The 3rd annual Virtual Summit on AgTech (VSAT), taking place May 4-6, will bring together some of the most influential individuals and organizations within AgTech for the purpose of accelerating the spread of knowledge, creating new connections, and generating ideas. The conference addresses topics that are fundamental to our well-being and climate such as the way we grow food, the way we eat, and the way we invest in change. Given the nature of these questions, it attracts a diversity of attendees that span industries and roles—everyone from farmers to investors to entrepreneurs has a stake in the conversation.
Hosted by Tuck's Center for Private Equity and Venture Capital and the Tuck Food and Sustainable Agriculture Club, this year's VSAT will bring in over 75 speakers from around the world who represent all corners of the AgTech space. The Tuck VSAT committee drives the entire conference—including deciding the topics to cover, the companies they’d like to hear from, and sponsorship opportunities. Speakers are entirely sourced from the Tuck student planning committee, who prioritized selecting an impressive and diverse lineup of speakers. Students helped craft panels which cover the gamut of cutting-edge AgTech topics, including the fight against food waste, cultivated protein, robotics, and indoor farming. This year, the committee opted to add two topics not previously covered, growers and cannabis, driven purely by student interest.
VSAT is no stranger to the virtual environment and has always been rooted in the idea of accessibility. Each summit has taken place within a virtual technology platform, Crowdcast, to ensure that attendees spanning the globe are able to attend without financial burden. Last year, 44 countries were represented across over 900 attendees. The small registration fee exists for the purpose of benefiting local agricultural non-profits. This year’s charity partner is the SUSU commUNITY Farm, an Afro Indigenous stewarded farm and land-based healing center located in Vermont.
Judges Tobin Krieg T’21, Robert Sewell T’21, and Schuyler Dalton T’22 ask questions to Momavlis Glekhebi team, made up of Elena Nikvashvili T’22, Vladislav Azimhodjaev T’22, and Aaron DiPietro T’22.
This year, VSAT is expanding its mission and will incorporate a pitch competition as part of the conference to give visibility and support to the many startups aiming to improve the agriculture and food industry. Last week, 12 AgTech startups pitched their ideas to a panel of Tuck judges during the semi-final competition. Pitches ranged from patented seed technology to hydroponic trees aimed at reducing food insecurity to marketplace platforms which connect Georgian farmers directly with consumers. Four teams, Agryo, Seges Ag, Grain Weevil, and Spornado, were selected as finalists and will present during Day 3 of VSAT.
VSAT Executive Committee co-chairs share what makes the Tuck Virtual AgTech Summit stand out as both an opportunity to learn more about this expanding field and to connect with others in the industry.
We hope you will join us at the 2021 Virtual Summit on AgTech, May 4 – 6!
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