Cargill to ‘accelerate’ innovation
Food, agricultural and financial services provider Cargill has teamed up with Techstars and Ecolab to create the Techstars Farm to Fork Accelerator – a business incubator roaring to life in the summer of 2018.
“We are thrilled to welcome some of the brightest minds in food and ag-tech into Cargill and Ecolab’s backyards,” said Justin Kershaw, Cargill’s chief information officer.
“This accelerator allows us to invest our time and resources in technology shaping the future of agriculture, and to address some of the greatest challenges facing the food system. At the same time, we see the partnership with Techstars as a way to inject start-up energy inside Cargill, where we are committed to creating a culture that fosters technology innovation through internal expertise and external partnerships.”
‘Built by entrepreneurs’
Techstars Farm to Fork Accelerator is set up to continue for three years, helping entrepreneurs at all stages who have a vision for driving “positive change” through the food industry, Cargill said.
The first class kicks off in Minneapolis in 2018 and welcomes 10 of what Cargill described as “the world’s most promoting start-ups” for a 13-week workshop.
“Minnesota was literally built by food entrepreneurs more than 150 years ago, and entrepreneurs continue to thrive in the state’s quickly expanding yet supportive ecosystem,” said Brett Brohl, Techstars Farm to Fork Accelerator managing director.
“The Farm to Fork Accelerator will build on this rich history, leveraging Cargill’s reach and leadership in food and agriculture as well as Ecolab’s expertise in safe food, clean water and healthy environments. Combined with Techstars proven accelerator model, we can truly help entrepreneurs take their companies to the next level while making a positive social impact.”
