AgriNovus Indiana

There are roughly 86 million head of cattle and 74 million head of hogs in the US. That’s according to USDA – those numbers flat year over year in a market where the demand for animal protein is expected to be up 5% by 2033. It’s a math equation that creates a challenge but also creates an opportunity for innovation. Liane Hart, co-founder and CEO, of Verility joins us to talk animal health. She gets into:&nbsp;&nbsp; <ul><li>The overall animal health market from both the veterinarian and producer perspective&nbsp;</li><li>Animal fertility challenges and how Verility seeks to innovate in this area&nbsp;</li><li>How farmers and ranchers currently manage a lack of fertility in production agriculture&nbsp;</li><li>Verility’s platform, Fertile-Eyez, the first true AI fertility device in the animal health industry and its ability to remove all subjectivity of sperm analysis and ovulation detection&nbsp;</li><li>How artificial intelligence is being leveraged to create accuracy and profitability for the producer&nbsp;</li><li>Liane’s leap from Purdue student to Elanco employee to entrepreneur – including a stop to observe a technology at Brigham and Women’s Hospital&nbsp;</li><li>Lessons she’s learned as an entrepreneur along the way and advice she’d share with those who might have an innovative idea in agbioscience&nbsp;</li><li>What’s ahead for Verility&nbsp;</li></ul>

Liane Hart

Co-Founder + CEO, Verility

There are roughly 86 million head of cattle and 74 million head of hogs in the US. That’s according to USDA – those numbers flat year over year in a market where the demand for animal protein is expected to be up 5% by 2033. It’s a math equation that creates a challenge but also creates an opportunity for innovation. Liane Hart, co-founder and CEO, of Verility joins us to talk animal health.

368. Verility’s Liane Hart on leveraging AI to manage animal fertility + stabilize growing demand for protein

This weekly podcast dives into agbioscience, where agriculture, life sciences and cutting-edge technology converge. Agbioscience is an in-depth conversation with leaders and entrepreneurs across food, animal health, plant science and agtech. This one-of-a-kind podcast offers updates on the latest advancements and future trends from those at the forefront of agbioscience innovation.

Agbioscience

As Indiana's famous Month of May comes to a close, Mitch Frazier and Cayla Chiddister recap big news for Mark Warner and LIberation Labs, look ahead to exciting new for AgriNovus' Velocity Demo Day and Indiana's hosting of the Global Entrepreneurship Congress next week. Mitch and Cayla also look ahead to his next career journey and talk about what's next for the podcast: <ul><li>Mark Warner talks Vivici partnership on the podcast: https://podcast.agrinovusindiana.com/public/215/Agbioscience-8a9a4381/50e60709</li><li>Velocity Demo Day is coming on 6/18. Register here: https://agrinovusindiana.com/velocity/</li><li>The Global Entrepreneurship Congress kicks off in Indianapolis next week! Agbioscience listeners can use the code ECOSYSTEM50</li></ul>

As Indiana's famous Month of May comes to a close, Mitch Frazier and Cayla Chiddister recap big news for Mark Warner and LIberation Labs, look ahead to exciting new for AgriNovus' Velocity Demo Day and Indiana's hosting of the Global Entrepreneurship Congress next week. Mitch and Cayla also look ahead to his next career journey and talk about what's next for the podcast.

367. Mitch Frazier recaps May, talks Liberation Labs + Vivici, Velocity $75K Demo Day + Global Entrepreneurship Congress in Indiana

The USDA estimates that between 30-40% of the US food supply is wasted every year – that’s over 133 BILLION pounds. One farmer, turned soldier, turned entrepreneur is tackling that market. Ben Moore, founder of The Ugly Company, joins us to talk to fruit. We get into:&nbsp;&nbsp;<ul><li>Ben’s connection to Indiana and how a farmer went on to create a trucking company that became The Ugly Company as it is today&nbsp;</li><li>How damaged fruit with scars or other cosmetic issues because big business for Ben – The Ugly Company can now be found on store shelves of Target, Sam’s Club, Walmart and Whole Foods&nbsp;</li><li>The Ugly Company’s goal to prevent food waste, where they are at in that target and how they hope to accelerate that goal in the future&nbsp;</li><li>How the fruit becomes the product on shelves – The Ugly Process, if you will&nbsp;</li><li>Ben’s advice for aspiring farmers, business owners and entrepreneurs and lessons he’s learned from leading his business and his time serving in the US Army&nbsp;</li><li>What service looks like to him versus what it maybe looked like as a 22-year-old soldier&nbsp;</li><li>What’s ahead for The Ugly Company – including further distribution and availability in schools&nbsp;</li></ul>

Ben Moore

Founder, The Ugly Company

The USDA estimates that between 30-40% of the US food supply is wasted every year – that’s over 133 BILLION pounds. One farmer, turned soldier, turned entrepreneur is tackling that market. Ben Moore, founder of The Ugly Company, joins us to talk to fruit.

366. The Ugly Company’s Ben Moore on tackling food waste, innovating for consumer health + leading to serve

367. The Ugly Company’s Ben Moore on tackling food waste, innovating for consumer health + leading to serve 

Global Market Insights predicts the precision fermentation market for food and beverage will grow from just about two billion in 2024 to 70 billion globally by 2034. That’s a staggering combined annual growth rate of nearly 40%. Liberation Labs is pioneering a new approach to precision fermentation at scale that borrows a page from the pharmaceutical industries playbook. Co-founder and CEO, Mark Warner, joins us to get into:&nbsp;&nbsp; <ul><li>What exactly is precision fermentation?&nbsp;</li><li>The challenge facing companies, particularly early-stage innovators, that Liberation Labs saw an opportunity to solve for with contract precision fermentation&nbsp;</li><li>The company’s recent announcement of its first customer for the Indiana facility, Vivici, what they will do for them and what’s exciting about the partnership&nbsp;</li><li>How Mark saw an opportunity in the pharmaceutical space that could be replicated in fermentation for agbioscience innovation&nbsp;</li><li>Mark’s journey to fundraise for Liberation Labs&nbsp;</li><li>Reflecting on the decision to put their facility in Indiana for access to talent, corn and transportation&nbsp;</li><li>The biggest opportunities for growth – not just for Liberation Labs – but for precision fermentation as an industry&nbsp;</li><li>Biomanufacturing’s importance to economic growth, but in urban and rural America&nbsp;</li><li>What’s ahead for Liberation Labs&nbsp;</li></ul>

Mark Warner

Co-Founder + CEO, Liberation Labs

Global Market Insights predicts the precision fermentation market for food and beverage will grow from just about two billion in 2024 to 70 billion globally by 2034. That’s a staggering combined annual growth rate of nearly 40%. Liberation Labs is pioneering a new approach to precision fermentation at scale that borrows a page from the pharmaceutical industries playbook and its co-founder and CEO, Mark Warner, join us.

365. Liberation Labs’ Mark Warner on precision fermentation for food + beverage, the Vivici partnership + biomanufacturing’s future

The U.S. Economic Policy Institute estimates there are 2.4 million ag jobs in the United States and Purdue University believes that 40% of ag jobs – new jobs – go unfilled. One entrepreneur is turning to the power of digital to transform ag labor. Scott Prince, CEO of Croft, gives us perspective on the current labor market and what he’s solving for using agtech. We get into:&nbsp;&nbsp; <ul><li>The complexity and challenges of the ag labor market – from seasonality to workforce shortages&nbsp;</li><li>How the Department of Labor’s H-2A program is designed to help farmers overcome labor challenges, but the administrative hurdles they face in the process&nbsp;</li><li>What the process looks like for farmers to participate in the H-2A program and why Croft was developed as a streamlined solution&nbsp;</li><li>Identifying this as a critical need to automate for the farmer&nbsp;</li><li>What Scott is hearing from customers using the platform&nbsp;</li><li>What’s ahead for Croft – hint: it includes expanding their analytical intensity capacity&nbsp;</li></ul>

Scott Prince

CEO, Croft

The U.S. Economic Policy Institute estimates there are 2.4 million ag jobs in the United States and Purdue University believes that 40% of ag jobs – new jobs – go unfilled. One entrepreneur is turning to the power of digital to transform ag labor. Scott Prince, CEO of Croft, gives us perspective on the current labor market and what he’s solving for using agtech. 

364. Croft’s Scott Prince on the ag labor market, H-2A's administrative hurdles + innovating a streamlined solution for the farmer

The American Farm Bureau estimates that roughly 40% of US farmland is either rented of leased. It’s a reality that creates a labyrinth of contracts and agreements between farmers and landowners that the two have to navigate together. One entrepreneur is turning to the power of software to transform that challenge into an opportunity that makes that relationship a little easier to navigate. Shashi Raghunandan, CEO of Oaken, joins us to talk the complex web between landowners and farm operators. We get into:&nbsp;&nbsp;<ul><li>The existing challenge between landowners and farmers, especially as farms grow to significant acreage&nbsp;</li><li>Oaken as a platform not only manage multiple contracts for large acre farms but to also manage the unique specifics of each individual deal&nbsp;&nbsp;</li><li>How the migration to cloud-based technologies like Oaken balance in an industry like agriculture that is largely relationship-based&nbsp;</li><li>The feedback farmer customers are giving on the Oaken platform thus far&nbsp;</li><li>Shashi’s background in payments and financial services and how it paved the way to him connecting with Purdue DIAL Ventures and eventually leading Oaken&nbsp;</li><li>What to expect from Oaken in the next 12-18 months &nbsp;</li></ul>

Shashi Raghunandan

CEO, Oaken

The American Farm Bureau estimates that roughly 40% of US farmland is either rented of leased. It’s a reality that creates a labyrinth of contracts and agreements between farmers and landowners that the two have to navigate together. One entrepreneur is turning to the power of software to transform that challenge into an opportunity that makes that relationship a little easier to navigate. Shashi Raghunandan, CEO of Oaken, joins us to talk the complex web between landowners and farm operators.

363. Oaken’s Shashi Raghunandan talks the landowner + farmer relationship, agtech that saves time + money

At the end of April, AgriNovus CEO Mitch Frazier jumps on the podcast with Cayla Chiddister to recap the month gone by and events coming up, including: <ul><li>Recent travels and discussions around how the Midwest can add additional value to its commodities, an existing strength and something we've done time and again. </li><li>Mitch recently spoke with AgFunder News' Elaine Watson on challenges meeting opportunities in this tough environment right now and how "pessimists might sound smart, but it's the optimists who will win. That story is <a href="https://agfundernews.com/agrinovus-ceo-on-why-his-agbioscience-glass-is-always-half-full-pessimists-sound-smart-optimists-make-money#new_tab" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">here.</a></li><li>Our next Quadrant event is coming up in Indianapolis focused on the evolution of food ingredients based on shifting consumer preferences, how food companies are responding and what that means for farmers. You can register for the free event <a href="https://agrinovusindiana.com/quadrant/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">here</a>.</li><li>Quadrant's discussion aligns nicely with a gigantic event -- The Sweets and Snacks Expo (learn more <a href="https://sweetsandsnacks.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">here</a>).</li><li>Field Atlas just closed its May Company Tour application window, but August is still open for college students to apply. Learn more <a href="https://myfieldatlas.com/company-tours/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">here.</a></li><li>Velocity Demo Day is coming up June 18 at the Indiana State Fairgrounds. Register for the free event <a href="https://agrinovusindiana.com/velocity/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">here</a>. </li></ul>

At the end of April, AgriNovus CEO Mitch Frazier jumps on the podcast with Cayla Chiddister to recap the month gone by and events coming up including Quadrant, Sweets and Snacks Expo and Velocity's 1st Demo Day!

Recent Episodes

SEASON 8

368. Verility’s Liane Hart on leveraging AI to manage animal fertility + stabilize growing demand for protein

367. Mitch Frazier recaps May, talks Liberation Labs + Vivici, Velocity $75K Demo Day + Global Entrepreneurship Congress in Indiana

366. The Ugly Company’s Ben Moore on tackling food waste, innovating for consumer health + leading to serve

365. Liberation Labs’ Mark Warner on precision fermentation for food + beverage, the Vivici partnership + biomanufacturing’s future

364. Croft’s Scott Prince on the ag labor market, H-2A's administrative hurdles + innovating a streamlined solution for the farmer

363. Oaken’s Shashi Raghunandan talks the landowner + farmer relationship, agtech that saves time + money

362. Mitch Frazier recaps April, talks Midwest resilience + looks ahead to Quadrant + Velocity's first Demo Day

About The Show

Agbioscience

Mitch Frazier

CEO, AgriNovus Indiana