Up to eight (8) Tennessee agriculture entrepreneur teams will have the chance to participate in a week-long agri-tech bootcamp being held on the University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture campus in Knoxville from July 9-13, 2018. The event is coordinated by Knoxville Entrepreneur Center (KEC) in partnership with AgLaunch, the statewide agricultural innovation program. Teams accepted into the program will experience best-in-class agricultural entrepreneurship programming and have access to investors, mentors, and farmers.
AgLaunch Bootcamp applicants must be located in Tennessee and can include:
- Small startup companies operating in the agricultural sector
- Existing companies that are creating new innovations or product lines
- Student or faculty teams that are developing new innovations in agriculture
AgLaunch Bootcamp applicants should be focused on addressing real problems in agriculture in Tennessee within the crops and livestock sector. These include but are not limited to: automation & robotics, solutions to issues such as spray drift & herbicide resistant weeds, financing approaches, water & nitrogen management, innovative livestock production technologies, food traceability & food safety, market access, and new equipment. Please do not be limited by this list. AgLaunch and KEC will consider any new and novel idea in the agriculture/food value chain.
Teams that do well in the program will have the opportunity to participate in AgLaunch365 programming during the Fall of 2018 and be considered for investment from Innova Ag Innovation Fund IV. Innova Ag is a $31 Million venture fund backed by 8 Farm Credit banks focused on agriculture innovation.
Tennessee-based entrepreneurs with an idea or an agtech startup who are interested in the intensive bootcamp can apply here. Applications are being accepted through 5 pm EST June 8, 2018. Up to eight (8) teams will be selected to participate.