AgTech Summit 2024

Thursday, December 12 | 9:00am - 1:30pm

Morning Sessions:
DeVos Place
303 Monroe Ave NW, Grand Rapids

Startup Showcase:
Doug Meijer Medical Innovation Building
109 Michigan St NW, Grand Rapids

Connecting Agriculture and Innovation.

Join us at the AgTech Summit, a half-day event hosted by the MSU Research Foundation and MSU Technologies, bringing together specialty agriculture experts, venture capital leaders and agriculture innovators to celebrate achievements and explore solutions to Michigan's agricultural challenges.

Morning Sessions:  Held at DeVos Place alongside the Great Lakes Fruit, Vegetable, and Farm Market EXPO, these sessions will promote learning and collaboration.

Startup Showcase:  Taking place at the Doug Meijer Medical Innovation Building, this is an opportunity to connect with the Michigan AgTech ecosystem! Early-stage startups are invited to present their technology and help shape the future of food, farming, and environmental stewardship.

Who Should Attend: AgTech innovators, startups, corporate representatives, investors, researchers, policymakers, and students.

Agenda

  • Discover how technology, sustainable practices, and entrepreneurship are reshaping the industry. Gain insights into challenges and opportunities, and learn how collaboration drives advancement.

    FACILITATOR:

    Brad Fingland, MSU Research Foundation

    PANELISTS:

    Andrew Dickow, Greenwich Capital Group
    David Skole, Iora Nature Tech
    Gai Boger, Ness Fertigation

    LOCATION:

    Grand Gallery Rooms E and F (3rd Level), DeVos Place

  • Engage in peer discussions on emerging technologies, sustainable practices, and the next wave of agricultural advancements.

    FACILITATORS

    Joe Affholter, Mich. Translational Research and Commercialization (MTRAC)
    Brad Fingland, MSU Research Foundation
    Julia Miller, MSU Technologies

    LOCATION

    Grand Gallery Rooms E and F (3rd Level), DeVos Place

  • Next sessions will take place at the Doug Meijer Medical Innovation Building.

  • AgTech startups will present their ideas and solutions to the attending investors, experts, and ecosystem partners.

    STARTUPS:

    EarthMetric Innovations, Matt Henry
    FarmDroid
    Farmish, Terra Osman
    Iora Nature Tech, David Skole
    Meknology, Daniel Hodges
    MSU SmartAg Technology, John Verboncoer
    TierraSpec, Avital Levy-Lior

    LOCATION:

    7th Floor, Doug Meijer Medical Innovation Building

  • After absorbing all the great content at the Great Lakes Expo and learning about the agriculture technologies and solutions, take this opportunity to network and share insights with fellow innovators.

    LOCATION:

    7th Floor, Doug Meijer Medical Innovation Building

  • The Bridge is a 20,000-square-foot incubator in downtown Grand Rapids, offering collaborative workspaces and startup services through the MSU Research Foundation. Tours available on request.

    LOCATION

    4th Floor, Doug Meijer Medical Innovation Building

Startup Showcase

  • Earthmetric Innovations

    creates low-cost sensor systems that help farmers optimize irrigation, improve crop quality, and increase yields.

  • FarmDroid

    develops autonomous, solar-powered robots that assist farmers with planting and weeding, reducing labor and environmental impact.

  • Farmish

    is a an online marketplace that connects communities with local farmers to access fresh, locally grown food.

  • Iora Nature Tech

    provides real-time carbon reporting and nature monitoring through AI, satellite imagery, and machine learning.

  • Meknology

    designs water treatment devices that separate water from sludge, salts, heavy metals, and other contaminants to support clean water solutions.

  • MSU SmartAg Technologies

    uses advanced tools to optimize the agricultural supply chain, enhancing food safety and security.

  • TierraSpec

    measures and validates carbon sequestration in agricultural soils using remote sensing and machine learning for more sustainable farming.

Speakers & Innovators

  • Joe Affholter

    Mich. Translational Research and Commercialization (MTRAC)

    LinkedIn

  • Gai Boger

    Ness Fertigation

  • Andrew Dickow

    Greenwich Capital Group

    LinkedIn

  • Brad Fingland

    MSU Research Foundation

    LinkedIn

  • Matt Henry

    EarthMetric Innovations (Startup Showcase)

    LinkedIn

  • Daniel Hodges

    Meknology
    (Startup Showcase)

    LinkedIn

  • Avital Levy-Lior

    TierraSpec
    (Startup Showcase)

  • Julia Miller

    MSU Technologies

    LinkedIn

  • Terra Osman

    Farmish
    (Startup Showcase)

    LinkedIn

  • David Skole

    Iora Nature Tech
    (Startup Showcase)

    LinkedIn

  • John Verboncoer

    MSU / SmartAg Technology
    (Startup Showcase)

    LinkedIn

*AgTech Summit Advising Team Members

What participants say about our summits…

  • "It exceeded my expectations. We networked, hired a new team member, and began collaborations with MSU professors."

    Ilan S Rubinfeld, MD
    Chief Analytics Cfficer, Henry Ford Health; Chief Medical Officer, Henry Ford Innovations

  • "The summit connects companies with researchers and helped identify community partners for undergraduate capstone projects, fostering innovation."

    Dirk J. L. Colbry
    Senior Specialist in Curriculum Development, MSU College of Engineering

  • "There’s a real need for technologies and talent to break down data silos. The summit brought together leaders, experts, and young talent to tackle challenges collaboratively."

    Mohammad Ghassemi
    Assistant Professor, MSU College of Engineering; Founder of Ghamut

Register Now!