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Forbes Ag Tech summit highlights investment opportunities in the Midwest

Investments in ag and food tech startups are on the rise and the Forbes Ag Tech Summit is highlighting opportunities in the Midwest.

Beth Bechdol, the CEO and president of AgriNovus Indiana, says ag innovation is NOT new to the Midwest, but more investors are recognizing what Midwest agriculture, an industry worth $100 billion, has to offer.

“The investors on both coasts are finally starting to figure out that there are really innovative business opportunities to begin investing in the Midwest,” she says. “That’s when the magic starts to happen.”

She says supply and demand for ag tech startups in the Midwest is finally aligning.

“At some point you worry you don’t have access to the capital and then at other points you worry you don’t have the pipeline of startup companies that are bringing the ideas forward,” she says. “I would say that the Midwest is finally starting to catch up in that we have that perfect match.”

More than 50 early-stage companies that use technology to help farmers improve their bottom line were part of an innovation showcase at the summit.

Audio: Beth Bechdol, AgriNovus Indiana