MEMPHIS – Eight innovative startups have been selected to participate in a five-week virtual bootcamp hosted by AgLaunch, the Knoxville Entrepreneur Center, Sync Space and The Biz Foundry. The chosen teams, including Cookeville’s BurgerFit, are ag innovators who are interested in growing their agricultural innovation business in a farm-centric model.
“The continued partnership with AgLaunch has helped KEC continue its efforts in fostering innovation, creativity and job growth,” said Jim Biggs, executive director of the Knoxville Entrepreneur Center. “Through this bootcamp, more startups are allowed the opportunity to grow their businesses.”
Participating teams will receive instruction on agricultural markets and the framework for organizing and communicating their ideas. They will also have access to best-in-class investors and mentors and the chance to apply for the AgLaunch365 accelerator.
This year’s teams include:
• AgriKnect: A dual-sided digital platform that allows farmers and other ag businesses to connect and hire workers for their operations.
• Benanova, Incorporated: A company that has developed novel proprietary technology for efficient delivery of active ingredients in agriculture that is environmentally friendly and effective.
• BurgerFit: A startup company that has blended ground meat and vegetable burgers to help families eat healthier starting from the age of 2 years old.
• SCAREcrow Farm Tech @ Old Hughes Farm: A company that has created a series of algorithms to help reduce mundane and time-consuming farm tasks.
• S&J Nanochemicals: A startup that designed a sustainable nanoparticle fertilizer with a seed pre-soaking nutrient delivery strategy that increases growth and vitality in a variety of plant species.
• Soil1 LLC: A company that has developed technologies that enable inexpensive soil ecology testing that can take place in a farmer’s field.
• Sustainable Aquatics, Incorporated: A startup company that farms salmon in Tennessee with reduced costs, high quality feeds, higher yields and lower cost logistics.
• Veggie Mines: A startup that has created a new concept in vegetable farming by utilizing tech solutions to address old-age farming problems.
Building off of the recent Small Business Administration’s Regional Innovation Cluster Award announcement, AgLaunch sees the partnership between KEC, Sync Space and The Biz Foundry as essential to support early-stage companies in the Mid-South region.
