Agbioscience

  Since its inception, Purdue DIAL Ventures has run six studio cycles and built an impressive portfolio of companies – including Gripp, Croft, Oaken, FIeldist and Aerton – now valued at over $30 million. This week, Executive Director Allan Gray joins us to talk the launch of their Fund II (which is now underway) and how his team’s model uniquely supports company creation.   Highlights include:   A...

AgriNovus’ plans to align with those opportunities and be aAt the midpoint of 2026, there is a lot to reflect on across Indiana’s agbioscience economy and the sector at large. AgriNovus President and CEO, Christy Wright, joins today for an economic checkup. She highlights big wins for Indiana in 2026 – from hubs to headquarters – and looks ahead to AgriNovus’ moves to impact the state long-term. ...

Convergence research: the idea of taking major agricultural themes and breaking them down into simple, digestible insights for various audiences. Necessary? Absolutely. And it’s the work that Dr. Trey Malone, Boehlje Chair in Managerial Economics for Agribusiness at Purdue University, has been doing with his team for awhile now. He brings his expertise in the studio today to dive into the intersec...

From volatile markets to high input costs, farmers are facing a number of challenges that could be offset by additional markets and revenue streams. Today, we're joined by Fiber X CEO Dave Skibinski who's working to give producers exactly that: a new opportunity rooted in the growing demand for natural fiber. Fresh off of a big win at TechPoint’s Mira Awards, Dave shares how FiberX is helping farm...

From styrofoam to concrete, the Student Soybean Innovation Competition at Purdue University has transformed a renewable resource into several industrial products over the last three decades. More than products, though, it has turned students into aspiring creators and entrepreneurs. Elizabeth Heckaman and Jocelyn Erickson from this year’s winning competition join us in studio this week to recap So...

We joke at the end of this episode, but it feels very on par -- May was a photo finish! And what a year this month shaped up to be in Indiana's agbioscience economy. AgriNovus CEO Christy Wright and VP Libby Fritz join Cayla in the studio to recap the following: Corteva chooses Indiana for its global HQ Deputy Secretary of USDA Stephen Vaden visits Indiana following the decision to relocate SNAP t...

From agtech adoption to agronomy, inputs, animal health services and beyond, agricultural cooperatives exist under one common objective: to enable farmer success. For 100 years, Keystone Cooperative has delivered that effort to communities across Indiana, Ohio, Michigan and Illinois, employing more than 1,700 workers and differentiating themselves through service and relationships.   Vice Presiden...

Today we are proud to announce the launch of BioHeartland, a shared identity designed to amplify Indiana’s leading bioscience ecosystem at the convergence of human, animal and plant health.   As Indiana competes globally for the next generation of bioscience jobs, companies and innovation, leaders across industry, academia and economic development are rallying around our unified story. Developed t...

The development and creation of startups and new companies is what allows an innovation ecosystem to thrive. Alloy Partners launched to co-create advantaged startups and venture studios in partnerships corporations and entrepreneurs, melding a future of collaboration between the two. This week, we are joined by One Health Studio Director Ben Lewis to talk market challenges, the studio model and wh...

Food is health is a growing conversation across the agbioscience landscape and research is moving the conceptual to tangible solutions. Dr. Lavanya Reddivari from Purdue University joins this week to talk groundbreaking food science research, advancing discovery through the innovation pipeline and how her family roots are making something old new again.   Highlights include:   A high level overvie...

Last week Governor Mike Braun today announced IN AI , a new statewide initiative focused on helping businesses grow, create jobs, and increase wages through the practical application of human-centered artificial intelligence. The initiative will be executed by the CEOs of Indiana Corporate Partnership (CICP) and will work directly with employers across the state to accelerate AI adoption in ways t...

April was a news-filled month with business announcements, student innovators and AgriNovus programs off and running! AgriNovus CEO Christy Wright and Vice President Libby Fritz join Cayla in the studio to recap the month. Highlights include:  Corteva Unveiling New Leadership for New Corteva and SpinCo BiomEdit Secures Foundational Patents for Engineered Probiotic Platform Positioned to Redefine A...

From industry trailblazers to academic leaders, policymakers to journalists, AgrIInstitute has served as a platform for leadership development in Indiana’s agbioscience ecosystem for over 40 years. Executive Director Beth Archer joins us this week and provides tremendous perspective on how you build an ecosystem of strong leaders: by convening and facilitating communication among a diverse group o...

Enabling startup success is what grows innovative ecosystems to their full potential. From perfecting pitches to finding mentors and understanding product/market fit, a great accelerator sets itself apart from a good one in big and differentiated ways. This week, we are joined by gener8tor Program Director Davide Dantonio to talk Indiana’s entrepreneurial ecosystem, agbioscience growth and helping...

From the land to the animals, Dave Fischer has taken a committed approach to the family business. He joins us this week to talk Southern Indiana’s Fischer Farms, his rapid growing natural meat delivery business, the criticality of consumer voice, soil health and beyond.   Highlights include:   The history of Fischer Farms, Dave’s approach to leading the family operation and their scope of service...

From tightening margins to shifts in the regulatory landscape, growers face a series of headwinds that challenge the success of their operations every year. One constant? Data on the farm. This week, American Autonomy CEO Mariah Scott joins us to talk data as a differentiator and unlocking access in a new American market for drones.   Highlights include:  The work American Autonomy is leading to b...

Our March recap is here and it's a busy one! Highlights include:  The launch of AgriNovus research and 2026 Velocity. Apply to participate in this year's cohort here: https://agrinovusindiana.com/velocity/ Indiana's announcement of a $1B investment in agriculture and bioscience to position the state as a global leader in One Health innovation CICP's launch of the Catalyst Scholars fund focused on...

AgriNovus will release new research today identifying critical challenges ripe for innovation that will serve as the foundation for the 2026 Velocity Accelerator, a six-month program that awards entrepreneurs three separate $25,000 cash prizes for their technology solutions in bioinnovation, farmer-focused innovation and food is health. Joining us on the podcast is Tayo Sanders from Arrowpoint Lab...

The demand for biobased materials is growing on a global scale, with no signals of that pace slowing any time soon. One startup has leveraged the power of synthetic biology to turn industrial byproducts into biomaterials. This week, Ourobio CEO Alec Brewer joins us to talk the company’s founding, contributing to a circular economy and their innovation process – end-to-end.   Highlights include:  ...

From seed selection to input purchases and beyond, farmers are responsible for a litany of data points that require decisions on their operations each season. Having tools to enable confident, informed decisions isn’t just a “nice to have” in modern production agriculture, it’s imperative. We are joined by Beck’s Hybrids’ Jim Schwartz, Director of Research, Agronomy and Practical Farm Research, to...

The future of the agbioscience workforce will look different than it does today – as it does than it did ten years ago. At the heart of its change and evolution are college students and young professionals pursuing new fields of studying, from business to biology, and asking themselves one critical question: how do I apply what I’m learning today to my future in the working world? This week we are...

For farmers looking ahead to a fresh growing season, decisions for their operations require clarity and a certainty around impact and ROI – from inputs to innovation adoption. This week, we are joined by PJ Smith, Senior Global Product Manager at Indigo Ag, to get into soil health’s impact on our food system; and how strengthening agriculture today helps reduce risk and protect food security for t...

There is an increasing desire from consumers to better understand food’s overall impact on their health; however, there haven’t always been the proper tools – until now. This week, we are joined by FoodHealth Company’s CEO and co-founder, Sam Citro-Alexander, to talk about the launch of their consumer and brand facing tech-platform, FoodHealth Score, which rates products and suggests smarter swaps...

From sweeteners and starches to sustainable packaging, the bioeconomy is on the move. At the helm is Primient, a leading producer of food and industrial ingredients made from plant-based, renewable sources – corn being its primary feedstock. Today we are joined by CEO Jim Stutelberg to talk about the $4 trillion global bioeconomy and the rapid innovative trajectory shaping its future.  Highlights...