Forbes Calls Indiana ‘Center’ of AgTech Scene

Forbes Media Editor-In-Chief Steve Forbes says hosting the Forbes AgTech Summit in Indianapolis for the first time puts the global event at "the center of it all." The event features dozens of entrepreneurs and leaders in the field at all levels from farmers to innovators. When asked why Indianapolis is the right place for the event, Forbes told Inside INdiana Business Mary-Rachel Redman "the question is not why, but why not?"

He discussed Indiana’s economic environment and traditional challenges like venture capital, which he says is changing. "The improvement is coming in venture capital, precisely because people are realizing the intellectual resources here, research — Purdue and others are doing great things," he said. "People say ‘oh, something is happening here in startups, maybe we should look at it,’ so it builds on itself." Forbes adds "there’s no reason" the next focus of investors shouldn’t be Indiana, as long as policies and the business image of the state are moving in the right direction.

Organizers of the summit include the Indiana Economic Development Corp. and AgriNovus Indiana. Forbes took the stage Thursday morning with Governor Eric Holcomb and Purdue University President Mitch Daniels during the Keynote Conversation portion of the summit. Other topics covered throughout the event’s closing day include innovation, the convergence of agriculture and biosciences, vertical farming, aquaponics, blockchain’s uses in logistics and investments.