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AgLaunch Initiative Transforming Tennessee’s Rural Economy

Innovation in agriculture and the creation of new companies have the greatest potential to transform Tennessee’s rural economy. With the growing world demand for fuel, food and fiber, the state government plans on making Tennessee an agricultural innovation hub.

The seed funding initiative, AgLaunch, was developed by Memphis Bioworks Foundation as a strategy to expand both the agricultural and forestry industries in Tennessee’s economy. The funding of the initiative began in 2016 with a goal to attract 200 entrepreneurs and establish 100 valuable and investable agricultural firms in Tennessee by 2020.

The current AgLaunch365 program integrates startups and farmers in the AgLaunch Farmer Network. A six-week AgLaunch Phase I program will provide participants with business development support and conclude with the Farm Journal AgTech Expo in December 2018. Phase II will focus on prototyping and “getting field ready,” while Phase III will concentrate on accessing a network of innovative farmers and field trials.

With Tennessee’s agriculture and forestry sector being worth an estimated $66 billion, AgLaunch is a great initiative for growing the economy of rural Tennessee, with participants helping to inspire a culture of rural community startups. Entrepreneurs participating in this initiative will have plenty of opportunities to collaborate with farming experts and test their products.

Benson Hill And Mars Inc Have Developed Technology To Protect The Cacao Tree

Cacao trees are the sole source of beans used in the manufacturing of chocolate. However, with the rising temperatures, specifically in the tropical forests, the trees are facing the danger of extinction.

It is with this concern that Benson Hill and Mars Inc. have come together to offer innovative solutions to saving the cacao tree. Benson Hill is an agricultural technology company that is based in St Louis. On the other hand, Mars Inc. is the leading candy manufacturer globally and is a specialist in breeding cacao, having invested in it for more than 20 years.

The partnership is aimed at improving the climate resiliency and productivity of the cacao trees after researching their genome.

Benson Hill has come up with an innovative technology platform that has the ability to combine big data and machine learning with genome editing and biology so as to speed up the growth process. Moreover, the plants are made more resilient to diseases and climate change. The CEO of Benson Hill, Matt Crisp, stated that the greatest beneficiaries of this innovative technology are both the consumers and farmers.

With the tropical regions being limited to West Africa, South America and Asia, farmers of the cacao trees face challenges from the limited water supply as well as the ever increasing temperatures. However, with this project, farmers will be able to produce more produce from smaller portions of land.

Mars chocolates are in huge demand, especially during holidays such as Halloween, Easter and Valentine’s Day. Over 2.8 billion pounds are consumed every year. As a result, solutions must be developed to protect the cacao tree and ensure that this demand can be met.

Missouri S&T Install Microgrid System To Power Student-Occupied Homes

Two lead battery microgrid systems have been installed at the EcoVillage at Missouri University of Science and Technology (S&T). The EcoVillage has been named a ‘living laboratory’ due the availability of solar-powered homes that have been designed and constructed by S&T students, with the aim of capturing results from smart living research.

To celebrate the installation of the microgrids, Missouri S&T scheduled a ribbon-cutting ceremony at the EcoVillage last week. The microgrids were installed by the Missouri S&T Micro Grid Industrial Consortium with the main purpose of testing advancements in lead battery energy storage capacity. As such, the lead battery technologies hold a huge potential in renewable energy in the future. Stored electricity from the system will be supplied to two student-occupied houses, with the systems using charging algorithms from a cloud-based control system.

This research into the application of advanced lead batteries in stationary grid-tied applications will be novel, as most similar research has been conducted with lithium batteries. Lead batteries are well-known for being a reliable rechargeable energy source. As a result, the International Lead Association has been quick to praise the fact that most lead is now produced through a recycling process rather than through mining. Therefore, this rechargeable battery becomes an excellent energy source for circular economies.

The project has received positive comments and support from key players in the industry such as EnerSys, Advanced Lead Acid Battery Consortium (ALABC) and Ameren. The project is estimated to be completed by 2021.

Missouri’s Agriculture Matching Grant Program Funds Innovative Projects

Missouri is set to fund some urban agriculture entrepreneurs and non-traditional farmers like wine producers, beekeepers as well as shrimp farmers. The program has been dubbed the Urban and Non-Traditional Agriculture Matching Grant Program. The main objective of this program is to stimulate job creation, innovation and R&D in Missouri’s agricultural sector. Christi Miller, the Missouri Grown Program Manager, has stated that they want to grow the agricultural industry and encourage more individuals to work there. The team is aware that a transformation of the agriculture sector requires developing new agribusiness concepts that have not previously been tested in the state, which is a key goal of the program. Miller says that the program’s activities are far from soybeans, cows or corn.

One winner from the previous year was a shrimp farm. Bee and honey farms have also won the grant. In addition, a flower business dubbed Urban Buds in St Louis has also been a beneficiary of this funding. The owner of the business stated that the grant assisted her to expand by buying an adjacent lot of vacant land. This shows that numerous businesses from various sectors in Missouri can be eligible for the grant.

Applications for grants can be accessed through the agriculture.mo.gov website. These grants offer up to $7,500 and help innovative urban farmers cover expenses for their activities. Although the sum is not such huge, it is substantial in recognizing the efforts by the farmers.

$220M Mizzou Research Facility To Be Established In Missouri

A research facility is to be built at the University of Missouri Columbia Campus. The $220.8 million facility will be built by the Burns and McDonnell architecture and engineering company.

This new facility will be a platform for private researchers, government agencies and students in the medicine, engineering and veterinary science faculties to do research and development. The Vice Chancellor at Missouri University, Elizabeth Loboa, stated that the Translational Precision Medicine Complex (TPMC) will build upon the institution’s current strengths to bring outstanding minds together to develop novel biomedical solutions.

The TPMC’s location will be along Hospital Drive, Columbia, and is set to be opened in October 2021 with the groundbreaking being set to take place in April, 2019. The Director of Healthcare for Burns & McDonnell, Rich McKown, asserted that this project remains a top priority for the University of Missouri, as it sets the institution to be one of the top research centers in Missouri and possibly the United States at large. For Burns & McDonnell, it is an excellent opportunity to express their support for STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) development.

External companies wanting to conduct research in Missouri will not be left out either. In addition to collaboration spaces, there will be an innovation space at the TPMC facility whose role is to attract outside players and bring researchers in.

The Hyperloop Could Be The Next Revolutionary Mode Of Transport

Over a century ago, airplanes were the latest form of transportation to be invented. However, a strong contender exists for the 21st century named the Hyperloop. This new transportation innovation is close to becoming a reality in Missouri.

The company behind the project is Virgin Hyperloop One. The business has a working demonstration model in Nevada already, where they aim to establish a passenger-bearing loop. This is scheduled to be built by 2025. Black & Veatch, an international engineering firm, was contacted to complete a feasibility study of the project. The company selected Missouri for the piloting process due to its flat and straight topography. The state is also centrally located in the nation and is hence closer to the country’s main routes and manufacturing plants.

The proposed route in Missouri has the potential to service around 5 million residents from Kansas to St Louis, with a stop in Columbia. With the Hyperloop, residents can transverse 250 miles in 30 minutes. While in Columbia (home to the renowned Missouri University), accessing either Kansas or St Louis would take only 15 minutes.

The I-70 Hyperloop route is projected to have an initial cost of between $30 million to $40 million per mile of track constructed and $7-10 billion will be required to ensure the 250 mile project is completed. A point worth noting is that this cost estimate does not include security measures, portal transit hubs or even the Hyperloop technology itself. However, with the flexibility that this exciting new innovation brings, it will be worth the investment. Explosive economic development could result as it would make it possible for people to live miles away from their place of work and still be effectively connected, as well as increasing business efficiency for meetings and transferring products.

Mini Satellites Being Developed in Colorado

Key defense contractors in the US are on the verge of re-inventing their satellite businesses. Their main aim of these activities is to produce small satellites that are no bigger than a microwave oven. This is in line with efforts by the government to develop alternatives for the huge, expensive satellites that have been relied upon for years.

Major names that have been mentioned in collaborative efforts for the satellite project include Boeing and Raytheon. Partnering with a few startups, Boeing has invested in a Colorado-based BridgeSat. Similarly, Raytheon is developing the Virginia-based HawkEye360. These companies are acting swiftly to respond to the changing environment and priorities of the security and intelligence agencies. It is also worth noting that the market for smaller satellites is growing at an alarming rate. Smaller devices have the benefit of being able to orbit near the earth’s atmosphere. Looking at the statistics, a total of 292 satellites were launched into space in 2017 compared to 55 in 2016. The shift to smaller spacecrafts has been due to increasing innovation, which has consequently made them cheaper to manufacture than in the past few decades. There has also been an increase in commercial launch providers, further stimulating innovation in this industry.

For military and security agencies, the move to adopt smaller devices aims to boost aerospace capabilities in the event of attack. This is the basis for the new Space Force proposal by President Trump. In the event that the proposal is approved, the Space Force will focus on combatting threats in space. With this in mind, stakeholders such as Boeing seek to be part of the commercial spaceflight revolution. The Defense Department’s advanced research and development arm, known as DARPA is also working hard so as to make the new satellite technology a reality in the near future.

Companies that have the best reputation as innovators aren’t necessarily those that spend the most on R&D

Despite Switzerland being known as one of the most innovative nations, latest reports have shown a 10% decline in the country’s research and development spending. This comes as a surprise due to the fact that worldwide R&D expenditure has reached an all-time high of $782 billion.

The biggest Swiss companies invested $27.5 billion into R&D in 2018. The majority of the decline has come from Basel-based giant pharmaceutical companies Roche and Novartis. Roche spent around $1 billion less on R&D between 2017 and 2018 and Novartis spent $1.1 billion less. Despite this decrease the pharma giants still spent significantly more than any other Swiss company, such as Nestle, with an R&D spending of $1.8 billion.

Roche and Novartis are ranked 8th and 12th respectively on the top 1,000 corporate R&D spenders worldwide between 2012 and 2018. Amazon came out on top with $22.6 billion in R&D investments.

Despite Switzerland’s decline in R&D spending, the company continues to be one of the top innovators in the world and some may question why this is so. Companies that have the best reputation as innovators aren’t necessarily those that spend the most on R&D, companies which are perceived as being innovative tend to be more financially successful. Large investments alone are not enough to promote innovation, a deep understanding is needed about the need of the end consumer and focusing research projects on the right core areas plays a vital role. This is clearly where Switzerland is excelling and therefore continuing to prosper as an innovation leading nation.

Innovative industries and companies are greatly supported by the government and can be eligible to receive an R&D Tax Incentive. Swanson Reed R&D Tax Consultants help companies to claim this incentive and help ensure that companies receive the maximum eligible amount. If your company is developing novel solutions, take our online eligibility quiz to find out whether you qualify for a tax rebate.

Smithfield Foods Is Working To Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions By 25 Percent

Smithfield Foods Inc. specializes in meat processing in the United States and is owned by the WH Group of China. The company recently announced innovative biogas projects that have been specifically designed to aid in the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions by up to 25 percent by 2025, which will help contribute to the national move towards clean and renewable energy.

In Missouri, Smithfield has engaged itself in a collaborative effort with Roeslein Alternative Energy (RAE). The two will be working to launch a second phase of an already existing project that converts manure into renewable natural gas (RNG). The company owns numerous farms that source the manure and the energy created is efficient enough to power an approximately 15,400 homes annually. Biogas infrastructure will be installed on the company’s Missouri farms during this second phase. Senator Roy Blunt noted that the initiative by Smithfield in Missouri will boost the state’s input with regards to energy security in the country. As such, the state has an important role in the contributing to global food demand and renewable energy.

For some time, Smithfield has been actively involved in prairie restoration efforts in Northern Missouri. Another aspect of the initiative involves harvesting prairie grass to generate methane. This will serve as a biogas generation supplement for use during winter in particular. This company also boasts of being the first food company to engage in Monarch Butterfly Exchange Program. The program’s purpose is to restore the insect’s habitat on private property including Smithfield hog farms. It is evident that the firm is innovative for a food company, with its engagement in the creation of renewable energy as well as conservation activities.

The Fitzsimons Innovation Community Biotech Hub

The Fitzsimons Innovation Community has been credited for helping a professor from the University of Colorado start his company, PhosphoSolutions. Professor Michael Browning started the production of antibodies, which in turn he used in his neuroscience research. During this period, The National Institute of Health provided funding to his activities and encouraged him to start commercial production of his vials of antibodies to sell to labs. The company currently produces over 350 types of antibodies which are shipped to various parts of the world.

Previously referred to as the Fitzsimons Life District, the Fitzsimons Innovation Community is a facility at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus. Browning states that this community gave him the privilege of developing his business while at the same time continuing to teach at the university. The leaders at the University looked forward to a scenario where a biotechnical center would be in next door to the medical school and other research facilities. This way, it would be easier for a researcher such as Browning to conduct their business activities, visit patients at the hospital and teach students at the University.

The goals and objectives of the Innovation Community are to grow companies through an incubator approach. The center also wanted to provide space and resources for the businesses seeking to expand. The companies that have been involved in innovation revolve mainly around the health sciences and health information technology. As more companies were developed at the center, it became necessary to expand the facility. In 2011, the original Bioscience 1 building was expanded. Another upgrade followed in 2015 and a new building with workplaces was built. At the moment, a fourth building is underway and is set to be complete by 2019.

With over 725 bioscience companies, Colorado is an emerging leader in the bioscience industry. The Fitzsimons Innovation Community bioscience park will be crucial for bringing more entrepreneurs to the area.