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Welcome to the 39 North monthly newsletter!

Your source for news and happenings in our innovation neighborhood. | July 2024


Climate Innovation Day Startup Pitch Event


Pitch your innovative startup to a select audience of eager investors, potential partners and influential thought leaders at this exclusive Climate Innovation event.

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Weekly: Danforth Center Scientific Seminar Series

The Danforth Center's weekly Scientific Seminar Series will pause for the summer. Check back in September!

If you would like to participate, or be on the email list for these seminars, please contact Terri Burton, tburton@danforthcenter.org.
Agritech Thursdays
Second Thursday of the Month
5:30 - 6:30 PM
Geospatial Innovation Center, T-REX
911 Washington Avenue 4th Floor

AgriTech Thursdays is a monthly, after-work event focused on agricultural technologies research and collaboration in the St Louis region. At each event, one company or researcher gives a short, 15 minute talk on an existing or solved research problem of their choosing and how it fits into the wider agricultural technologies landscape followed by Q&A, drinks and networking. Interested in giving a talk? email: george@deepgrain.com 
Tech on Tap is BACK!
Second Tuesday of the Month
5:30 - 7 PM
Urban Chestnut Grove Brewery

Are you looking for some new connections in the St. Louis tech scene? TechSTL is hosting a monthly event and bringing out the biggest innovators in STL! Each gathering includes a live interview with a local tech leader and will explore how they navigated their professional journey and and the advice they offer to those making waves in the data economy.
Register Here
Kernels of Culture: Maize Around the World
May 3, 2024 - March 31, 2025

The Missouri Botanical Garden’s Sachs Museum is currently showing Kernels of Culture: Maize Around the World. Kernels of Culture presents a fascinating exploration of what we know as corn -integrating maize, art, farming, foods, community, tools, and pop culture into a multimedia exhibition.

Featured in the exhibition is an introduction to some of the pioneering research Danforth Center scientists are doing on to make corn crops more climate-resistant, high-yielding, and sustainable. 
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INNO Fire Awards

July 9

4 - 6 PM

18 Rails, City Foundry


Join us at the Fire Awards, St. Louis INNO's premier recognition program recognizing the agtech startup companies and organizations setting the local innovation community ablaze. Among finalists are HabiTerre, Plastomics, Peptide Bio, and 39 North Innovation District.

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57th Annual Belleville Field Day

July 11

8:30 AM Welcome | 9 AM Field Sessions Belleville Research Center


The event will cover topics on cover crop management, economic trends in corn, soybeans and more.

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39N Happy Hour

July 18

4 - 6 PM

39 North Headquarters - 1001 N. Warson Road


Join us for a fun-filled happy hour event with drinks, music and good vibes!

Register Here

STL Startup World Cup: Agtech / Foodtech Semi-final Competition

July 29

5:30 - 8 PM

The Post Building - 900 N. Tucker


St. Louis is competing in the Startup World Cup, with 10 semi-final pitch competitions getting our top 100 startups to the top 10.

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Tech Training Workshops by Missouri Small Business Development Center - St. Louis (Online)

Got R&D Money? Top Tips for Funding R&D with Grants
July 18, 10 - 11:30 AM
Free!

This 90-minute live Zoom offering is designed to introduce technology start-ups and existing businesses on how they might fund R&D through Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Grants.
Register Here
NSF SBIR Interactive Workshop
August 13 8:30 AM - 4:30 PM and
August 14 8:30 - 11:30 AM

This day and a half workshop is designed to assist technology start-ups and existing businesses, that have a breakthrough technology, in learning how to apply for the National Science Foundation (NSF) Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Grants and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) to fund their R&D.

Register Here
Intro to the Tech Business Model Canvas
August 27
10:30 - 11:30 AM

This 90-minute session introduces technology startups how to build a business model canvas for their early concept. It includes a framework that focuses on discovering the customer problems in the space where their potential solution may live.
Learn More
AgriFood-focused SBIR Webinar Series
August 21
1 - 2:30 PM
Online

This webinar aims to empower entrepreneurial businesses who are candidates for SBIR/STTR awards and provide insights on how to get started with SBIR/STTR and provide materials to jumpstart a small business’ application.
Register Here

Agtech Innovation Showcases

Farmers, innovators and industry experts converge to explore cutting edge technologies revolutionizing agricultural practices during these three showcases.


For more information, contact dschulz@biostl.org.


BioSTL & MO Soy

July 31

9 AM - 1 PM

MO Soy Bay Farm Research Facility

Columbia, MO


BioSTL & Illinois Farm Bureau

August 1

9 AM - 1 PM

Heartland Community College

Normal, IL


BioSTL & Northwest MO State University

September 5

9 AM - 3 PM

NWMSU Ag Learning Center

Maryville, MO


International Phytobiomes Conference 2024

November 19-21

Donald Danforth Plant Science Center


An unparalleled gathering of experts from around the globe will discuss the intricate interplay between plants, microorganisms, soils, climate, environment, and management practices.


Understanding entire systems of Phytobiomes will be critical to ensuring sustainable global food security in the next decades in the context of population growth, climate change, and the necessity to preserve biodiversity and natural resources.

Register Here

Have you Met?


Brennan Hyden, PhD

Plant Trait Scientist CTC Genomics

Describe your journey to 39 North.

I like to say I have spent my whole life working in agriculture and plant science. I grew up on a farm in northeastern Washington, and from a young age was always fascinated by plants and genetics. I completed my undergraduate education at Washington State University, where I majored in agricultural biotechnology and studied light signaling and response in Brachypodium. I went on to pursue a PhD. in Plant Breeding at Cornell University, where I worked in a breeding program for bioenergy willow researching the genetics of sex determination in shrub willow.


Upon completing my PhD, I was offered a scientist position at CTC Genomics. While this was my first-time visiting St. Louis and 39 North, I had long heard of the strong presence of plant science research in the region and was thrilled to be part of this community. I enjoy working in the 39 North district not only for the cutting-edge research, but also for the opportunities to network with researchers and leaders from various companies and for the career growth potential.    


What are you excited to be working on right now?

I am excited to be working on identifying and testing leads for genome editing of pathogen resistance in sugarcane. Through my work, I am able to help address some of the greatest challenges to production in one of the world’s largest crops. Learning about the genetics and biology of plant pathogens and plant disease resistance has been an exciting and dynamic journey, where I have had to opportunity to apply a breadth of knowledge across molecular biology, plant breeding, and bioinformatics to advance these projects at CTC. 

 

What do you enjoy doing in your free time?

On a day-to-day, I enjoy weightlifting, running, and outdoor activities such as hiking and kayaking. I also enjoy travelling to experience different cultures and environments and have visited 22 countries across six continents.  

New tool enables faster, more cost-effective genome editing of traits to improve crops


Meet the FieldDock: A smart-farm system for sustainable agriculture


39 North and agtech companies among St. Louis Business Journal Fire Awards finalists


(STL Public Radio) 'Precision Ag' promised a farming revolution. It's coming, just slowly

NEW! Core Facility Database

The Danforth Center has launched a new searchable database of services and equipment!

Innovative science requires cutting-edge technologies. Danforth Center Core Facilities equip scientists with state-of-the-art instrumentation and expertise to do ground-breaking research. Resources include trainings, self-service and full-service equipment and experiments.
Learn More
Have News to Share?
Please contact: Rishi Masalia, rishi@39northstl.org