#158: Shely Aronov, CEO of InnerPlant — VC-Funded AgTech Helping Farm Crops Talk to Farmers. "Mood Ring for Plants." The Top Reason Startups Die. 40% of Crops Lost Each Year. Power of Frugality.

⭐ My guest today is Shely Aronov, Founder and CEO of InnerPlant.

InnerPlant is a VC-backed agtech company on a mission to transform farming by enabling crops to communicate with growers. Their Living Sensor plants emit optical signals detectable by tractors in the field or by satellites in space.

Shely is a serial entrepreneur with experience in multiple sectors across multiple countries with an MBA from Stanford University.

Links:

Shely - https://www.linkedin.com/in/shelyaronov/

InnerPlant - https://innerplant.com/

---

🎙️ PODCAST TOPICS:

United Nations estimates that we lose 40% of crops to diseases and pests each year. How she’s building tech that sounds like a mood ring for plants. The benefits of cross-domain expertise. Why they settled on fungal infections in soybeans as their first problem to solve. How they use a paid waiting list of farmers who are helping to co-create the best product-market fit. The number one reason that startups fail. Lessons from wizards and prophets.

And lots more!

---

🙏 QUICK FAVOR:

Please leave a review or rating on your podcast player.

This helps more listeners discover the climate CEOs and investors I interview here.

---

🌎 ABOUT ENTREPRENEURS FOR IMPACT:

2-minute newsletter: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://entrepreneursforimpact.substack.com⁠⁠⁠⁠ 

Climate CEO peer group community: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.entrepreneursforimpact.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Live online course about startup capital raising (coaching, peer feedback): ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://t.ly/V6xcB⁠⁠⁠⁠

DIY course about startup capital raising (170 slides, 70-item library, 250-investor list): ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://t.ly/QCcl5⁠⁠⁠⁠

Entrepreneurs for Impact is led by Dr. Chris Wedding — a 4x founder, 4x Board member, Duke & UNC professor, ex-private equity investor, ex-investment banker, occasional monk, father of three, ax-throwing champ, and super humble guy (as evidenced by this long bio). 😃