Lechleiter: Agbioscience ‘Parts and Pieces’ in Place

Lechleiter (pictured far right) was part of a panel on "Creating Collisions by Crossing Sector Lines" at the summit.

Former Eli Lilly and Co. (NYSE: LLY) Chief Executive Officer John Lechleiter says Indiana has all the tools it needs to be an agbiosciences leader, including heritage, strength in education, life sciences and logistics and an invested state government. Lechleiter was part of a panel on "crossing sector lines" at today’s Agbiosciences Innovation Summit in Indianapolis. He says the key is getting all of those players to part with their "narrow self interests" and share ideas and resources.

Inside INdiana Business Television Host Gerry Dick moderated the panel, which also included ClearObject Chief Executive Officer John McDonald, DowDuPont Vice President Rajan Gajaria and CTB International Corp. CEO Victor Mancinelli.

AgriNovus Indiana Chief Executive Officer Beth Bechdol says the theme or today’s summit, "Creating a Movement," reflects research advancements being made in the field. About 250 people from various sectors as well as universities are at today’s event at the JW Marriott in downtown Indianapolis.

The morning session featured a panel on how agbiosciences research and development efforts are influencing the world. The panel, moderated by former Indiana Biosciences Research Institute Chief Executive Officer David Broecker, included Elanco Animal Health Vice President Aaron Schacht, current IBRI CEO Rainer Fisher, DemandJump Chief Scientist Tyler Foxworthy, DowDuPont Program Management Leader Monica Sorribas and Purdue University Birck Nanotechnology Center Director Ali Shakouri.

An afternoon panel on entrepreneurship and investment, moderated by Purdue Senior Vice President Greg Deason, includes Elevate Ventures CEO Chris LaMothe, Spensa Technologies CEO Johnny Park, Open Prairie Ventures founder Jim Schultz and NewLeaf Symbiotics founder and Chief Financial Officer Steve Kahn.

AgriNovus says the agbiosciences industry has a $16 billion impact on the state. The organization is fresh off of announcing some major funding. The $4.2 million grant from Indianapolis-based Lilly Endowment Inc. will go toward education, talent and entrepreneurship program.

Pictured left to right: ClearObject CEO John McDonald, CTB Inc. CEO Victor Mancinelli, DowDuPont Vice President Rajan Gajaria, and Eli Lilly and Co. Chairman Emeritus John Lechleiter.