Around half of all US agriculture production is within a 500-mile radius of St Louis, Missouri, including 80% of the nation’s soybean and corn crops. In recent years, the Midwestern city has also earned the name “the Silicon Valley of agtech” thanks to a bustling ag biosciences and agrifoodtech scene. Not only is the city home to big names like Bayer Crop Science, Bunge, and Post Holdings, it’s also a hub for entrepreneurs and startups tackling the biggest issues our food and ag systems face.
A pillar in this ag biosciences community is the BioResearch & Development Growth Park, or BRDG Park, a research park of ag and food tech innovators located on the campus of the Danforth Plant Science Center in St Louis’ 39 North innovation district.