Prairie Crest AgTech Conference Agenda
Location: Hy-Vee Hall @ Iowa Events Center, Des Moines, IA
Time: 7:00am – 7:30 pm
November 9th, 2017
7:00 am – 8:00 am
Registration and Networking Breakfast
8:00 am – 8:15 am
Kick Off Speaker
Kim Reynolds, Governor of Iowa
8:30 am – 9:30 am
Panel – Challenges and Opportunities in Ag Tech Investing
Moderator
Ewa Kozicz, Anthelion Capital – New York, New York
Panel Members
Jude Conway, Ag Ventures Alliance – Mason City, IA
Spencer Maughan, Finistere – San Francisco, CA
Dean Didato, Innova Fund – Memphis, TN
Brian Jones, Iowa Corn – Des Moines, IA
9:30 am – 10:00 am
Ag Tech Ecosystem
Claire Kinlaw, Larta – Los Angeles, CA
10:00 am – 10:30 am
Networking Break
10:30 am – 11:00 am
Pioneer’s Open Innovation Platform
Mathias Muller, Pioneer – Des Moines, IA
11:00 am – 12:00 pm
Company Pitches – Beyond Seed Stage
Featuring four companies spanning crop production, processing, and animal health seeking Round A and later growth stage financing
12:00 pm – 1:15 pm
Lunch – Keynote Speaker
Steve Forbes
1:15 pm – 2:30 pm
Company Pitches – Early Stage
Eight early stage Ag Tech companies seeking early stage capital. These companies have innovative solutions in animal health, farm management, livestock production, farm automation, and financial services.
2:30 pm – 3:15 pm
Panel – University Ecosystems
Moderator
Bill Adamowski, Iowa State University Start Up Factory
Panel Participants
Kevin Kimle – Iowa State University
Daniel Dawes – Purdue University
Tom Field – University of Nebraska
Dan Thomson – Kansas State University
Zachary Ellis – The Ohio State University
3:15 pm – 3:45 pm
Networking Break
3:45 pm – 4:30 pm
Panel – Accelerators in Ag Tech
Moderator
Kevin Kimle, Iowa State University
Panel Participants
Doug Dresslaer – Sprint Acclerator, Kansas City
Megan Vollstedt – Iowa AgriTech Accelerator, Des Moines, IA
Joel Harris – Ag Startup Engine, Ames, IA
Brett Brohl – Tech Stars, Startup Next Food & Tech Minneapolis, MN
Rob Trice – Mixing Bowl, San Francisco, CA
4:30 pm – 5:00 pm
New Playbook in Ag Investing
Speaker(s) to be announced
5:00 pm – 5:30 pm
Closing Remarks
Bill Northey, Iowa Secretary of Agriculture or Mike Naig, Iowa Deputy Secretary of Agriculture
5:30 pm – 7:30 pm
Cocktail Reception and Networking