AgTech startups wishing to engage with the Iowa AgriTech Accelerator can submit their applications starting today. The Iowa AgriTech Accelerator is a mentor-led, in-residence accelerator focused on startups with innovations in AgTech. The program is currently seeking six early-stage companies with an idea, intellectual property or prototype for agricultural innovation to participate in its 2017 class.
“An accelerator’s core purpose is to find innovative companies that are just starting out and to find a way to accelerate their business far beyond what they could do themselves,” notes Tej Dhawan, interim director of Iowa AgriTech Accelerator. “The Iowa AgriTech Accelerator brings together mentors and investors from a diverse group of companies and backgrounds who are willing to help a startup’s AgTech idea take shape, grow and become commercially viable.”
The Iowa AgriTech Accelerator has support from some of the largest and well-known AgTech companies, including DuPont Pioneer, Farmers Mutual Hail Insurance Company, Grinnell Mutual, Kent Corporation, John Deere, Peoples Company and Sukup Manufacturing. From this group of investors, this year’s startup companies will receive intensive mentoring and $40,000 in seed funding. Participants also receive planned visits to investor and mentor companies that will complement office time for holistic education, outreach, networking and presentation opportunities, as well as a graduation ceremony held during the World Food Prize.
“Our investors and mentors hail from the AgTech industry,” says Dhawan. “Startups participating in our program will have opportunities to collaborate with industry leaders at their companies, present their solutions to refine product-market fit, perform customer discovery within the industry and build strategic partnerships.”
Companies participating in the program must commit to spending at least 80 percent of their time at the Iowa AgriTech Accelerator in Des Moines’ Historic East Village, starting July 10 through October 20, and present their company’s product/service/salutation at the official demo-day during World Food Prize Week.
Class begins July 10 with graduation in conjunction with the World Food Prize scheduled October 20, 2017. Startups can apply online by May 12 at
https://agiowa.com/apply/.