UPDATE: OCTOBER 1, 2022

We will share updates about our new flagship event in the coming weeks. Read the full announcement.

UPDATE: AUGUST 9, 2021

In light of recent challenges and uncertainty posed by variants associated with COVID-19, we regret to announce that we are moving the 2021 Ag Innovation Showcase to a fully online, virtual experience. We believe this is the safest approach for the well-being of our audience.

We invite you to view our agenda (below) and join us in September to explore our themes. Our speakers are world-thought leaders, entrepreneurs, industry professionals, investors, and policymakers in food and agriculture. Read the full announcement.

Larta Institute Announces Partnership with NCBiotech

to Co-Produce the 2021 Ag Innovation Showcase

Theme announced as “Recovery, Regeneration, Reimagining”

Los Angeles, CA, August 4, 2021 – Larta Institute, a leading commercialization hub, is proud to announce a partnership with North Carolina Biotechnology Center (NCBiotech) to present the 2021 Ag Innovation Showcase, the ag tech industry’s premier conference with the theme, “Recovery, Regeneration, Reimagining.” Hosted in North Carolina (NC) as a limited in-person event and virtually to reach a global audience, this hybrid event will occur from September 13 – 14, 2021, and will feature keynote speakers, industry panels, and intimate networking receptions to engage with fellow industry experts. It will feature the latest strategies and innovations across the spectrum of sustainability in ag and food production. This year the Showcase will identify the concerns uncovered during the world’s year of crisis to describe the contours of recovery. It will delve into recent developments toward the continued evolution of regeneration as an organizing principle for the ag tech industry, and it will explore the arc of reimagining the changed and rapidly evolving landscape of agriculture and food. The hybrid event approach enables a truly interactive experience between the in-person and virtual audience.

Confirmed speakers include Chavonda Jacobs-Young, Chief Scientist and Acting Undersecretary of Research at USDA, Jack Bobo, noted food futurist; Sarah Davidson Evanega Research Professor and Director for Cornell Alliance for Science and the Borlaug Scholar for 2021, Alan Bjerga, noted author (Endless Appetites) and senior executive at the National Milk Producers’ Federation, Adrian Percy, CTO of UPL Ltd., Sanjeev Krishnan, Chief Investment Officer and Managing Director at S2G Ventures, Tom Adams, CEO of Pairwise, and noted Showcase alumni, including Naveen Sikka of Terviva and Han Chen of Zeakal The complete agenda and list of speakers will be published on August 6, 2021.

In addition, the Showcase is delighted to present a “Food Foresight Masterclass” on September 15, after the formal Showcase, conducted by Jack Bobo and David West Reynolds, archaeologist of the future and a noted author and communicator. The Masterclass explores a step-by-step journey through the latest techniques, strategies, and methodologies used by global forecasters to identify tomorrow’s big trends in the food and agriculture sector. This interactive session presented by the Showcase is limited to in-person attendees.

Paul Ulanch, Executive Director, Crop Commercialization Program, North Carolina Biotechnology Center, affirmed North Carolina’s status as “the largest global hub of ag technology.” Ulanch further identifies the Research Triangle Park region as the home of innovative early-stage startups and global companies alike, citing BASF, Syngenta and Novozymes as headquartered in the area.

“The diversity of the ag and food base in North Carolina is also driven by the diversity of climate and soils across the State,” said Ulanch, “we celebrate the extraordinary richness of its research stations, including the remarkable institutions, North Carolina State (NC State), North Carolina A&T State University, University of North Carolina (UNC) and Duke University.” Ulanch, a strong supporter of the Ag Innovation Showcase, has long advocated for its presence in the region.

Founded by Larta Institute and the Donald Danforth Plant Science Center in 2009, the Ag Innovation Showcase has been a hub for innovation in the food and ag tech industry for the past 12 years and is famous for its intimate setting, effective networking, and community-oriented mission.

“We have evolved the Showcase since its inception. Its track record in identifying innovations by emerging companies, trends on tap, and calls to action have resonated widely. This year’s hybrid event is a preview of the most critical issues ahead,” said Rohit Shukla, Founder and CEO of Larta Institute. “In fall 2022, we expect to transition to a full in-person event in Raleigh, NC. As such, we will look to share many of Larta’s alumni successes as they have pivoted and scaled their innovations and welcome a good group of senior-level guests to the table.”

Over the past decade, Ag Showcase has hosted over 250 startup companies representing 39 countries and facilitated over $1.8B in funding for Showcase Alumni. Registration for the event is available at https://marketing.ncbiotech.org/19/1006/landing-pages/virtual-rsvp-blank.asp.

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About the Event – Ag Innovation Showcase

Established in 2009, the Ag Innovation Showcase is the world’s premier event focusing on the convergence of agriculture and technology. It brings together those with a significant stake in food and agriculture– innovators, researchers, government agencies, corporations, investors, and others – to promote investment in frontier solutions to meet the food needs of a growing planet and meet rapidly shifting consumer demand.

About Larta Institute

Larta Institute is a non-profit organization accelerating innovation & entrepreneurship. Our mission is to foster science & technology innovation for a sustainable planet. Our planet is experiencing significant global problems created by human behavior and policies affecting the environment, food, education, energy & healthcare systems. New science & technology plays a critical role in transforming how we sustainably feed, fuel, and heal the world. Larta was founded in 1993, in Los Angeles, as California’s regional technology alliance to stimulate the economic development of technology-based enterprises. Larta quickly became the national partner for numerous federal government agencies to commercialize novel research & innovation - including DARPA, NIH, DOE, NSF, NIST, NOAA, and USDA. Today, our innovation platform & ecosystem accelerates new science & technology from idea to sustainable enterprise - by providing a unique combination of connections, resources, and funding. We have helped over 6,000 startups, and our alumni have raised over $5BN in funds. Together, let’s feed, fuel, and heal the world.

Press and Multimedia Contact:

Jermaine Reid

Larta Institute

jreid@larta.org

508-361-2710

2021 social media kit, coming soon!

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