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Missouri: The New “Disruptor” In Agtech

  • January 04, 2018

St. Louis, Missouri, is being hailed as the “disruptor” of agtech in 2017, according to a new article in the St. Louis Business Journal. And with its rich agricultural heritage, booming startup ecosystem, world-class universities and research centers, and industry giants like Monsanto and Bunge calling the region home, it is little wonder why.

“When you’re talking about agtech and the food-tech cluster, you can make a strong case that there’s no better place in the world to be than the St. Louis region,” says Sam Fiorello, CEO of the Donald Danforth Plant Science Center. “Our proximity to producers, as well as trade organizations like the American Soybean Association and National Corn Growers Association, gives us a strong platform to help homegrown startups develop, as well as attract companies from around the nation and the world.”

 

Across Missouri leading agtech organizations, including the Danforth Plant Science Center, Bayer, Monsanto, the Missouri Botanical Garden, Yield Lab, DuPont, BASF, Bunge, KWS, FarmLink, Symbiotics, AgriLabs and more are developing innovative technology that is transforming agriculture.

Meanwhile, Missouri’s new agtech innovation community 39 North is taking root in St. Louis. The district covers nearly 600 acres in Missouri and includes many of the region’s top agtech companies including Monsanto, the Danforth Plant Science Center, Bio-Research & Development Growth (BRDG) Park and the Helix Center Biotech Incubator. 39 North is geared toward providing the lifestyle often sought by today’s highly skilled scientific workers, with a mix of retail, residential and office space connected by walking and biking trails.

The use of drones, satellites and data is also transforming farming as we know it, and Missouri companies, like Monsanto’s Climate Corporation, are leading the way in investment and innovation in advanced farming. Big data, smart farming, input optimization, precision ag, prescription ag, biologicals, breeding, green chemistry, green pharmaceuticals – it’s all growing right here.

For more information on why Missouri could be a prime location to launch or grow your business, contact Steve Johnson, CEO of Missouri Partnership, at 314.725.2688 or via our contact form, with any questions you might have, and learn how Missouri Partnership can help with your business expansion needs.

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