The fourth annual AgTech Connect Conference is scheduled for July 15-16, with an agenda consisting of expert speakers, networking times and tech demos — all centered on the latest advances and concerns in the agriculture industry in Nebraska and abroad. The conference will be held at the Nebraska Innovation Campus in Lincoln and is targeted for startup founders, investors, ag producers and professionals and students interested in the field of AgTech. 

“We really focused on a conference being, as much as we can, a connector into things that are happening in AgTech here and across the country,” said Brennan Costello, the new director of The Combine.

The Combine is one of various sponsors for AgTech Connect, including other stakeholders in the regional ag industry such as Invest Nebraska, Grit Road Partners, Nebraska Farm Bureau, Nebraska Department of Economic Development and the University of Nebraska Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources.

“Go look at the sponsor list, and it’s a lot of local ag companies,” said Ben Williamson, principal and general counsel at Invest Nebraska. “Which again, is kind of the whole point — get those people involved in the ecosystem, get them to show up, get them to participate, get them to care, all that stuff.”

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July 15 will consist of a “pre-event” networking opportunity at the Barred Owl on the Nebraska Innovation Campus. The following day is when attendees can expect sessions and keynote speakers. 

The first keynote speaker will be Eugene Kowel, special agent in charge in the FBI’s Omaha office. Kowel will share insights into food and ag security. Later in the afternoon, the second keynote speaker, Dan Kurdys, who is the global business lead for GenAI at Bayer, will talk about generative AI and its uses in the ag industry. 

Other highlights include:

• A panel discussion on international ag experiences, consisting of representatives from companies Ag4UP, Cattler and Zavia Bio. 
• Technology demonstrations from AgTech startups EZ Grazer and Kelly Hills Unmanned Systems. 
• A panel of producers who will provide their perspectives on what they want to see or learn before adopting new technologies.
• Rotating roundtable discussions led by experts that are centered on attendee participation. 

Costello said he hopes the conference will promote Nebraska as a place where innovators can build meaningful relationships. 

You can register and learn more about AgTech Connect 2025 by going to the conference’s website.