Wells Fargo Innovation Incubator Selects Five Startups Focused on Sustainable Food Production
Published on by Water Network Research, Official research team of The Water Network in Technology
The Wells Fargo Innovation Incubator (IN 2 ), a technology incubator and platform funded by the Wells Fargo Foundation and co-administered by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, today announced it has selected five early-stage companies for the program’s first “agtech” cohort. Each company participating in this invitation-only program will receive up to $250,000 in non-dilutive funding and hands-on technical assistance to further develop and validate their technologies with the Donald Danforth Plant Science Center , the world’s largest independent plant science institute.
IN 2 launched in 2014 with a focus on supporting scalable solutions that improve energy efficiency in commercial buildings. It expanded its charter in 2018 to advance the agriculture industry, which accounts for approximately 70% of the water and 14% of the energy usage worldwide. In expanding into agriculture, IN 2 aims to speed the development and commercialization of technologies that help the agriculture sector overcome barriers and costs of implementing sustainable farming solutions.
To help guide the selection process for the first agtech cohort, IN 2 commissioned a white paper entitled “IN 2 Food, Energy, Water Landscape ” to determine where its impact would be most beneficial. Portfolio companies selected for IN 2 ’s first agtech cohort are advancing technologies that focus on sustainable crop production and yield. They are:
- Aker Technologies, Chicago, an automated crop-scouting process that captures and analyzes the presence and intensity of pests and pathogens below the crop canopy.
- CoverCress, St. Louis, winter crop that covers soil during winter, protecting it from harsh conditions while producing a low-carbon intensity crop for renewable fuel and food.
- Intrinsyx Bio, Los Altos, Calif ., plant probiotics that increase crop yield, reduce excess fertilizer and improve soil and water conditions.
- RNAIssance Ag, St. Louis, safe, effective and environmentally sustainable insecticide for precision pest management.
- SolGro, Arlington, Texas , nanoparticle film designed to increase crop productivity through light conversion on greenhouses.
With the addition of these five companies, IN 2 brings its total portfolio count to 30 cleantech and agtech startups. Since joining the IN 2 program, portfolio companies have raised $142 million from external follow-on funding — on average, more than $20 for every $1 awarded by IN 2.
“We are very excited to be working with the Danforth Center to test and validate our next cohort of companies,” said Trish Cozart, IN2 program manager at NREL. “Looking at the how our food, water and energy resources can be used more efficiently and effectively is a big part of the mission of this program. We look forward to working with these companies and the Danforth Center in addressing that challenge.”
IN2 finds and selects companies through its Channel Partners, a curated network of incubators, accelerators and universities across the United States that refer startups to the program. Once referred, companies participate in a highly competitive application and selection process to determine which will be invited into the next cohort of participants. To help guide the selection process for the first agtech cohort, IN2 commissioned a white paper entitled “IN2 Food, Energy, Water Landscape,” to determine where its impact would be most beneficial.
“Wells Fargo has a long history of working with farmers and companies throughout the agriculture value chain,” said Ramsay Huntley, Clean Technology and Innovation Philanthropy program officer for Wells Fargo. “This program expansion into agriculture really aligns with our philanthropic mission to accelerate the transition to a low-carbon economy by supporting innovators and entrepreneurs focused on sustainable ideas that can shape the future of farming.”
IN2 launched in 2014 with a focus on supporting scalable solutions that improve energy efficiency in commercial buildings and announced its expanded its charter at the 10th annual Ag Innovation Showcase in 2018 to advance the agriculture industry, which accounts for approximately 70 percent of the water and 14 percent of the energy usage worldwide. In expanding into agriculture, IN2 speeds the development and commercialization of technologies that help the agriculture sector overcome barriers and costs of implementing sustainable farming solutions.
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