
Cultivate Conference brings together a diverse community of experts, thought leaders, entrepreneurs, and growers to share their knowledge and experiences, and explore the exciting possibilities of technology in agriculture.
Attendees will have the opportunity to learn about cutting-edge solutions to real-world problems, connect with others in AgTech, and discover new opportunities to grow their businesses and drive innovation in this dynamic field. The Cultivate Conference is the must-attend event for anyone interested in the future of agriculture technology. Take a look at photos from last year's Cultivate Conference!
Goals of the Conference:
- Highlight work being done in agriculture technology
- Provide a space for growers to give AgTech feedback
- Create connections between startups, growers, corporations, technologists, investors, and universities
- Spotlight public-private partnership opportunities
What to Expect:
- Networking Opportunities
The conference will be peppered with plenty of networking opportunities and we will create space for attendees to connect. - Relevant Content
Conference content will be woven in a narrative format to keep everyone engaged. - Hybrid
This event will be hybrid so participants can attend in-person or virtually. - Workshops
There will be workshops and meetings as part of Cultivate.
Topics:
- Sustainability
- AgTech Startups
- Better Business Practices (Grower Profitability)
- Artificial Intelligence & Machine Learning Application in Agriculture
Audience:
Those involved in or interested in the agriculture technology industry, including growers, startups, corporations, ecosystem builders, government entities, research institutions, and investors.
Questions?
- If you are interested in getting involved, email or call Andrew Jason (andrewj@grandfarm.com | 218-556-2922)
- Media inquiries can be directed to Matt Wendel (mattw@grandfarm.com | 701-840-8769)
Promotional Materials
Our Cultivate Conference promo kit includes event graphics, information, and sample copy for social media. Download the promo kit here.
2023 SCHEDULE
TUESDAY, JUNE 6
Midwest Agriculture Summit
Hosted by FMWF Chamber
- Located at the Red River Valley Fairgrounds
- Separate Registration Required - REGISTER HERE
Cybersecurity in Food & Ag Supply Chain Symposium
Hosted by Grand Farm
- Located at the Prairie Den
- Separate Registration Required - REGISTER HERE
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 7
StartupBREW Cultivate Takeover
- Located at Brewhalla
Bushel Buddy Seat Conference
Hosted by Bushel
- Located at the Fargo Theatre
- Separate Registration Required - REGISTER HERE
Bushel + Grand Farm/Cultivate Shindig
- Located in Roberts Alley in Downtown Fargo
- Open to Attendees of Grand Farm's Cultivate Conference + Bushel's Buddy Seat Conference
- Join us for an evening of connections, music, and fun!
THURSDAY, JUNE 8
Cultivate Conference
Coffee + Registration
Welcome
- Andrew Jason - Grand Farm
- Reed Sinner - Central Cass FFA
Grand Farm Grower Pain Point Report Launch
- Dr. Ruchi Joshi Bhardwaj - Grand Farm
Economic Health of Agriculture Panel
- Moderator: Vanessa Kummer - Grower
- Jim O'Brien - Agrograph
- Ken Zuckerberg - CoBank
- Matt Erickson - FCS of America
- Mark Vetter - AgCountry
Cultivate Speaker Series
- Dr. Karl Wyant - Nutrien
- Michael Place - Chapul Farms
- Derrik Ellingson - Ellingson
Break
Startup Pitch Sessions
- Christina Connelly - Consulate General of Canada
- AGVisorPro - Patrick Walther
- Psigryph - Sean Thompson
- Verigrain - Ken Jackson
Cultivate Speaker Series
- Meredith Mendola & Melvin Huber - KWS
- Michael Cully - Susterre
Break
Artist
- NDSU Western Swing Dance Club
- Jess Huser - Incoming President
- Emily Zurn - Secretary
- Chris Becker - Incoming Social Director
Venture Capital Panel
- Moderator: Leah Thiele - Compeer
- Larry Page - Lewis and Clark
- Dean Didato - Innova
- Louis Brown - Carrot Ventures
Cultivate Speaker Series
- Startup Connections USA
- Nick Reinke - Habitere
- Johnny Park - WHIN & Brian Carroll - Grand Farm
Lunch
Cultivate Workshops - Session 1
-
Artificial Intelligence & Machine Learning Applications in Agriculture - Located at NDSU Barry Hall - Louise S. Barry Auditorium 2nd Floor
At this workshop, Grand Farm will be exploring artificial intelligence and machine learning applications in agriculture. By bringing together industry experts and thought leaders, Grand Farm hopes to advance the conversation of the role artificial intelligence will play in collecting, analyzing, and operationalizing the massive amounts of data in agriculture, as well as accelerating new technologies in agriculture.
- Moderator: William Aderholdt - Grand Farm
- Riyaz Pishori - Microsoft
- Alina Piddubna - Intellias
- Lisa Esberger - Verdethos
- Seth Arndorfer - DCN
-
Growing North: How Partnering with Canada Builds Cross-Border Successes - Located at the Fargo TheatreThe Consulate General of Canada in Minneapolis and the North Dakota Trade Office will explore how AgTech companies and partners can enable business opportunities by unlocking new markets. This workshop - designed for growers, AgTech start-ups, and large manufacturers - will discuss the value of cross-border partnering, challenges with international trade, and talk about other important considerations as you expand internationally.
- Grower Workshop - Direct Dialogue with Growers - Located at the Plains Art Museum
Growers are often the end users of technology in agriculture but if you ask most growers, they will tell you that they feel like they are not being listened to. Creating feedback loops between growers and technologists is crucially important. That’s why at this workshop, we invite you to connect and communicate directly with growers. We hope to bridge the gap between agriculture and technology by having conversations that are straightforward and meaningful.- Moderator: Cory Oberlander - Agveris
- Sarah Lovas - Grower
- Daryl Rott - Grower
- Adam Spelhaug - Grower
- EduConnect: Feeding the Minds (This workshop will run from 2-4 pm) - Located at the Prairie Den
Through this workshop, Grand Farm will seek to connect educators with professionals representing different careers in agriculture, science, and technology, and resources available in our region.- Co-moderator: Katie Tyler - NDSU
- Co-moderator: Dr. Ruchi Joshi Bhardwaj - Grand Farm
- Zack Bateson - Genotyping Center
- David Cumbow - Palo Alto Networks
- Paulo Flores - NDSU
- Darla Lewandowski - Eden Grow Systems
- Garrett Maurer - Bobcat
Cultivate Workshops - Session 2
-
Artificial Intelligence & Machine Learning Applications in Agriculture - Located at NDSU Barry Hall - Louise S. Barry Auditorium 2nd FloorAt this workshop, Grand Farm will be exploring artificial intelligence and machine learning applications in agriculture. By bringing together industry experts and thought leaders, Grand Farm hopes to advance the conversation of the role artificial intelligence will play in collecting, analyzing, and operationalizing the massive amounts of data in agriculture, as well as accelerating new technologies in agriculture.
- Moderator: William Aderholdt - Grand Farm
- Riyaz Pishori - Microsoft
- Alina Piddubna - Intellias
- Lisa Esberger - Verdethos
- Seth Arndorfer - DCN
-
Growing North: How Partnering with Canada Builds Cross-Border Successes - Located at the Fargo TheatreThe Consulate General of Canada in Minneapolis and the North Dakota Trade Office will explore how AgTech companies and partners can enable business opportunities by unlocking new markets. This workshop - designed for growers, AgTech start-ups, and large manufacturers - will discuss the value of cross-border partnering, challenges with international trade, and talk about other important considerations as you expand internationally.
- Grower Workshop - Direct Dialogue with Growers - Located at the Plains Art Museum
Growers are often the end users of technology in agriculture but if you ask most growers, they will tell you that they feel like they are not being listened to. Creating feedback loops between growers and technologists is crucially important. That’s why at this workshop, we invite you to connect and communicate directly with growers. We hope to bridge the gap between agriculture and technology by having conversations that are straightforward and meaningful.- Moderator: Cory Oberlander - Agveris
- Kyle Courtney - Farmer
- Kathi Luther - Farmer
- David Gorder - Farmer
Social Hour + Networking
gener8tor North Dakota Showcase
Hosted by gener8tor
- Located at Sanctuary Events Center
- Separate Registration Required - REGISTER HERE
2023 SPEAKERS

Dr. William Aderoldt
Director PMO
Grand Farm

Seth Arndorfer
CEO
DCN

Zach Bateson
Research Manager
National Agriculture Genotyping Center

Louis Brown
Associate
Carrot Ventures

Christina Connelly
Trade Commissioner, Agri-Food
Consulate General of Canada

Michael Cully
Founder & CEO
Susterre

Derrik Ellingson
Vice President - Ag Division
Ellingson

Paulo Flores
Assistant Professor
North Dakota State University

Matt Erickson
Ag Economic & Policy Advisor
Farm Credit Services of America

Lisa Esberger
Founder & Chief Revenue Officer
Verdethos

Vanessa Kummer
Grower
Richland County, ND

Darla Lewandowski
Operations Coordinator
Eden Grow Systems

Sarah Lovas
Grower
Traill County

Garrett Maurer
Global Digital Product Manager
Bobcat

Febina Mathew
Associate Professor
North Dakota State University

Meredith Mendola
Operations Lead, Digital Innovation Accelerator
KWS Group

Corey Oberlander
CEO
Agveris

Jim O'Brien
Co-founder &CEO
Agrograph

Larry Page
Managing Director
Lewis and Clark AgriFood

Johnny Park
CEO
Wabash Heartland Innovation Network (WHIN)

Alina Piddubna, PhD
AgriTech Portfolio & AI/ML Practice Delivery Lead
Intellias

Riyaz Pishori
Principal Research Program Manager
Microsoft

Michael Place
Grower
Chapul Farms

Nick Reinke
CEO
HabiTerre

Daryl Rott
Grower
Fitly Framed Organics

Reed Sinner
FFA Officer
Central Cass

Adam Spelhaug
Grower
Richland County, ND

Dr. Xin (Rex) Sun
Assistant Professor, Agricultural & Biosystems Engineering
North Dakota State University

Leah Thiele
Director of Rural Business Investment
Compeer Financial

Sergio Varela Cabello
Vice President, Business & Operations
Intellias

Mark Vetter
Senior Vice President of Producer Markets
AgCountry Farm Credit Services

Lindsey Warner
Director of Operations
North Dakota Trade Office

Dr. Karl Wyant
Director of Agronomy
Nutrien

Kenneth Scott Zuckerberg
Lead Industry Analyst | Research Strategist
CoBank
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