Makes initial investment along with Ag Ventures Alliance
AMES, Iowa, November 12, 2020 – Ag Startup Engine (ASE), at the Iowa State University (ISU) Research Park, and Ag Ventures Alliance announced an initial $50,000 investment in Washington, Iowa based startup Continuum Ag, which gives farmers prescriptions for practices and products proven to work with biology - increasing soil health, removing guesswork, and facilitating a profitable transition to regenerative agriculture.
Mitchell Hora, the startup’s founder and CEO, said of the investment, “I’m excited to continue my entrepreneurial journey with ongoing support from the Iowa ag community. Investment from the Ag Startup Engine and the Ag Ventures Alliance brings a feeling of community and a network of strategic folks to align with.”
Continuum Ag’s TopSoil software integrates agronomic data from many sources and compiles the information into a consistent system, a “common soil language.” This data allows for benchmarking metrics that include nutrients, organic matter, and microbial activity based upon different geographies, soil types, and cropping systems. TopSoil also identifies soil health drivers and provides growers a high confidence roadmap to soil improvement through practices and products known to work in analogous geographies, soil types, and growing conditions. The team is now expanding their data offerings to connect farmers and their data to sustainability initiatives and data-driven supply chains.
“Mitchell is a leader in the soil health movement and passionate about quantifying the impact of regenerative ag practices for use by farmers, consumers, and the supply chain. This tool is needed to enable other high-impact technology that is being built.” said Spencer Stensrude, Executive Director at Ag Ventures Alliance.
“We’ve known Mitchell has been developing Continuum Ag since his second year at Iowa State University,” said Joel Harris, Executive Director of ASE. “In the last six months he has had access to our advisory resources and has been super engaged in the program. Regenerative agriculture practices are getting a lot of attention right now and we believe he has the entrepreneurial spirit and regional expertise and access to make his vision successful.”
Continuum Ag is the 15th startup to receive investment from ASE.
Ag Startup Engine addresses two fundamental gaps that prevent agricultural startups and entrepreneurs from being more successful: early seed-stage investment and organized mentorship from successful entrepreneurs.
Ag Ventures Alliance is a cooperative of farmers that invests in new technology and innovation to increase farm profitability.
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Media Contact:
Joel Harris, Executive Director
Ag Startup Engine
(319) 530-2757
joel@agstartupengine.com
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