Champaign, Illinois (February 18, 2020) – The brightest minds in agtech will convene Wednesday, March 4 for the fifth annual AgTech Innovation Summit hosted by the University of Illinois Research Park and presented by Bayer and The Climate Corporation.
The AgTech Innovation Summit features a unique mix of investors , large corporations, prominent academics, and startups to provide a well-rounded perspective on the future of AgTech. Attendees will explore how technology solutions are addressing some of the most significant challenges facing agriculture today.
“Over the past five years this event has grown from a regional conference to draw national participants from across the ag value chain,” said Laura Frerichs, executive director of the University of Illinois Research Park. “We have seen first-hand how this type of talent in a room together can advance the agtech sector in Champaign-Urbana and well beyond.”
Attendees will also hear from industry thought leaders including Cargill’s Chief Technology Officer Keith Narr, Land O’Lakes Chief Technology Officer Teddy Bekele, and The Climate Corporation’s Chief Science Officer Sam Eathington.
New this year to the AgTech Summit is the AgTech Showcase and Networking Reception immediately following the event. The AgTech Showcase is an opportunity to connect with Research Park companies, discover innovative technologies, and network with industry leaders. The Showcase is free and open to the public, regardless of attendance at the AgTech Summit; see first-hand how technology is affecting the agricultural industry.
The AgTech Summit is programmed by the University of Illinois Research Park in partnership with the Office of Corporate Relations and the College of ACES. The generous sponsors who make the AgTech Summit possible include: Bayer and The Climate Corporation, John Deere, Kin + Carta, Google Cloud, Corteva, COUNTRY Financial, AGCO, Land O’Lakes, and the Illinois Center for Digital Agriculture.
About Research Park at the University of Illinois
Research Park at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign is a technology hub for startup companies and corporate research and development operations. Within Research Park there are 120 companies employing students and full-time technology professionals.
