TULARE - The Hemp Innovation Challenge is designed to accelerate the future of the hemp industry by supporting entrepreneurs, researchers and students who are launching the most disruptive hemp innovations in the world. Submissions will come from hemp innovators in universities, companies, research institutes, barns, and government agencies. Finalists will be invited to the World Ag Expo® in Tulare, California in February 2020 to participate in the fast pitch competition.
Prizes will be awarded for ideas connected to technology, software, and services driving growth and innovation into food, fuel, medicine, health, fiber, waste, and sustainable development as a few examples. Submissions are open to for-profits, non-profits, and early stage concepts or impact projects including those aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
The winners will receive strategic feedback about their innovation, business model, and go-to-market strategy. Event highlights include networking with C-level executives, investors, and mentorship to support launching their innovations.
The Hemp Innovation Challenge™ will be run in partnership with the esteemed Larta Institute. Larta is a leading non-profit innovation hub with a mission to improve the transition of science and technology breakthroughs from the lab to the marketplace. Larta’s Global Agriculture Innovation Network (GAIN) programming, including the Ag Innovation Showcase, has helped over 700 ag entrepreneurs, who have gone on to collectively raise $1.7B over the past 10 years. “The Hemp Innovation Challenge is a perfect fit for what we do and our broader mission”, said Bandhana Katoch JD, MBA, MS, head of Larta’s Sustainability practice.
Entering its 53rd year, World Ag Expo® is the largest annual outdoor ag trade show in the world. In 2019, the show saw 102,800 attendees from 48 states and 65 countries. With more than 1,400 exhibitors and 2.6 million square feet of exhibit space, World Ag Expo® provides a platform for networking, education and business in one of the most productive ag counties in the United States.
General Admission tickets are for sale online now, and attendees can plan their visit at www.worldagexpo.org/attendees. With a diverse lineup of agriculture companies and seminars covering international trade, irrigation, ag policy, hemp, and more, there is something for every ag professional at the 2020 World Ag Expo®. The 53rd edition will run from Tuesday, February 11 through Thursday, February 13, 2020 at the International Agri-Center® in Tulare, CA.
