Monsanto : Startup Innovation is Moving AgTech Forward

Recently, I had the pleasure of sitting down with Kyle Welborn, Managing Director at the Yield Lab Opportunity Fund, during The Atlantic's Innovation Game to discuss the innovations driving modern agriculture.

From self-piloting tractors to using electricity to control weeds to converting cover crops into cash crops through gene-editing, the continued evolution of modern agriculture relies on innovation. Today, more and more ground-breaking products and systems are being introduced by startups.

Kyle emphasized the growth of startups in the agricultural industry stating that in 2016 there were more than 1,300 new ventures, many of which focus on agriculture technology, or agtech. Being based in St. Louis, or as Agfunder News called it 'the Silicon Valley of Agtech', I can certainly attest to this boom.

The Yield Lab and Monsanto both understand the importance of investing in and cultivating these agtech startups. The Yield Lab specializes in accelerating these startups through financial investment and mentorship with 22 projects in their current portfolio.

One such investment is in a company called RootWave which uses electricity to kill weeds, offering a new and innovative crop protection solution. Considered a 'hand weeder,' the device includes a portable generator that powers a wand allowing farmers to directly apply electrical current to the weed. Once a weed is touched, electricity travels down the stalk to the roots killing the entire plant.

With the support of the Yield Lab, RootWave is exploring the possibilities of creating an automated system that uses machine learning to determine which plants are weeds and where to apply the treatment.