Los Gatos, CA, August 21, 2019— SVG Ventures and Forbes announced the five finalists who will compete on stage at the Forbes AgTech Summit Indianapolis for the THRIVE-Forbes Innovation Icon Award, September 18-19, 2019.

SVG Ventures, together with representatives from their Corporate Partners, Elanco, Valmont, National Pork Board, Land O’Lakes, Trimble and Yamaha Motor Ventures have selected the five finalists from a pool of almost 100 applicants across twenty-six countries.  These emerging technology companies are developing cutting-edge technologies focused on solving some of the biggest challenges in agriculture today.

The finalists selected to pitch on stage at the Forbes AgTech Summit are Advanced Animal Diagnostics, BinSentry, 3Bar Biologics, GroGuru, and SwineTech. These companies will present pioneering solutions specifically in the areas of Livestock/ Animal Health, Digital Row Crop Technologies, and Biotechnology.

“Our AgTech Summit celebrates the entrepreneurs and visionaries in the worlds of ag-tech and foodtech,” said Sherry Phillips, Senior Vice President of ForbesLive. “The 2019 THRIVE-Forbes Innovation Icon Award honors the companies whose innovations are creating sustainable, real-world solutions that address the most-pressing issues of our time.”

The winner of the THRIVE Midwest Challenge will secure a coveted place in the 2020 THRIVE VI Accelerator Cohort  (a$100,000 investment value), plus an advertisement in an upcoming issue of Forbes magazine and the opportunity to present at Forbes’ Under 30 Summit in October.

The THRIVE Midwest Challenge provides startups the opportunity to showcase their innovations before an audience of investors, corporate partners, and local and national media.

THRIVE VI Applications Open

SVG Ventures is currently accepting applications for its sixth THRIVE Accelerator program. The program will take place over four months commencing in February & culminating at the Forbes AgTech Summit in Salinas in June 2020.  The application deadline is October 31^st, 2019. To apply, please visit the THRIVE website.

About Forbes AgTech Summit

The Forbes AgTech Summit convenes the world’s biggest agricultural leaders, investors and entrepreneurs looking to find solutions for some of the world’s most critical food and agricultural challenges. This year’s Summit in Indianapolis is focused on the “Future of Food” and will host key speakers including Beth Bechdol, President & CEO, AgriNovus Indiana; Teddy Bekele, SVP & Chief Technology Officer, Land O’Lakes, Inc.; Virginia Emery, Founder & CEO, Beta Hatch; Neal Gutterson, Chief Technology Officer, Corteva Agriscience; John Hartnett, Founder & Chief Executive Officer, SVG Ventures & THRIVE AgTech; Steve Forbes, Chairman & Editor-in-Chief, Forbes; Luke Saunders, Founder & CEO, Farmer’s Fridge; Jennifer Sirangelo, President & CEO, National 4-H Council; Mark Stewart, President & CEO, Agriculture Future of America; Matthew Wadiak, Founder & CEO, Cooks Venture; and Susanne Wasson, President–Crop Protection Business Platform, Corteva Agriscience.  The event will cover animal health, protein and crops like soybeans that are produced in the Midwest and will explore solutions to the critical challenges affecting the world’s food supply. For more information, please visit the Forbes AgTech website.

About SVG Ventures-THRIVE Innovation Platform

SVG Ventures-THRIVE is the leading AgriFood innovation ecosystem, comprised of top agriculture, food & technology corporations, universities and investors. With a community of over 2,000 startups from 82 countries, the THRIVE platform invests, accelerates and creates unparalleled access for entrepreneurs to scale globally to solve the biggest challenges facing the food and agriculture industries. AgFunder recognizes SVG Ventures-THRIVE as the “Most Valuable AgriFood Platform in the World.”

THRIVE was launched in 2014 by Silicon Valley Global Ventures (SVG Ventures), a venture, innovation, and investment firm based in Silicon Valley, CA. For more information, please visit the SVG Ventures THRIVE website.

About Forbes

The defining voice of entrepreneurial capitalism, Forbes champions success by celebrating those who have made it, and those who aspire to make it. Forbes convenes and curates the most-influential leaders and entrepreneurs who are driving change, transforming business and making a significant impact on the world. The Forbes brand today reaches more than 120 million people worldwide through its trusted journalism, signature LIVE events, custom marketing programs and 40 licensed local editions in 70 countries. Forbes Media’s brand extensions include real estate, education and financial services license agreements. For more information, visit: ForbesMedia.com.

Media Contacts

SVG Ventures: Jessica Pham, Marketing & Events Manager, jessica.pham@svgventures.com

Forbes: Laura Brusca, VP of Corp. Communications, lbrusa@forbes.com