Innovators, entrepreneurs, producers, researchers, corporations and investors will gather in Gothenburg on Monday, Nov. 24 for the inaugural AgConverge Conference, a producer-focused event showcasing how agriculture, technology and entrepreneurship intersect to shape the future of food, energy, and water.
Hosted by Spur Ventures at the Department of Biological Systems Engineering (BSE) at University of Nebraska–Lincoln and Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources, in partnership with Bayer Crop Science and collaborators across the state, AgConverge will bring together industry leaders, startup founders, faculty and students for a day of conversation, networking and discovery, with the goal of supporting Nebraska producers.
A major highlight of the day will be the formal launch of Spur Ventures, a new initiative within UNL’s Biological Systems Engineering department designed to support entrepreneurship and industry partnerships.
“Spur AgConverge is the right place to introduce Spur Ventures to Nebraska and beyond,” said Ankit Chandra, director and lecturer of entrepreneurship in BSE and founder of the Spur. “We’re moving past conversation to implementation, and this event reflects the momentum we’re building.”
One of the event’s signature features is the Farm Tech Adoption Challenge, a first-of-its-kind, farmer-led competition that flips the traditional startup pitch format. Instead of startups competing for cash prizes, farmers take the lead. Startups present their solutions, and producers evaluate whether those technologies address their real-world challenges, fit their operations, and are practical for adoption.
“Spur AgConverge is about building connections,” said Mark Stone, head of UNL’s Department of Biological Systems Engineering. “Nebraska is already a global leader in agriculture, but through events like this we’re building bridges between entrepreneurs, industry, the University of Nebraska and Nebraska producers to grow our state’s largest industry.”
The conference will feature, industry-academia panel discussion, startup and technology showcases highlighting Nebraska’s role as a testbed for agricultural innovation. Entrepreneurs and representatives from start-ups will have the opportunity hear directly from producers about how they can better tailor their products or develop new tools suited to the unique needs of Nebraska producers.
The event will take place from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Bayer Crop Science Water Utilization Center, 76268 NE-47, Gothenburg. Attendance is free for producers and students, though all attendees are asked to register in advance. More information and registration are available on the AgConverge event page.
