Showcasing Indiana at Forbes AgTech Summit

(AgriNovus CEO Beth Bechdol (seated right) announces changes to Forbes AgTech Summit)

National and global leaders in the worlds of agriculture, technology, and science have closed out the 2019 Forbes Ag Tech Summit in Indianapolis, now in its second year in the state. The event gathered industry leaders and entrepreneurs who are looking for answers to the challenges of growing and producing food.

“The food industry is undergoing a complete transformation in the way we grow, develop, process and consume food,” said Sherry Phillips, vice president of Forbes LIVE events. “The agricultural sector touches more lives than any other industry and with cutting-edge developments in agricultural biotechnology, we can create food more sustainably than ever before.” 

The two-day summit, hosted by AgriNovus Indiana, addressed food animal health, protein and crops. It also examined how data and technology can improve not only the amount of food for a growing global population but also how to increase the nutritional value and to make it more sustainable.

“As we think about innovation and food and agriculture. It’s colliding today with the life sciences economy with human health and nutrition with automation, logistics and supply chain with tech and IT and data,” said AgriNovus Indiana President and Chief Executive Officer Beth Bechdol.

Bechdol also announced a name change to this Forbes program going forward. The show title will add the “+” sign. In subsequent years, it’ll be known as the Forbes AgTech+ Summit. Bechdol says AgriNovus uses the “+” symbol to help showcase and tell Indiana’s “Ag+Bio+Science” story. 

“Becoming Ag Tech plus here in Indianapolis with Forbes, lets us further leverage all of those great assets, companies research partnerships than Indiana so well known for,” said Bechdol.

The expo also showcased dozens of ag-related startup companies and entrepreneurs. Five young companies competed in the THRIVE Midwest Challenge, sponsored by SVG Ventures and Forbes.

They took part in a pitch competition for startups that have developed emerging technologies focused on advancing the future of food and agriculture. You can read about the winning technology by clicking here.