Converting Science to Startups

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

What is the right way to bring the latest in science and technology to the market? That was the question Purdue University was asking when they launched DIAL Ventures a few years ago. DIAL stands for the Digital Innovation in Agri-Food Systems Laboratory. Dr. Lourival Monaco is the research manager for the startup studio that is trying to launch companies to tackle big problems in food and ag.

Monaco… “As a startup studio, right? Our main goal is to create positive impact in our industry. So we're at Purdue. So we're not for profit, we're doing this for the money. We're doing this because agriculture, the way we see it is the backbone of America, and we're trying to create a big impact in this industry. Positive impact. And I'm hitting on impact a lot because the way we see impact is something that is out in the market in this industry, in ag and not just in academia. So it couldn't be just a research, exercise. It has to be applied research, but it has to be translational also. And meaning we had to create something people should use. The way we decided to do is through startup creation, entrepreneurship, and innovation. Purdue is really good at that. Understanding, how can we create new things, right? So that's how we decided to do it. So we, we started creating startups.”

Monaco said the startup studio is currently focused on ag, sustainability and environmental impact.