Cargill and Ecolab accelerate food industry innovation in second year of Techstars Farm to Fork Accelerator

ST. PAUL, Minn., July 15, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Recognizing the critical role that innovation plays in creating a safer and more sustainable food system, Cargill and Ecolab are supporting a second class of startups through the Techstars Farm to Fork Accelerator. 

"Solving the greatest food and sustainability challenges the world faces today requires partnership and fresh, innovative ideas. These are the two key ingredients of the Techstars Farm to Fork program," said Justin Kershaw, Cargill CIO. "Having the brightest minds in food and ag tech in Cargill and Ecolab's backyards provides an amazing opportunity to infuse startup energy into our company, while also helping bring critical solutions to scale. It's truly a win-win."

"While we're here to mentor these startups, we're also learning from their approach to problem-solving and are excited to help bring their energy to the Twin Cities startup community," said Katie Peterson, Ecolab marketing vice president and Techstars program lead. "Their passion and innovation, combined with the global scale and reach of Ecolab and Cargill, can help solve the challenges of safely feeding the world's population."

The accelerator engages both early stage entrepreneurs and late stage startups that are focused on advancing key aspects of the food system, including food security and safety, ag tech, consumer goods and supply chain management. Startups receive mentor support from Cargill and Ecolab executives and access to the companies' market expertise, global connections and investment capital.

The 11 companies selected to participate in the 2019 Farm to Fork class include:

• Contain, Reno, Nev.
• Conversight, Indianapolis, Ind.
• EcoPlant, Tel Aviv, Israel
• Food for All, Boston, Mass. / New York City, N.Y.
• Imago AI, Gurgaon, India
• Magic AI, Seattle, Wash.
• Otrafy, Melbourne, Australia / Vancouver, Canada
• Phood, Boston, Mass.
• PurPics, Austin, Texas
• Trackter, Atlanta, Ga.
• Transparent Kitchen, Ottawa, Canada

Techstars' network of successful entrepreneurs, mentors, investors and other partners also works hand-in-hand with the selected startups throughout the accelerator.

"Together we are helping entrepreneurs build their business, secure capital, expand their reach and ultimately have a positive impact on the food industry and society," said Brett Brohl, Techstars Farm to Fork accelerator managing director. "We're excited to build on last year's success, leveraging the expertise of Cargill and Ecolab, Techstars' proven accelerator model, and the entrepreneurial energy of each of the startup companies' founders."

Each of the companies will present its projects at Demo Day on October 15, during Twin Cities Startup Week.

For more information on the Farm-to-Fork Accelerator, visit https://www.techstars.com/farm-to-fork-program/.

About Cargill
Cargill's 160,000 employees across 70 countries work relentlessly to achieve our purpose of nourishing the world in a safe, responsible and sustainable way. Every day, we connect farmers with markets, customers with ingredients, and people and animals with the food they need to thrive. We combine 154 years of experience with new technologies and insights to serve as a trusted partner for food, agriculture, financial and industrial customers in more than 125 countries. Side-by-side, we are building a stronger, sustainable future for agriculture.

About Ecolab
A trusted partner at nearly three million customer locations, Ecolab (ECL) is the global leader in water, hygiene and energy technologies and services that protect people and vital resources. With annual sales of $15 billion and 49,000 associates, Ecolab delivers comprehensive solutions and on-site service to promote safe food, maintain clean environments, optimize water and energy use, and improve operational efficiencies for customers in the food, healthcare, energy, hospitality and industrial markets in more than 170 countries around the world. Follow us on Twitter @ecolab, Facebook at facebook.com/ecolab, LinkedIn at Ecolab or Instagram at Ecolab Inc.

About Techstars
Techstars is the worldwide network that helps entrepreneurs succeed. Techstars founders connect with other entrepreneurs, experts, mentors, alumni, investors, community leaders, and corporations to grow their companies. Techstars operates three divisions: Techstars Startup Programs, Techstars Mentorship-Driven Accelerator Programs, and Techstars Corporate Innovation Partnerships. Techstars accelerator portfolio includes more than 1,700 companies with a market cap of $20 Billion. www.techstars.com

SOURCE Cargill