Technology
Fresh Field Catalyst
an IFPA Technology Accelerator
Thank you to our
2024 Fresh Field Catalyst Supporter
Help feed the future with technology.
What is the Accelerator Program?
The accelerator is a six-month program for companies with technical solutions interested in entering the produce industry.
IFPA evaluates a wide range of innovative, scalable technologies to commercialize climate smart production practices for specialty crops. Technologies should increase productivity in the produce supply chain, help farms and the supply chain adapt to climate change and reduce emissions.
Who Should Apply?
Companies outside the agriculture and produce industry, particularly those in the late stage of trials or with a product already generating revenue. Products should be poised for launch, capable of generating revenue, and scalable within the produce market within a two-year timeframe. The funding stage of the company is not a determining factor, as IFPA does not provide funding take any equity.
Why Participate?
Connect and engage with C-Level members of the produce industry and learn directly how your technology solutions can work best.
Program Timeline:
April 1: Applications Close
April-May: Selection Process
June 2-7: Immersion week in California
August 5-6: Demo Day in Salinas, CA
August 7: CSA Workshop
May-October: Bi-monthly webinars and 1:1 mentorship
Oct. 17-19: Global Produce & Floral Show
Meet the 2024 Participants
Susterre
Michael Cully
CEO
Calgary, Ontario
Michael Cully is a C-Level international business executive with expertise in implementing new business strategies from the ground up for organizations ranging from startups to large multinational companies. He has expertise in global business development, brand strategy, distribution channel development, corporate sustainability, government/public affairs, and corporate development. Michael has had repeated success in building multinational teams, establishing distribution networks across multiple regions, and launching new products, growing businesses profitably worldwide.
L5 Automation Inc.
Alexander Gutierrez, Founder and CEO
La Canada Flintridge, CA
Alex is a repeat founder, having co-founded Astrobotic Technology with his advisor and others, which has done over $600M in revenue to date. Directly prior to L5, Alex spent 9 years working at Lockheed Martin where he was responsible for bringing technologies from proof of concept to proof of value. Alex is a certified “Robot Master”, graduating from Carnegie Mellon’s Robotics’ Institute, with a focus on autonomous vehicles.
Farm-ng
Nathan Dorn, VP Sales & Business Development
Watsonville, CA.
Previous roles as CEO of Data Science / Capture company for specialty crops, Food-Origins. Reiter Berry Farms, Director of Knowledge and Innovation. Technical Manager for Gallo Coastal Vineyards and Wineries. USS Omaha SSN 692 Nuclear Machinist Mate. Wheat Custom Harvester and Farm kid from Nebraska.
Mirai Solar
Dr. Michael Salvador, CEO
San Francisco, CA.
Dr. Michael Salvador has over 15 years of experience in basic research and R&D and a proven track record in developing solar technologies, with emphasis on thin-film, flexible photovoltaics. Previously, he held research positions at top-ranked universities in the USA and Germany, including Caltech, University of Washington, University of Erlangen-Nuremberg. He has contributed to several patents for solar energy devices including those forming the intellectual property of Mirai Solar. Michael has led Mirai Solar from an R&D project into a full-scale startup with manufacturing capabilities and pilot demonstrations.
innov8.ag
Steve Mantle, Founder & CEO
Walla Walla, WA
A distinguished former Microsoft exec, Steve Mantle expertly blends data-driven insights with genuine care for the agricultural community—a testament to his founding of innov8.ag. His work focuses on empowering growers through meaningful partnerships, reflecting his commitment to both technological advancement and the human element of innovation.
Responsive Drip Irrigation, LLC
Janice Gould, Founder / Owner & CEO
Bradenton, FL, USA, and Abu Dhabi, UAE
Janice’s main focus has been in developing and distributing a disruptive irrigation technology through her company, Responsive Drip Irrigation, LLC (RDI). Her mission has been to increase food production and save water for our children today and for our children’s children and grandchildren. She has become a strong advocate for water conservation and improving water management and sustainability to preserve the environment and create a livable planet. 
Neolithics LTD.
Dr. Timea Ignat, Chief Scientist
Tel Aviv, Israel
Dr Timea Ignat has a Ph.D. in food science – at the Corvinus University of Budapest, Hungary – on the subject of non-destructive sensor and data fusion to determine agricultural produce quality. She has developed various measurement methods using multiple sensor platforms, chemometric algorithms, machine learning and fusion techniques. She advanced proximal- and remote sensing – including airborne and satellite – in agricultural, environmental and food industry application, in the fields of precision agricultural, post-harvest of agricultural produce and food hazard management. Most recently, she is the chief scientific officer at Neolithics in Israel, where she further advances the development of agricultural produce quality control and food hazard management applications. 
Helios Artificial Intelligence, Inc.
Francisco Martin Rayo, CEO
Tysons, VA.
Francisco Martin-Rayo is the CEO and Co-Founder of Helios Artificial Intelligence, the world's leading AI platform that predicts agricultural supply disruptions. With its unprecedented coverage across 85 countries and 160 commodities, Helios AI helps agricultural buyers worldwide forecast global fruit and vegetable prices and supply availability before their competitors.
ClearLeaf
Agustin Büchert, Cofounder and CSO
Wilmington, DE.
Agustin Büchert is a biotechnology Ph.D. and MBA who serves as the Chief Science Officer and co-founder of ClearLeaf, a company dedicated to developing sustainable, safe, and innovative crop protection solutions. With his scientific expertise, creativity, and multitasking abilities, Agustin has transformed the company into an experimentation hub for product design. His leadership and vision drive ClearLeaf's mission to create cutting-edge solutions that benefit both farmers and the environment.
Agragene Inc.
Dr. Stephanie Gamez, Director of R&D
St. Louis, MO
Dr. Stephanie Gamez currently serves as Agragene’s Director of R&D where she oversees the development of KnockOut™ sterile insects utilizing Precision-Guided Sterile Insect Technique (pgSIT). Dr. Gamez received her PhD in Biology at the University of California, San Diego (UCSD) where her work explored the potential of gene drive technologies to introduce heritable modifications into insect genomes, with applications ranging from disease vector control to agricultural pest management.
At Agragene, her leadership and work exemplify the transformative impact of genetic innovation on modern agriculture where she continues to drive innovation in sustainable pest management through the advancement of pgSIT technology.
Root Applied Sciences
Sarah Placella, CEO
Oakland, CA.
With an understanding of the challenges facing modern agriculture, Stephanie Placella founded Root Applied Sciences with a clear mission—to revolutionize agriculture with near real-time information on unseeable biological threats. Under her leadership, the company has become a trailblazer in developing solutions that optimize resource usage, reduce environmental footprint, and promote the overall resilience of agricultural ecosystems. Beyond her role at Root Applied Sciences, Placella is a respected advocate for sustainable agriculture and is actively involved in technical founder communities as well as advocating for women and mothers as startup leaders.
Sufresca
Ofir Daube, VP Produce & Regulation
Ness Ziona, Israel
An experienced system developer, designer and analyst, Ofir joined Sufresca in its commercial onset in early 2020. An expert in agri-food regulation and sustainability Ofir is responsible for portfolio products development and marketing at the company. Ofir is the past co-founder and CTO of two software startups in the fields of psychophysiology and telecommunication.
2023 Cohort Alumni
Agrology - Alexandria, VA
Arable – San Francisco, CA
Avo Solutions - Chile
Bloomfield – Pittsburgh, PA
BloomX – Israel
FireFly-One – Texas
Four Growers – Pittsburgh, PA
Fyteko - Belgium
Gardin – United Kingdom
Intelligent Growth Solutions –Scotland
Moleaer – California
Spornado – Toronto, Ontario
2023 Fresh Field Catalyst Mentors
Matt Lingard, VP R&D, Bright Farms
Garland Perkins, Sr Manager Innovation and Sustainability, Oppy
Dorn Wenninger, VP of Produce, UNFI
Jim DiMenna, President, Red Sun Farms
Leonard Batti, VP, Taylor Farms
Raina Nelson, CEO, Westfalia Fruit
Eric Morgan, VP of Environmental Science & Resources, Braga Fresh
Miles Kohl, Chairman of Northwest Hort Association
Dan Kurdys, Director of Horticulture and Seed Growth, Bayer
Dwight Ferguson, CEO, California Agricultural Leadership
Nikki Cossio, CEO, Measure to Improve
Joe Barsi, President, Cal Giant
2022 Cohort Alumni
Provision - Calgary, Canada
Routeique Inc – Calgary, Canada
Nexus Robotics - Saint-Bruno-de-Montarville, Canada
Ten Carbon Chemistry Pty Ltd – Melbourne, Australia
Morphix Technologies – Virginia Beach, United States
Netled – Prikkala, Finland
Clarifruit – Rishon Le’zion, Israel
DiMuto - Singapore
The Yield Technology Solutions Pty Ltd – Sydney, Australia
Vitiport – Bratislava, Slovakia
SoundAg – Emeryville, United States
CarbonSpaceTech – Dublin, Ireland
2022 Fresh Field Catalyst Mentors
Gary Wishnatzki, CEO, Wish Farms
Judy Clark, CEO, Fresh From Texas, LLC
Jennifer Petersen, EVP / Chief Science Officer, Sun World International
Andy Hamilton, CEO, Markon
Jan DeLyser, Vice President Marketing at California Avocado Commission
Scott Komar, Senior Vice President of Global R&D, Driscoll’s
Ted Taylor, Head of New Ventures & Business Development at Taylor Farms
Curtis Garner, COO, Co-Founder Verdant Robotics
Max Teplitski, CSO, IFPA
Dorn Wenninger, Sr VP Produce UNFI
Dave Vosburg, Chief Innovation Officer, Local Bounti
Frequently Asked Questions
The program is a unique opportunity for start-ups, scale-ups, and corporations to learn about the produce industry and how to enter this market. The program includes:
- One week immersion program on the U.S. West Coast (field visits, corporate visits)
- Bi-weekly virtual meet-ups with industry experts (growers, shippers, IFPA staff) on topics relating to industry statistics, tech success and failure stories, challenges and access to funding
- Access to IFPA proprietary data and analytics
- Support to translate technology to agriculture or U.S. market
- 1-1 mentoring from IFPA members
- Shared exhibit space with other members of the cohort and introductions to industry leaders at the Global Produce and Floral Show, Anaheim, California, October 19-21.
- For companies eligible for SBIR funding, IFPA subject matter experts will offer guidance on the application process
The Fresh Fields Catalyst Accelerator is a unique opportunity to connect and engage with relevant members of the fresh produce industry and learn directly from them how technology solutions can work best.
- You can apply to the program by filling in the application form which closes on 3/20/23. Once received, your application will be reviewed by our team and a selection committee.
- Shortlisted companies will attend a video conference meeting to discuss their goals and objectives of participation in the program.
- 10-12 companies will be selected and notified 4/3/23 - 4/10/23 and will be expected to attend the immersion week program in California 5/7/23 -5/12/23.
- You are committing to a senior team member from your company traveling to the U.S. West Coast for a one-week immersion program, on the week of May 7, 2023.
- You are committing to a senior team member participating in video conference meetings twice per month for the duration of the six-month program.
- You are committing to a senior team member participating at the Global Fresh Produce Show in Anaheim, CA on October 19-21, 2023.
- No fees are required for any of these events but travel costs and associated expenses are the responsibility of the participating company.
No. If you are selected to participate in the Fresh Fields Catalyst Accelerator, you must be in a position to fund your own travel and accommodation for the key events you will be required to attend.
IFPA will assist by arranging blocks of hotel rooms to be available for participants in the program, but participants are expected to cover their own room and board.
Yes, we welcome global applicants that are interested in engaging with the fresh produce industry in the U.S.
Please do not submit any business plans, trade secrets, or “secret sauce.” Your application must include only non-confidential information. All information disclosed to us in your application will be considered non-confidential public information. IFPA will only treat information as confidential if the information is covered by a formal, written confidentiality agreement signed by IFPA prior to disclosure.
IFPA will not invest in any of the companies participating in the company and does not require any commitment of equity. The network and connections from IFPA may open investment opportunities.
Questions?
Vonnie Estes
VP, Technology
International Fresh Produce Association
Industry sponsorship opportunities
Peter S. Wilder
Sales and Engagement Manager
International Fresh Produce Association