HudsonAlpha Showcases Spring 2023 AgTech Accelerator Cohort
On June 22, HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology (HudsonAlpha) hosted its second AgTech Accelerator showcase in partnership with gener8tor, a global startup accelerator, in Saturn V Hall. The five startups that received $100k each in investments from gener8tor each pitched its agricultural technology product to the attendees.
Respectively, the founders of OmniVis, Khepra, SAVRpak, Terra Bioforge, and Bloom Labs delivered presentations about a device that streamlines testing for food borne pathogens in processing facilities, a sticker that keeps food fresh longer by combatting condensation, a nonchemical reactor that breaks sawdust down into precursors for carbon negative fertilizer, genetically engineered microbes that convert greenhouse gases from fertilizers into billion dollar, eco-friendly compounds and a luxury textile made of repurposed protein waste from meat manufacturing.
David Mead, CEO of Terra Bioforge, said he was amazed by how different the technologies were while sharing the common theme of sustainability.
“It’s great stuff,” Mead said. “It’s the only way we’re going to survive.”
Throughout their presentations, each of the CEOs expressed a lot of concern for developing sustainable practices in agriculture. The companies’ goals include lessening food waste and scarcity, reducing the amount of greenhouse gas emissions from fertilizers, and fighting the resource and financial losses associated with wasted animal byproducts.
Terra Bioforge, Khepra, OmniVis, SAVRpak and Bloom Labs were selected for the Spring 2023 cohort of the HudsonAlpha AgTech Accelerator from a pool of 428 applicants, according to Christopher Adull.
Over the course of the 12-week Accelerator Program, the participating startup founders were coached individually about building their companies and given access to gener8tor’s resources for investors, customers and advisors.
Overall, HudsonAlpha has generated over $4.2 billion in Alabama state revenue through educational outreach, economic development and research in the biotech field, according to Program Manager, Joseph Quan.
Bloom Labs founder Sim Gulati said that he was especially interested in participating in a program in Alabama because 26 billion birds are processed per week in the state, presumably leaving behind an abundance of protein waste. “We take these proteins, and we turn them into high value fibers,” Gulati said.
After the showcase, Julie Kring, CEO of Khepra, said the Accelerator Program was “top-notch” and expressed genuine interest in the founders’ respective products and goals. She also praised the program for being closely connected with the types of resources she needed, like investors and lumber mills.
Mead said his greatest takeaway from his time in the AgTech Accelerator spring 2023 cohort was “The help that I got from strangers on making us a better business, improving our story, improving our deck, non-conditional, unconditional feedback. That was beneficial.”
After acknowledging the Pitchfork Awards, HudsonAlpha gave to its staff at the showcase of its inaugural cohort, the company gave four of its staff members Golden Watering Can Awards in recognition of how they have helped nurture and grow the businesses involved in the cohort as well as the cohorts they will support moving forward.
Those recognized were Joseph Quan, Program Manager; Christopher Udall, Managing Director; Dean Mitchel, Executive Director and Abbie Ruesy, Economic Development Marketing Coordinator.
Dr. Katherine Clayton of OmniVis joked that the Golden Watering Cans had the founders’ signatures and company names, “so when we make it big, you can have that, and we’ll be like Jeff Bezos or something that high status.”
As part of the Space and Rocket Center’s Biergarten series, the Showcase was public and lively. Attendees ate, admired exhibits, drank, and danced to live music preceding the actual showcase. The free admission included vouchers for beer and pretzels provided by Biergarten.
