AgStart, a business incubator in Woodland for agricultural technology startups, was awarded $150,000 from the Small Business Administration to build its AgTech Nation network to a national level, connecting agricultural technology and food technology entrepreneurship programs across the country.
AgTech Nation connects partners coast-to-coast that are themselves networks in their local regions for providing support to ag-tech, seed and food company entrepreneurs.
"American agriculture is globally competitive and an important part of the economy of many states, particularly in rural communities,” John Selep, president of AgStart, said in a news release. "Technology innovation is essential to keep American agriculture competitive, and much of this innovation is emerging from innovative startups."
AgTech Nation will connect entrepreneurs and startups across the country with other local networks for support, collaboration and funding.
AgStart also operates The Lab@AgStart, a wet-lab space in Woodland for startup companies in food and ag.
In addition to AgStart, other AgTech Nation partners include the Western Growers Center for Innovation and Technology in Salinas; the Water, Energy and Technology Center in Fresno; Grand Farm in Fargo, North Dakota; The Combine in Lincoln, Nebraska; the 39 North AgTech Innovation District in St. Louis; AgLaunch in Memphis, Tennessee; and the North Carolina Biotechnology Center in Research Triangle Park, North Carolina.
The SBA award will be used as seed funding to build out the national network of partner networks coast to coast, Selep said in an interview. The SBA funding runs for two years, but Selep said the plan is to find sponsors and supporters in industry to keep the network going indefinitely.
"Our expectation is that we will find a lot of ag and food companies that will want to sponsor it,” he said.
The idea of the network is to support startups and entrepreneurs in ag and food technology with expertise in other parts of the country.
"We will share referrals through the network,” Selep said. “We will have referrals going in all different directions.”
The Sacramento region, for example, has researchers and companies with deep insight into seed development, bio-fermentation technologies and cell culture. The network can also connect entrepreneurs with farmers willing to try new technologies, investors interested in new companies and others interested in food advancements.
"This clearly puts our region as a hub in food and agriculture innovation,” Selep said. “This is the vision we have been working toward.”
The SBA's award was part of its 2023 Growth Accelerator Fund Competition run out of its Small Business Innovation Research and Small Business Technology Transfer programs. The SBA received 355 applications for the cash awards, and AgStart was one of 40 winners across the country to get initial funding of $50,000 in May. The second funding award was announced today.
