Strategic Ag Investors

This is Tim Hammerich of the Ag Information Network with your Farm of the Future Report.

Venture capitalists, or VCs, have really been paying attention to the agtech space in recent years. But for entrepreneurs like SomaDetect’s Bethany Deshpande, it’s not just about raising as much money as possible. It has been very important for her to attract strategic investors who can bring not just capital, but expertise and connections.

Deshpande… “So we have three strategic investors. So Dairy Farmers of America was the first strategic to put money into the company. We've had Wilbur Ellis Nutrition. They have an investment arm called Cavallo who invested in the company. And then in our most recent round had Merck Animal Health Ventures come in as well. And so forms this really wonderful triad, different parts of the industry represented and investing in the tech that we're building. Almost all of our VCs have specific knowledge interest experience within agriculture, if not dairy.”

SomaDetect offers an in-line system for monitoring health and reproduction of dairy cows. Deshpande said the strategic investors have been invaluable.

Deshpande… “Building tech in agriculture. It takes a lot of cash in. We know that. There's a huge opportunity in this space. And I think that strategics play a really key role there. And helping new tech get on more farms and diverse farms, that's hugely helpful as well.”

Learn more at SomaDetect.com.