The Pearse Lyons Accelerator is now seeking applications for a new cohort of world-class international ag-tech startups to participate in its global mentoring program.
The Pearse Lyons Accelerator was the brainchild of the late Dr. Pearse Lyons, who founded Alltech in the early 1980s in his garage with just $10,000. The Accelerator, a late-stage, non-equity program, offers startups access to a network of executives who have, collectively, more than 100 years of leadership experience and domain expertise in agriculture. Participants also receive a €15,000 stipend to cover day-to-day expenses, as well as software perks worth over €300,000 from companies such as Google, Facebook, Softlayer and Amazon.
The program culminates with successful startups pitching to more than 4,000 attendees, including some of the premier global thought leaders in agriculture, on the main stage of ONE: The Alltech Ideas Conference (ONE19) in May 2019.
“What other agri-tech startup puts you in front of 4,000 industry leaders and potential investors?” asked Dr. Mark Lyons, CEO and president of Alltech. “If you’re looking for support from industry professionals, mentorship from the best in the agri-business and networking opportunities that have been instrumental in alumni accessing vital funding, then the Pearse Lyons Accelerator is for you.”
Alumni of the Pearse Lyons Accelerator — which is hosted at Dogpatch Labs in Dublin, Ireland — have collectively raised $28 million over the last three years.
In its first year, six of the 10 startups at the Accelerator were featured by CB Insights in “Agtech: 100+ Technology Companies Changing The Farm,” illustrating the fact that only the world’s best startups are selected for Alltech’s program. Last year, another disruptive cohort came through the Accelerator, resulting in startup Smartbow GmbH installing more than 1,000 sensors on feed yards in a real-time pilot with Alltech.
More recently, AgriWebb, an Australian-based livestock herd management software company, raised a Series A funding round worth $10.2 million in August from the UK agri-food investor Wheatsheaf Group.
“The Pearse Lyons Accelerator serves as the perfect vehicle to [create] visibility for us and our partners [with] the most disruptive ag-tech startups across the world,” said Aidan Connolly, chief innovation officer at Alltech. “A clear route to market remains a challenge for startups within the ag-tech industry. The program provides accelerated access to the global market with a comprehensive package of support to help them navigate the challenge of scaling their operations to service large corporate customers.”
“With this Accelerator, we carry on the legacy and entrepreneurial spirit of my father, Dr. Pearse Lyons; he had the desire and dedication to empower the next generation of entrepreneurs, who will transform the face of agriculture,” Lyons said. “His vision was to support entrepreneurs by providing route to market and accelerating sales .”
Ag-tech startups are encouraged to apply for the Pearse Lyons Accelerator program before Dec. 7, 2018. Visit pearselyonsaccelerator.com to learn more.
