Episode 11: Zack Armen on agtech commercialization and the intersection of food and tech

Zack Armen, formerly a senior associate at venture development firm Flagship Pioneering, is currently Director of Business Development at Incredible Foods.

In this episode, Zack takes us through his journey from finance, through MIT, and into agtech. He also shares:

  • How a US VC looks at agtech, including vertical farming, digital agriculture, insect farming, and biotech

  • Flagship Pioneering's unique take on an agtech commercialization model that’s neither VC nor accelerator

  • The importance of customer validation, common mistakes entrepreneurs make, and how to approach these interactions for customer and startup success

  • What the heck a “nutrition delivery platform” is and what it tastes like

  • How technology’s transformation of food is impacting agriculture

Other companies referenced in the episode that might be of interest:

  • CiBO Technologies: http://www.cibotechnologies.com/

  • Indigo Agriculture: https://www.indigoag.com/en-au/