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Now, for today’s show notes…. 

Is agtech a good fit for venture capital, and vice versa?

This question - existential for some - is flying around in the ether right now. 

We’ve been thinking about both the bearish and bullish answers a lot lately. And we’ve been intrigued by the possibility of shifting the question away from black and white answers, into nuance. Namely, we’ve been asking: if venture capital is not a perfect fit for agtech, but there are big opportunities for technology in agriculture, how else might agtech companies get funded?

To help us take on this larger inquiry, we called on friend of the podcast Connie Bowen, Founder of Farmhand Ventures. Connie has been both thinking about deploying alternative funding models in agtech. She brings the insight she’s gained from utilizing (and passing) on some of these alternatives, including redeemable equity, to the podcast this week. 

Connie joins us to discuss: 

• Why augmenting and replacing farm labor is becoming an increasingly urgent opportunity
• How alternative investment tools like redeemable equity work, and how they can be uniquely well-suited to agtech opportunities
• The risks and limitations of venture capital and alternative funding models in agtech, and what the future holds in terms of opportunity in the space

Useful Links:

• Take a listen to Connie’s previous episode “Why autonomy in ag is so hard.”
• The Robots are Coming- a recent addition of Agriculture is for People, by Connie Bowen
• Climate, People, and Agriculture with Sarah Nolet and Connie Bowen - Future of Ag podcast episode
• Learn more about Connie’s journey to investing in agtech
• Announcing the AgTech Toolkit, an open-source guide to innovating in agriculture, by Connie Bowen

The information in this post is not investment advice or a recommendation to invest. It is general information only and does not take into account your investment objectives, financial situation or needs. Before making an investment decision you should seek financial advice from a professional financial adviser. Whilst we believe the information is correct, we provide no warranty of accuracy, reliability or completeness.

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