AGRICULTURE GENETICS & GENOMICS
Agtech Accelerator propels agriculture innovators
HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology along with global venture firm and startup accelerator, gener8tor, has launched a new startup business accelerator focusing on advancements in the agriculture technology sector and new ways to meet the challeng- es of feeding and fueling Alabama, the nation, and the world. The accelerator will provide agriculture technology innova- tors with the coaching, capital and connections to take their ideas to new heights by investing in startups selected for the program through a fund managed by gener8tor. “HudsonAlpha’s capabilities for improving human lives continue to grow,” said Carter Wells, vice president for economic development at HudsonAlpha. “The Institute is leading the way in the discovery of new tools for growing food and producing biofuels that will improve our world. This accelerator is a key part of a larger strategy to create new economies for growers by linking scientific research to commercial opportunity.” Collaborative research at HudsonAlpha’s Center for Plant Science and Sustainable Agriculture has led to new understand- ing of plant and animal genomes, methods for crop improvement, trait identification and precision breeding. Already at the forefront of agriculture, the HudsonAlpha AgTech Accelerator will enhance the Institute’s commercialization pipeline for new ideas. The HudsonAlpha AgTech Accelerator is located in HudsonAlpha’s campus in Huntsville, Alabama but recruits promising startups from around the country for a 12-week immersive program at the Institute. In 2022, the first cohort of participants was selected to be a part of the HudsonAlpha ecosystem and have access to the state-of-the-art facilities across the 152-acre biotech campus. Companies have the opportunity to connect and collaborate with HudsonAlpha scientists. “We are excited to partner with HudsonAlpha to promote the growth of agtech in the Huntsville community,” said Joe Kirgues, gener8tor Co-Founder. “The HudsonAlpha AgTech Accelerator will provide curated and innovative support for startups at the forefront of agriculture in Alabama.”
The concierge accelerator provides meaningful engagement with the program team, global community and regional resources from both HudsonAlpha and gener8tor. Participants also receive intensive and individualized coaching and access to gener8tor’s national network of mentors, customers, corporate partners and investors, which helps startups secure customers, accelerate their revenue growth and attract additional funding. “Agriculture innovation has been prevalent
throughout Alabama’s history, dating back to George Washington Carver’s work in soil health and peanuts,” said Alex Cate, director of entrepreneurship programs for HudsonAlpha. HudsonAlpha is incredibly pleased to be able to support agriculture
innovators as they look for new ways to feed our world. This accelerator will bolster Alabama’s ability to translate agriculture technologies into commercial products that will help producers in Alabama and beyond. Together, gener8tor and HudsonAlpha aim to bring economic diversity and job growth to the location. The HudsonAlpha gener8tor partnership has perhaps created the most fertile ground for the rapid growth of AgTech startups globally,” said Christopher Udall, managing director of the HudsonAlpha Agtech Investment Accelerator. "I am thrilled to be a part of the founders' journey in solving many of the most impactful challenges relating to world hunger, food scarcity, nutrition, crop yield, sustainability, deep space exploration and so much more! As managing director, I am excited to invest in AgTech innovations and serve the founders that will undoubtedly change the world.” n The HudsonAlpha AgTech Accelerator is made possible through partnership with the Alabama Department of Commerce and is sponsored by Patti and Louis Breland, Chris Brunhoeber, Fuqua & Partners Architects, Lynn Hudson, Keel Point, Sophie and Mark Mantooth, Helen MicMillian, Pearce Construction Company, Regions Bank, Synovus Financial Corporation and Danny Windham.
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