chemical intensity production. Biologicals are touted as one possible solution, promising natural, chemical-free alternatives to inputs such as fertilizers and pesticides. But biologicals also have a reputation for being ‘snake oil,’ with companies making claims that seem too good to be true, or that don’t stack up outside the lab. So what’s the science behind biologicals, and how do we know they work? And when they do work, how do we get them in ...
Jun 30, 2021•43 min•Ep. 97
Agriculture in India has been thrust onto the international stage as the world watched and celebrities tweeted about the tens of thousands of farmers camped out in Delhi to protest against governmental reforms which loosen rules around the sale, pricing, and storage of produce. Farmers say these changes prioritize corporate interests and threaten livelihoods, but Prime Minister Narendra Modi argues they will lead to greater efficiency and ultimately income for smallholder farmers. In this episod...
Jun 16, 2021•33 min•Ep. 96
We’d all like to be able to predict what the next big technological disruption or trend will be. But while we can't exactly do that, we can look at signals happening today, and use them to drive our thinking about the future. In this bonus episode, Sarah Nolet presents five future forces shaping innovation in food and agriculture, and shares insights about what these forces mean for producers, investors, and entrepreneurs today. You may know Sarah as the host of this podcast, but in this bonus e...
Jun 09, 2021•35 min•Ep. 95
Agrifood value chains are known for their efficiencies: they’ve been optimized to grow, process, and deliver massive amounts of safe food all over the world. But efficiency is no longer enough. Consumers and investors want supply chains that are climate resilient (or positive), sustainable & ethical, and free from waste. How can we deliver against these pressures? What changes in technology and practices will be needed? How do we build trust so consumers and industry alike have confidence in...
Jun 02, 2021•39 min•Ep. 94
Jana Hocken is a dairy farmer and “lean farming” consultant. After an international career in engineering and lean manufacturing at Toyota, Jana moved to a farm in New Zealand with her husband. At the time, she knew very little about agriculture. But, after witnessing inefficiencies on her own farm, such as people regularly making multiple trips to the same paddock, she quickly realized the principles of lean could be applied. Jana has now released her own book and training materials, to help ot...
May 19, 2021•39 min•Ep. 93
Nitrate leaching in New Zealand, largely driven by the rapid expansion of dairy, has left waterways so polluted that some are unsafe to swim in. But the government is on a mission to fix this and restore the country’s ‘clean and green’ reputation. To tackle this issue, as well as other environmental concerns, the government is mandating that all farmers (not just dairy) report on water contaminants and other sustainability measures, including greenhouse gas emissions.In this episode hear from: M...
May 05, 2021•37 min•Ep. 92
Vonnie Estes has been at the forefront of genetics in agriculture for 30 years. She’s witnessed the public backlash over GMO crops in the 1990s, as well as the hype over biofuels in the U.S in the 2000s. Vonnie has also seen great advancements in plant breeding and genetics, working for Monsanto, Dupont, and Syngenta, as well as with multiple ag and biotech startups. In her current role as Vice-President of Technology at the Produce Marketing Association, Vonnie helps companies navigate the conf...
Apr 21, 2021•34 min•Ep. 91
Experts and tech companies alike are claiming that soil carbon payments hold huge potential as a new revenue stream for farmers and a weapon against climate change. Yet, others say it’s all hype. One thing is clear though: it’s a confusing and rapidly evolving space, with new technologies and incentive schemes emerging weekly. In this week’s episode, we feature a panel of experts from across tech, policy, and corporate agribusiness. We tackle issues and barriers in soil carbon, and the potential...
Apr 07, 2021•36 min•Ep. 90
We have the technology to measure and improve water efficiency on farms, yet adoption remains low- why is this?This episode explores our hypothesis in our recent report: that the problem is not with the technology, but rather with a limited understanding of the nuances of farmer psychology. We explore how tech developers, both startups and incumbent firms, can design business models that encourage irrigation tech adoption. We also discuss how farmers can make sure they’re getting the information...
Mar 24, 2021•33 min•Ep. 89
