Don’t miss the exciting content at Ag Innovation Showcase 2017 that is being organized by our partners on far ranging topics from:

1. Early stage companies from Canada sponsored by the Canadian Consulate
2. Projects from DOE ARPA-E program on Transportation Energy Resources from Renewable Agriculture sponsored by ARPA-E
3. Strategies for strategic partnerships sponsored by Sidley Austin, LLP
4. Innovations in agriculture from Argentina sponsored by the Argentina Investment and Trade Promotion Agency
5. An introduction to a public-private model sponsored by Foundation for Food and Agriculture Research
6. University stage innovations sponsored by Technology Acceleration Partners
7. Strategies for commercial partnerships that do good and do well sponsored by Bryan Cave

Meet the Canadian Delegation
Monday, September 11 from 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
Organized by the Canadian Consulate General

This “first look” session is your introduction to the six innovative companies that make up this year’s Canadian delegation to the Ag Innovation Showcase. Their disruptive technologies can yield better results in greenhouses, make livestock healthier, increase efficiencies in hiring seasonal labor, and make the food chain safer.
The first half of our program will be dedicated to mini-pitches so you can learn about the companies and their goals. During the second hour, you will have a chance to meet and talk with the entrepreneurs in a speed-dating session.

 Early-Stage Technologies for High Throughput Phenotyping and Digital Agriculture
Tuesday, September 12 from 3:20-5:10 p.m.
Organized by the Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy

This session features several early-stage innovations that could transform the efficiency and effectiveness of plant breeding and crop management. Innovations include sophisticated sensor suites on. This session features several early-stage innovations that could transform the efficiency and effectiveness of plant breeding and crop management. Innovations include sophisticated sensor suites on

This session features several early-stage innovations that could transform the efficiency and effectiveness of plant breeding and crop management. Innovations include sophisticated sensor suites on. This session features several early-stage innovations that could transform the efficiency and effectiveness of plant breeding and crop management. Innovations include sophisticated sensor suites on

This session features several early-stage innovations that could transform the efficiency and effectiveness of plant breeding and crop management. Innovations include sophisticated sensor suites on. This session features several early-stage innovations that could transform the efficiency and effectiveness of plant breeding and crop management. Innovations include sophisticated sensor suites on

This session features several early-stage innovations that could transform the efficiency and effectiveness of plant breeding and crop management. Innovations include sophisticated sensor suites on. This session features several early-stage innovations that could transform the efficiency and effectiveness of plant breeding and crop management. Innovations include sophisticated sensor suites on

This session features several early-stage innovations that could transform the efficiency and effectiveness of plant breeding and crop management. Innovations include sophisticated sensor suites on. This session features several early-stage innovations that could transform the efficiency and effectiveness of plant breeding and crop management. Innovations include sophisticated sensor suites on autonomous and semi-autonomous ground and aerial platforms; machine learning algorithms for recognizing biologically and economically important plant features; and data mining and crop modeling tools for analyzing these features and identifying associated genes. These technologies are initially being used for the development of improved varieties of energy sorghum, but they can be readily extended to other fuel, food, feed, and fiber crops. Cross-functional teams will present 10 innovations they are developing with support from the U.S. Department of Energy’s Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E) and its Transportation Energy Resources from Renewable Agriculture (TERRA) program.  ARPA-E provides R&D funding to early-stage technologies that could fundamentally change the way we generate, use, and store energy.
These teams will also be exhibiting their technologies in a reserved space at the Danforth Center, which session attendees are invited to visit.

Participating institutions:

• Blue River
• Carnegie Mellon University
• Clemson University
• Near Earth Autonomy
• Purdue University
• Texas A&M University
• University of Arizona
• University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign

Effective Partnering Strategies for Entrepreneurs and Corporate Venture Capital
Tuesday, September 12 from 3:20-5:10 p.m.
Organized by Sidley Austin LLP

This session will focus on important issues for corporate venture capital and entrepreneurs to consider in entering into strategic partnerships (financial and commercial).

Speakers:

• Joshua T. Hofheimer
• Sandi Knox, Sidley Austin
• Other experts

Innovations in Agriculture from Argentina
Tuesday, September 12 from 3:20-5:10 p.m.
Organized by the Argentina Investment and Trade Agency

University Showcase: Research Institutions Highlight Earliest Stage Innovations
Wednesday, September 13 from 9:00-11:00 a.m.
Organized by Technology Acceleration Partners
Ag Innovation Showcase brings the second year of a Special Content Session to showcase very early stage innovations, coming out of Universities and a private research institution with innovations in agriculture. These teams will also be exhibiting their technologies in a reserved space at the Danforth Center, which session attendees are invited to visit.

The participating institutions:

• Michigan State University: Project Name: Biodegradable Slow-Release Plugs for Trunk Injection of Pesticides. Presenter:  John Wise
• Purdue University in collaboration with Purdue Foundry: Project Name: Feast of Data: Forecast & Visualizations.  Presenter: David S. Ebert
• University of Illinois: Project Name: PETROSS: Plants Engineered To Replace Oil with Sugarcane and Sorghum.  Presenter: Ank Michielsen
• University of Missouri: Project Name:  Increasing Seed Oil Content by Improving Enzyme Complex Activity Presenter: Dr. Jay Thelen
• University of Tennessee: Project Name: SHRIMP: System for High-throughput Robotic Extraction and Manipulation of Protoplasts.  Presenter: Scott Lenaghan

Accelerating Food and Agriculture Innovation through Public-Private Partnerships
Wednesday, September 13 from 8:30-10:00 a.m.
Organized by Foundation for Food and Agriculture Research (FFAR)

Join the Foundation for Food and Agriculture Research (FFAR) for a special session exploring the benefits of public-private partnerships in agricultural research. The goal of this session is to bring together entrepreneurs with research needs, innovative researchers, and potential funders to learn how they can work together on groundbreaking projects. The Crops of the Future Collaborative, an international, multi-partner consortium led by FFAR to accelerate crop development, will be featured.
This two-hour session will include a brief introduction to FFAR’s unique public-private partnership model. The program will end with a question and answer segment followed by the chance to network with FFAR staff and other session attendees.

Doing Good and Doing Well: Industry, Government and Not-for-Profit Collaborations
Wednesday, September 13 from 10:30am-11:30 a.m.
Organized by Bryan Cave

The path for creating partnerships that connect private and public sectors to drive commercial success is multi-dimensional. Aligning needs and technology with ideas doesn’t happen organically, it takes time and effort to identify each opportunity.  Panelists will discuss how you can find support in new areas to knock down and push through the barriers.   Moderated by Powell Carman, a partner at Bryan Cave

Participating speakers:

• Matt Colgan, Ph.D., Engineering Manager, Blue River Technology
• Joe Cornelius Ph.D., Program Director, Advanced Research Projects Agency – Energy, U.S Department of Energy
• Warren Shafer, Ph.D., Vice President Global R&D and Regulatory Affairs, Valent BioSciences
• Christopher N. Topp, Ph.D., Assistant Member and Principal Investigator, Donald Danforth Plant Science Center