Purdue creates $2 million fund to assist plant sciences startups

Plant science startups have received help from Purdue University's College of Agriculture and the Purdue Research Foundation in the amount of $2 million to launch startups.

The Purdue Moves initiative is supporting the plant sciences innovation fund that has been named the "Ag-celerator." It gives people who want to begin a startup the opportunity to commercialize their patented material or use Purdue’s "know-how" technologies in plant sciences, research in crop optimization, hybrid and seed development, and precision agriculture.

"Purdue's commercialization of innovations in plant-based agriculture is imperative to sustainably feed the projected 9 billion people on our planet by 2050," Jay Akridge, dean of Purdue's College of Agriculture, said. "The Ag-celerator fund will be a driving force to provide faculty, staff and student innovators with the resources they need to move their innovations to the farm and to the broader public, making technology available to address our food security challenge."

People who want to create a startup with Purdue plant sciences can apply to the Ag-celerator and, once accepted, can receive assistance from the Purdue foundry.

"As a client of Purdue Foundry, innovators can receive help in developing the marketability of their product or service, and can have access to additional funding, educational programs and networking events," John Hanak, Purdue Foundry's director of venture capital and funding resources, said. "The entire process supports the Purdue entrepreneurial ecosystem by providing innovators with the assistance to successfully launch a startup."