College partnership grows ag sector

By Alejandra Pulido-Guzman - Lethbridge Herald on June 21, 2022.

LETHBRIDGE HERALDapulido@lethbridgeherald.com

Lethbridge College has signed an agreement with SVG Ventures/THRIVE to accelerate the development and adoption of innovative solutions to support growth in southern Alberta’s agriculture and food sectors.
As a result of the new memorandum of understanding (MOU), Lethbridge College and SVG Ventures and its agri-food innovation and investment platform, THRIVE Canada will work together and will bring together entrepreneurs, industry experts and researchers to support Alberta’s agriculture sector.
The MOU focuses on Lethbridge College and THRIVE working towards co-marketing initiatives and events in Alberta, pursuing opportunities to build southern Alberta’s agri-food innovation ecosystem, and supporting Lethbridge College’s start-up and applied research community.
SVG Ventures/THRIVE is the leading global agrifood investment and innovation platform headquartered in Silicon Valley, and comprised of top agriculture, food & technology corporations, universities, and investors. With a community of over 5,000 startups from 100 countries.
By partnering with Lethbridge College, THRIVE can connect agricultural-based entrepreneurs with the expertise in the college’s Centre for Applied Research, Innovation and Entrepreneurship.
“Our agriculture research capacity has grown significantly over the past few years, and this is another sign of the important role we play in Alberta’s agriculture sector,” said in a press release Kenny Corscadden, Vice President of Research and Partnerships at Lethbridge College.
He said that by working with THRIVE, they can continue to build their long-term innovation and commercialization capacity by connecting with entrepreneurs.
“We are ready to work with southern Alberta’s agricultural and food sector organizations to support their innovation needs and encourage effective technology adoption,” said Corscadden.
Lethbridge College’s agriculture research is facilitated through the Integrated Agriculture Technology Centre, which includes the college’s Irrigation Demo Farm, greenhouse operations on the Lethbridge College campus and in Brooks, and research teams focused on irrigation, post-harvest technology and aquaponics.
“This partnership allows us to work with researchers and entrepreneurs in the ideation phase, creating practical solutions for real-world challenges across the agrifood tech value chain,” said in a press release John Cassidy, managing director of THRIVE Canada.
THRIVE will strive to partner with Lethbridge College on opportunities for connectivity with start-ups that require testing and validation or follow-up through applied research projects.
“We’ve seen firsthand the innovations that are coming from Alberta, and this partnership allows us to support the ecosystem in a broader way,” said Cassidy.

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