crops

Bonus Ep: Ag Insurance 101

Bonus Ep: Ag Insurance 101

Climate change will mean more frequent, extreme weather and more risk exposure for farmers around the world. This increased risk should be a driver for the business of agricultural insurers. But, it’s not easy to predict how climate change and digital-disruption might transform one of the world’s oldest industries.

Actually, we’ve come to realize it isn’t easy to understand how agricultural insurance works at all.

So, in the spirit of learning out loud, we’re releasing TWO episodes this week. This first one dives into the mysterious world of ag insurance with a 101-style conversation with Matt Coutts, Chief Investment Officer of Coutts Capital, and Tenacious Ventures General Partner Matthew Pryor.

Designing Crops to Change the Plant-Based Food System

Designing Crops to Change the Plant-Based Food System

Benson Hill is designing crops and ingredients for some of the world’s most popular plant-based food brands. But the company has no intention of becoming a brand itself. Instead, it’s focused on revolutionizing the entire food system, from how plants are grown, to what they taste like, to the range of crop varieties on offer.

Founder and CEO, Matt Crisp, started Benson Hill nearly a decade ago as a plant biology company, using analytics and machine learning to increase yields. Now it has grown to become a technology platform as well as a vertically integrated food and ingredients business, designing high protein soybeans and yellow peas to fuel the growing plant-based protein industry.

Bringing the public with you… lessons in social license and plant genetics

Bringing the public with you… lessons in social license and plant genetics

Vonnie Estes has been at the forefront of genetics in agriculture for 30 years. She’s witnessed the public backlash over GMO crops in the 1990s, as well as the hype over biofuels in the U.S in the 2000s. In her current role as VP of Technology at the Produce Marketing Association, Vonnie helps companies navigate the confusing agtech landscape, investigating the sorts of food innovations consumers want, as well as innovations the world will increasingly need.