The February Lunch & Learn event at Western Growers Center for Innovation and Technology (CIT) was an opportunity for participants to meet Ben Palone, Western Growers new Director of Commercialization, and hear about his background and the progress of agtech solutions.

The event welcomed attendees from Bio SI Technology, Alibio, LahakX, IFPA, FarmWise, Verdant, GeoVisual Analytics, Solare Ventures, D’Arrigo Bros Automation, Premier Technology and Inteligistics.

Palone shared how he started his agtech career at Tanimura & Antle on their innovation team, which then launched Stout AgTech. His career experience also includes work for FarmWise and Carbon Robotics. In his new role at Western Growers, he said he hopes his position can answer the call for “third-party unbiased evaluations” of agriculture technologies.

CIT startups that are interested in the Grower Trial Network should reach out to Palone at [email protected]. “All stages of a startup are okay,” Palone said, but he wants to help the startups talk to the right growers or industry on where their technology solution is in the startup cycle.