Agbioscience

AgriNovus Indiana

This weekly podcast dives into agbioscience, where agriculture, life sciences and cutting-edge technology converge. Agbioscience is an in-depth conversation with leaders and entrepreneurs across food, animal health, plant science and agtech. This one-of-a-kind podcast offers updates on the latest advancements and future trends from those at the forefront of agbioscience innovation.

  1. 13h ago

    442. Huntington University’s Dr. Robert Pepper on the future of ag education + developing a talent pipeline for agbioscience

    On this episode of Agbioscience Dr. Robert Pepper, President of Huntington University, joins us to explore how their team is building talent for the future of agriculture. Just months into his presidency, Rob shares what drew him to Huntington, how the university is positioning itself inside Indiana’s agbioscience innovation economy and why hands-on, industry-connected learning matters more than ever.  The conversation also examines Huntington’s growing agriculture programs, from its six bachelor’s degrees and farm lab to its animal science education center and looks ahead to the next chapter of talent development. Along the way, Rob discusses what employers are asking for, how cross-disciplinary learning is shaping student readiness and what success could look like for Huntington over the next decade.  Episode highlights:   Stepping into Huntington University’s presidency in 2025 at a moment of rapid change across the industry What makes Huntington’s mission and momentum compelling The university’s case for playing a meaningful role in Indiana’s innovation ecosystem How Rob sees Huntington contribution to industry and workforce needs The foundation laid by Dr. Sherilyn Emberton, former president, including the launch and development of the ag program – and how he sees it evolving under his leadership How the program has grown – six bachelor’s degrees in ag, a farm lab and an animal science education center What Pepper hears from industry leaders, where employers may be seeking a different kind of graduate and Huntington is positioned to deliver Building critical bridge to cross-collaborative and allied domains like biology, data, engineering and health The value of internships, mentorship, corporate partnerships and other real-world applications that help students gain confidence to enter the industry How strategic partners are shaping Huntington’s program outcomes and how they choose partners that work well for them Rob defines success in talent development and what excites him most about the future

    442. Huntington University’s Dr. Robert Pepper on the future of ag education + developing a talent pipeline for agbioscience

  2. Aug 10

    441. Heartland BioWorks’ Michelle Dennis on building a connected bioeconomy + bridging the gap between scientific discovery and commercial scale-up

    Heartland BioWorks was formed to help the Midwest advance its position of leadership in the next era of bioscience innovation. By uniting industry, academia, workforce leaders, and public partners, the organization was created to accelerate discovery, grow talent and build a stronger, more connected bioeconomy across the region. We are joined this week by Michelle Dennis, Regional Innovation Officer for Heartland BioWorks, to talk the federal Tech Hub designation, our existing strengths and moving innovation to market faster.  Highlights include:   An overview of the work Michelle’s team is leading to advance the bioeconomy in Indiana Momentum in discussion around onshoring and biomanufacturing in the US – and why that’s critical Gaps identified by stakeholders across the industry that Heartland BioWorks is uniquely positioned to address Bridging the gap between scientific discovery and innovation and commercial scale- up through Heartland BioWorks’ BioLAUNCH Where Michelle sees promising intersections between agbioscience, biotech and advanced manufacturing What Michelle believes makes a strong ecosystem of connecting startups, companies, researchers and investors across domains Workforce skills most needed in this growing bioeconomy and how BioTRAIN is creating a wider funnel for talent in its pipeline Biggest opportunities Michelle sees for industry, academia and public partners to continue working together to build the state’s talent base Emerging trends that excite Michelle and where she believes agbioscience should be paying attention right now What success looks like to Michelle over the next five years What’s ahead that has her most excited for Heartland BioWorks

    441. Heartland BioWorks’ Michelle Dennis on building a connected bioeconomy + bridging the gap between scientific discovery and commercial scale-up

  3. Aug 3

    440. Hoosier Ag Today's Eric Pfeiffer on innovating for the farmer, meeting innovators in the middle + expanding Indiana's ag story

    We switch chairs this week and our interview host, Hoosier Ag Today's Eric Pfeiffer, joins us to talk through the state of production agriculture, its impact on innovation, surprising findings out of Purdue on farmer adoption of AI and how innovators/producers can meet in the middle to drive greater impact for both sides.  Eric also gets into Hoosier Ag Today's new partnership with Circle City Broadcasting, bringing Indiana agriculture news to television in the Indianapolis market.

    440. Hoosier Ag Today's Eric Pfeiffer on innovating for the farmer, meeting innovators in the middle + expanding Indiana's ag story

  4. Jul 27

    439. AgriNovus’ Tim Dixon on the 2026 Velocity startups, advancing ideas into market-ready solutions across bioinnovation, farmer-focused innovation and food is health

    Last week, AgriNovus announced that 12 startups will participate in its 2026 Velocity accelerator, a five-month program that awards entrepreneurs a total of $75,000 in cash prizes for their technology solutions divided equally between the strategic categories: bioinnovation, farmer-focused innovation and food is health.  Behind this year’s cohort magic is the organization’s Senior Director of Innovation, Tim Dixon, who joins us this week. He gets into:  Tim’s journey to joining the AgriNovus team and what drew him to the organization How he defines innovation – and how the definition has evolved over the years Most promising areas of innovation across agbioscience that have opportunities for transformational impact How startups should think about customer adoption in a tight farmer and agribusiness market What makes Indiana uniquely positioned to lead in agbioscience versus other regions of the country Velocity’s launch and how it’s designed to address gaps in the ecosystem Tim’s ambitions for Velocity in year one and what he believes competing teams need to be successful The importance of collaboration among companies, universities, investors and entrepreneurs to turn ideas into market-ready solutions Outcomes that will signal success for Velocity in 2026 What has him most excited about this year's cohort of startups

    439. AgriNovus’ Tim Dixon on the 2026 Velocity startups, advancing ideas into market-ready solutions across bioinnovation, farmer-focused innovation and food is health

  5. Jul 20

    438. Indiana Association of Soil + Water Conservation Districts’ Liz Rice on balancing economic and environmental sustainability, the state’s innovative advantage

    Sustainability. It’s a big word that carries several meanings – particularly across the agbioscience value chain. From conservation practices on the farm to technologies that create a more efficient use of the land, innovators in agbioscience are always seeking to do more with less. Underpinned in that effort is economic sustainability and how different practices create fluctuations in margin for farmers and companies alike. Today we are joined by Executive Director of the Indiana Association of Soil and Water Conservation Districts, Liz Rice, to talk pressing challenges when it comes to the land and what it takes to support farmers in this space.   Highlights include:   The role of IASWCD in supporting farmers, communities and local conservation efforts around the state How the conversation on sustainability and conservation has evolved over the last decade Challenges farmers and district leaders are facing right now that feel most pressing and urgent Soil health and how Liz defines it in practical terms Balancing expectations of environmental stewardship with the economic realities of agriculture Some of the most effective practices Liz has seen adopted today and why they are gaining traction The role Liz sees farmers playing in climate resilience New technologies, data and research – and how they will impact the land Strong partnerships across the ecosystem that she sees making impact How sustainability can be an even bigger part of our state’s agbioscience story What’s ahead for her team that has her most excited

    438. Indiana Association of Soil + Water Conservation Districts’ Liz Rice on balancing economic and environmental sustainability, the state’s innovative advantage

  6. Jul 13

    437. ISDA’s Don Lamb on convening the corners of the agbioscience industry to drive impact + meaningful change

    From Indiana’s rich agricultural story to the cross-sector innovation taking place in BioHeartland, the state’s economy tells more than one story about what it does well; the growing story, however, is how its innovation domains come together to share an identity with much more power. This week, Director of the Indiana State Department of Agriculture (ISDA) Don Lamb joins the show to talk about the farmer, the future and BioHeartland’s positive momentum.  Highlights include:  Don’s perspective as a farmer and how becoming the Director of ISDA has evolved his view of the industry The opportunity for Indiana to innovate at the intersection of farming, food, animal health and plant science USDA’s announcement of Indianapolis as a hub for their relocation initiative and what he believe it signals about Indiana Why Indiana is a fit and the advantage our ecosystem brings The impact of a USDA hub on the farmer here in Indiana Updates on the future of Indiana and USDA, including the announcement of SNAP to Indianapolis Don’s thoughts on BioHeartland and why an identity for our region matters more than ever How he hopes the brand grows and evolves both inside and outside perspectives on production agriculture and agbioscience’s impact on the state Farmers, agribusinesses and community leaders’ roles in sharing the BioHeartland story Don answers the question: “Is Indiana having a moment?” ISDA’s plans for seizing the opportunity to connect the farming and innovation communities What’s coming up for ISDA that has Don most excited

    437. ISDA’s Don Lamb on convening the corners of the agbioscience industry to drive impact + meaningful change

  7. Jul 6

    436. DIAL Ventures’ Allan Gray on their new $30M fund, supporting entrepreneurship + creating the next wave of agbioscience innovation

    Since its inception, Purdue DIAL Ventures has run six studio cycles and built an impressive portfolio of companies – including Gripp, Croft, Oaken, FIeldist and Aerton – now valued at over $30 million. This week, Executive Director Allan Gray joins us to talk the launch of their Fund II (which is now underway) and how his team’s model uniquely supports company creation.   Highlights include:   An overview of the work at Purdue DIAL Ventures and how their work improves the food system while enabling farmer success The gap identified in the market that led to the organization’s creation DIAL’s unique value and how they can deliver on things others cannot How their Fund I set the tone for Allan’s team to move forward in terms of market validation and success Fund II – it's timeline, deployment pace and kickoff for the studio How Allan sees Fund II comparing to the first in terms of mechanics and how they approach company creation The relationships with partners and how they create investable and scalable innovation that serves a broader market Milestones Allan likes to see hit in order to feel like innovation is derisked Trends and themes Allan sees as prevalent in the next fund to meet the needs of an evolving industry Allan’s list of hopeful outcomes for Fund II What’s ahead

    436. DIAL Ventures’ Allan Gray on their new $30M fund, supporting entrepreneurship + creating the next wave of agbioscience innovation

  8. Jun 29

    435. Innovations in food, animal health, plant science, agtech + agriculture: here's an agbioscience recap for the first half of 2026

    Agbioscience

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Ratings & Reviews

4.8
out of 5
35 Ratings

About

This weekly podcast dives into agbioscience, where agriculture, life sciences and cutting-edge technology converge. Agbioscience is an in-depth conversation with leaders and entrepreneurs across food, animal health, plant science and agtech. This one-of-a-kind podcast offers updates on the latest advancements and future trends from those at the forefront of agbioscience innovation.

Information

  • Creator
    AgriNovus Indiana
  • Years Active
    2018 - 2026
  • Episodes
    438
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 AgriNovus Indiana
  • Show Website
    Agbioscience

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