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Producers Become Proactive with the Help of PowerPollen

After leaving a large-scale ag company, Greater Des Moines (DSM)-based PowerPollen Founders Jason Cope and his partner Todd Krone moved forward with a new technology idea for the AgTech industry that helps yield higher productivity in seed and grain production.

Crops with High Potential for Improvement

Corn, wheat and rice are all crops that have high potential for improvement within the seed industry.

First Year of Business

Jason talks about how lack of ideas was one of his biggest fears in starting a business. Finding a synergy of relaying ideas back and forth, gave him and Todd the confidence to move forward. When they realized they were successful in preserving pollen, their highest area of risk, they realized there was so much they could do with the technology from research and discover to seed and grain production, and increasing yield for farmers. It was the company’s eureka moment.

First Hires

PowerPollen’s first hire was a jack-of-all-trades, analyzing, helping in the field and assisting in the lab. From there, they realized they weren’t advancing in the lab quickly and hired a research scientist.

Raising Money

Jason and Todd went in front of a number of groups to find angel investors. Within three weeks, PowerPollen had the funds they needed to take off in the agriculture sector. Jason touches on making sure you have the best reputation among investors. The startup and investor worlds are small and you want to make sure you are transparent and ethical.

Future Goals

If seed corn companies can see 20 percent yield improvement, producers will have more product to sell and see the value in PowerPollen.