AgAssembly
September 26 | Las Cruces, NM
New Mexico Farm & Ranch Heritage Museum
Time: 2:00PM-5:00PM, with Reception to Follow
WHERE AGRI-FOOD STARTUPS + FUNDERS + INDUSTRY EXECUTIVES CONNECT
AgAssembly is the culminating event for AgSprint, a 5-month venture builder for innovators in agricultural applications of food, energy and the environment. AgAssembly brings together entrepreneurs, agriculture industry leaders, and funders for a day of agriculture innovation, technology, and connection.

Connecting with the Right People
Industry Executives & Media
Investors
Entrepreneurs

Open Mic
AgAssembly invites startups with agricultural applications of food, energy and the environment to apply to pitch executives, investors, media, government, entrepreneurs, and other ecosystem contributors. The crowd favorite will walk away with $500.
We know entrepreneurs need to be judicious with their time. If you are going to pitch, pitch wisely and pitch to the right people. If you are developing something in the food and agriculture space, regardless of business maturity, presenting at this event will be time well spent.
Five startups will be selected to give 60-second pitches to describe their venture and what additional skills and help they are looking for from the food, agriculture, and entrepreneurial community. Applications close September 11.
At This Year’s AgAssembly:
Guest speakers will take the stage to talk about building the real food economy of the future, the current and future landscape of funding agricultural applications of food, energy and the environment and NM’s budding industry in hemp.
AgSprint accelerator companies have the opportunity to pitch and secure a $20,000 award; while, established and emerging entrepreneurs compete for $500 through an Open Mic pitch competition.
Agenda
2:00PM
Opening Remarks
- John Floros, President of New Mexico State University
- Dr. Rolando Flores, Dean and Chief Administrative Officer, College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences at New Mexico State University
2:10PM
Regional Outlook
- Jeff Witte, Director/Secretary of New Mexico Department of Agriculture
2:25PM
Rapid Fire Pitches
Agri-food startups from the Southwest give 60-second pitches.
- Kelly Egolf, New Mexico Fresh Foods, LLC
- Sabri Sansoy, Orchanic
- Jose Hackleen,
- Kelsi Palacios, The Palacios Company
- Paul Szauter, EquiSeq
- Paul Neher, Neher
Crowd Favorite award sponsored by Richard P. Feynman Center for Innovation
2:45PM
A Budding Industry: Hemp growers, retailers, and innovators seize opportunity in NM
- Moderator: Brad Lewis, Division Director for Agricultural and Environmental Services at New Mexico Department of Agriculture
- Duke Rodriguez, President of Ultra Health LLC
- Joshua Rich, President of Rich Global Hemp Corporation
- Paul Laur, Director of Corporate Development at Pebble Labs
3:20PM
Innovation Spotlight: AgSprint
7-minute demos from the stars of AgSprint. A unique opportunity to hear presentations from the AgSprint cohort, the Southwest’s most compelling early-state startups in agricultural applications of food, energy and the environment.
- Tom Wiggins, Co-Founder of Auraponics
- Jonas Moya, Founder of CattleCast
- Jacqueline Salinas, Founder of Happy Teff
- Luis Morales, Founder of H2 Elastomer
- Andrea Romero, Founder of Tummi Yummi
4:10PM
Fireside Chat: Investing Yields More than Crops
- Moderator: Dr. Beto Pallares, Founder of Joseph Advisor Services
- Jonathan Childress, Community Engagement Manager (AI for Earth representative) at Microsoft
- Javier M. Gonzales, Public Policy at Descartes Labs, Inc.
4:45PM
$20,000 Award Announcement
Award sponsored by New Mexico Gas Company, an Emera Company.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliquaLorem ipsum Lorem ipsum .
5:00PM
Reception
Sample some of the region’s best wines while enjoying tasty bites. Entrepreneurs are a sociable bunch; they enjoy interaction as well as transaction. This is a chance to meet like-minded individuals.
Past Speakers

FAQs
How do I become an AgAssembly partner?
How do I become an AgAssembly investor next year?
How Do I apply to AgSprint?
https://arrowheadcenter.nmsu.edu/agsprint to learn more about the AgSprint program. Application opens in the spring of 2020. If you would like to speak with someone about joining, please contact Zetdi Sloan at zrunyan@nmsu.edu.