biologicals

Investing Beyond the Farmgate with Ben Barlow, New Edge Microbials

Investing Beyond the Farmgate with Ben Barlow, New Edge Microbials

Biologicals in agriculture have a wildly exciting future. It’s a segment responding to innovation in science, changes in markets, and the urgent pressures of adapting to climate change. And while the buzz from new entrants inspires thinking about the future, New Edge Microbials (NEM) is an established player with products in the hands of farmers today.

Managing Director and veteran agribusiness executive Ben Barlow has spent years executing a growth strategy that has weathered all of these forces, plus the additional logistics chaos of COVID-19 in recent years.

Biologicals and chemistry: finding ways to commercialize the science

Biologicals and chemistry: finding ways to commercialize the science

In agtech, cutting edge science and flashy technologies are just not enough to solve problems on farm and realize impact and returns for investors. In this episode, we chat with two scientists who, instead of viewing the publication of their research as an end point, have made it the beginning of a venture-backed startup journey. Our guests are Dr. Jacqueline Heard, CEO of Enko Chem, and Dr. Nancy Schellhorn, CEO of RapidAIM.

Biologicals: snake oil or science, and how do we know?

Biologicals: snake oil or science, and how do we know?

Farmers are under pressure to shift toward lower chemical intensity production. Biologicals are touted as one possible solution, promising natural, chemical-free alternatives to fertilizers and pesticides. But biologicals also have a reputation for being ‘snake oil,’ with companies making claims that are too good to be true, or that don’t stack up outside the lab. So what’s the science behind biologicals, how do we know they work, and how can they get to scale?

This episode features Jarrett Chambers, founder and President of ATP Nutrition, and Shane Thomas, author of Upstream Ag Insights.