Utah Tech University and Arieli Capital Announce START AgriTech Program

Today Arieli Capital, together with Frontier RNG Agro-climate Innovation Hub, in collaboration with Utah Tech University and Haifa Group, announced the launch of the START AgriTech Program. It will take place April 15-18, 2024 at Utah Tech University in St George, Utah.

Register here for the event.

The event calls attention to the rising global challenges of climate change, desertification, and expansion of the world's drylands. It intends to spur innovation and technological solutions to those challenges. Future supplies of energy, health, food, and water are at stake.

The program is dedicated to fostering the growth, commercialization, and international expansion of startups in relevant fields. 

Specifically designed for startups in their seed to Series A phase, the program targets innovation in sectors such as DesertTech, WaterTech, regenerative agriculture, smart farming, plant health, and nutrition. This collaboration presents a distinctive blend of expertise, diverse cultural experiences, and innovative implementation methods applicable across different locations and crops. These elements hold significant importance within the traditionally conservative landscape of global agriculture farming operations.

Interested parties may apply here for the program. 

"The 2022 trade mission to Israel sowed the seeds of opportunity to learn and innovate together," said Utah Senate President J. Stuart Adams. "We are excited to see the ongoing development of these connections. Utah Tech and Arieli Capital’s partnership is a pivotal opportunity for Desert Tech and AgriTech leaders in Utah, marking a significant stride in innovation and growth. The boot camp will bring together global founders within Utah’s innovation ecosystem investors, founders, researchers, government leaders and others."  

“The U.S. is Israel’s single largest trading partner, and Israel is the second-largest trading partner for the U.S. in the Middle East,” shared Jonathan Freedman, president and CEO of World Trade Center Utah. “This opportunity between Utah and Israel is an important step in moving Utah from the crossroads of the West to the crossroads of the world.”

Utah Tech University President Richard “Biff” Williams said, “The partnership between Utah Tech University and Arieli Capital marks an exciting collaboration, driving innovation and commercialization in AgTech and Desert Tech within the state, particularly in southwest Utah. This alliance aims to cultivate pioneering solutions for state-of-the-art technologies that cater to sustainable living in arid climates, potentially benefiting not only Utah but also communities globally. We are proud to work with Arieli Capital’s talented team from Israel to collaborate, build businesses, enhance workforce development, and make a bright future for students and communities.”

Estimates on the value of the climate-tech sector are upwards of $185 billion, and the agriculture-tech sector overall is estimated at $7.8 trillion. Arieli actively invests in desert and agriculture technologies alongside its innovation center, Frontier RNG, located in the Israeli Negev desert.

START AgriTech provides startups with dedicated 1-on-1 business and networking opportunities with international investors and global corporations as well as to a final pitch event where they'll be invited to present to a robust array of partners, future clients and allies.

Or Haviv, Partner and Head of Innovation at Arieli commented, “We are excited for our strong partnership with Utah Tech University. About 30% of Utah’s land mass is desert, just like that of Israel's Negev, which accounts for 60% of Israel’s land mass. Creating a direct connection between Frontier's desert R&D facilities in Israel and Utah Tech University’s desert innovation facilities in Utah, opens up a new era of desert, agriculture, and climate innovation on a global level."

Yariv Erez, CEO of Frontier RNG, added, "It is a privilege to impart our extensive knowledge in desert agriculture, recognizing that sharing this expertise is a meaningful contribution to improving our world. We are committed to cultivating food in a smart, straightforward, and cost-effective manner, not only for today's global population but also for the benefit of future generations. By reconnecting Agri & Culture we are paving the way towards a more sustainable world."

Arieli Capital, is a multi-generational, family-led, global holding and investment firm founded in 2016 and headquartered in Tel Aviv, London and New York, with a presence in Zurich and Salt Lake City. In October 2023, Arieli hosted a group of health and wellness industry leaders, investors and startups from Israel, Denmark, and the US for Start WellTech Scale-Up, as part of the investment firm's ongoing startup bootcamp series. The firm plans to hold additional bootcamps in Utah in the coming year.

For more details about Arieli, see TechBuzz News' coverage of the Start WellTech Scale-Up event, here.

For more information about the April 15-18, 2024 START AgriTech Program, click here.