Agtech - So What? · 2026-04-15 · 38 min
Co-operatives have a long and sometimes colored history in agriculture, across the Western world. What role will they play in the future of agriculture? As agriculture becomes increasingly shaped by digital technologies and artificial intelligence, the question of who owns, governs, and benefits from farm data is still unresolved. Could co-ops be the answer? In this episode, Sarah Nolet is joined by Tenacious Ventures co-founder Matthew Pryor and the creator of Upstream Ag Insights , Shane Thomas, to explore the history of co-operatives as a means for farmers to pool resources and address market power imbalances. They also unpack the business model behind co-ops and analyze whether the principles of co-ops could also be applied to digital infrastructure. This episode is the first in a series of business model “breakdown” episodes we’ll be producing this year, where we’ll dig into how agriculture systems, structures, and even specific companies work, why they matter today, and the impact of agtech in their evolution. This format is an experiment and we’d love your feedback!
Why soil health and profitability are deeply connected, with Nic Kentish67 / 100Can dairy’s waste stream power beef’s future? with Daniel CarsonBusiness Model Breakdowns with Shane Thomas: The Monsanto PlaybookCan biomaterials compete on price, not just purpose? with Tina FunderBetter Outcomes, Not Lower Costs: rethinking agtech in horticulture, with Mark Trzaskoma