AgLaunch

Farmers don't just adopt innovation. They should drive it.

AgLaunch has identified 20 priority areas where the right startup could help farms become more regenerative and profitable. Think autonomous robotics, on-farm biomanufacturing, AI decision tools, carbon stacking, farmer-owned data platforms, and more.

We have one question for you: What's the one thing you wish a startup would build for your farm?

Your answer shapes where real innovation investment goes. Takes less than 2 minutes.
https://rebrand.ly/87ffcf

FIN Game Time Tactics meetups explore how agricultural markets actually get built. We learn directly from those shaping ownership, governance, and durable systems on the ground.

Join Mike Lewis and Lee Rinehart from the National Center for Appropriate Technology (NCAT) as they explore how a Specialty Crop Block Grant-funded partnership with Healthcare Without Harm transformed yellow peas from a cover crop into value-added products. This session examines the partnerships, infrastructure, and market development needed to support a resilient, values-driven value chain.

Register for the webinar: rebrand.ly/obtnucc

Not yet part of FIN? Join the Farmer Innovation Network here: rebrand.ly/dafb65

About the Speakers

Mike Lewis is a farmer, veteran, and nationally recognized leader in sustainable agriculture and local food systems with NCAT. He is the founder of Growing Warriors, the first veteran-focused food security organization dedicated to training military veterans in production agriculture. Mike’s expertise includes organic crops and livestock, crop–livestock rotation, silvopasture, soil health, and cooperative models that advance food equity.

Lee Rinehart is an educator who has worked with NCAT’s ATTRA Sustainable Agriculture program for more than twenty years. His work focuses on the sustainable management of pastures, grazing systems, and cover crops.

The National Center for Appropriate Technology (NCAT) advances solutions in regenerative agriculture and clean energy so that both people and the land can flourish.

Southern Leaf Rust and Tar Spot in corn and Frogeye Leaf Spot in soybeans are creating real yield risk this season, particularly in environments where disease can spread rapidly. Early detection and timely intervention are becoming increasingly critical to maintaining crop performance.

Meanwhile, nitrogen availability and cost continue to challenge farm profitability, reinforcing the need for more precise, data-driven management approaches. Make every dollar spent on nitrogen count for crop performance.

Join the Farmer Innovation Network (FIN) for a Field Solutions webinar that showcases two growth-stage technologies delivering measurable results on farms across the AgLaunch Farmer Network. You’ll hear from the founders of Sentinel Ag and Spornado, and AgLaunch Farmers, how early disease detection and improved nitrogen management can work together to protect yield and improve margins.

Join us for this timely conversation at one of three sessions:
April 8, 2026 | 7:00 AM CT | https://rebrand.ly/1e5526
April 14, 2026 | 7:00 AM CT | https://rebrand.ly/o7u748f
April 17, 2026 | 7:00 AM CT | https://rebrand.ly/45hqcvn

About Sentinel Ag
Nitrogen is essential for healthy crop growth. But applying the right amount of the element has been an inexact science leading to lost profits and environmental harm. To create a solution to the nitrogen dilemma, our Founder & CEO, Jackson Stansell developed N-Time®, a software and management framework for using imagery to provide growers and their trusted advisors with data-driven fertigation scheduling recommendations.

About Spornado
Early alert system for crop disease helps growers optimize their pesticide use. The wind-powered air sampler and highly sensitive DNA analysis allows farmers to know when crop disease is in the air long before it is seen in the field.

About Farmer Innovation Network
The Farmer Innovation Network (FIN) is a national community of forward-thinking farmers who receive specialized training and participate in curated networking events. These opportunities are designed to empower farmers with a stronger, more equitable role in shaping the future of agricultural innovation. FIN is powered by AgLaunch and Ag Ventures Alliance and our Channel Partners, the Combine, GAP Connections Inc., and National Black Growers Council.

Not yet part of FIN?
Join the Farmer Innovation Network here:
https://rebrand.ly/dafb65

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AgLaunch was honored to join with Grain Weevil, partners and Tennessee state leaders in celebrating Ag Day on the Hill, an annual event hosted by the House Agriculture & Natural Resources Committee to spotlight the importance of agriculture and forestry to our state’s health, welfare, and economy.

It was a great day connecting with legislators, partners, and fellow advocates to highlight the role of farmer-led innovation in shaping the future of agriculture in Tennessee. From new technologies to on-farm trials, the message was clear: when farmers are at the center of innovation, the entire ag economy benefits. We appreciate the support of the Tennessee Department of Agriculture and the Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development, whose partnership has been critical to advancing this work and expanding its impact.

A special thank you to AgLaunch farmers Grant Norwood, Debra Lockard, Daryl Leven, Nick Patterson, Finis Stribling III, and Traci Middleton for carrying the torch for ag innovation. Your leadership and willingness to engage make all the difference in telling the story of what’s possible when farmers help build the solutions they use.

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