Cargill Exec: Indiana Has ‘Critical Mass’
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As a subscriber you can listen to articles at work, in the car, or while you work out. Subscribe NowThe executive chairman of the board of one of the world's largest agribusiness companies says Indiana has a “first mover advantage” as it tries to increase its share in the global agbioscience market. Greg Page, who previously served as chief executive officer of Minnesota-based Cargill Inc., says the need to feed a projected 9 billion people worldwide will “attract a lot of emulators” and Indiana must stay vigilant to capitalize. Agbioscience is estimated to be a $16 billion industry in Indiana.
AgriNovus Indiana is designed to align and raise awareness of the educational, industry and governmental players that help spur food and agricultural innovation.
Page says some barriers for entrepreneurs and existing companies alike include how universities handle intellectual property or raising citizen's knowledge of modified organisms.
He believes companies looking to grow and locate to a particular state are looking for a “critical mass” of scientists and young employees, as well as backing from the state government.
Page says “passion matters” and Indiana already has a base that features companies such as Elanco and Dow AgroSciences, plus a governor willing to put his “personal touch” on pitching the state's assets throughout the sales process.
Source: Inside INdiana Business