Fresh Field Catalyst

Susterre
Michael Cully
CEO
Ontario, Canada

Michael Cully is a C-Level international business executive with expertise in implementing new business strategies from the ground up for organizations ranging from startups to large multinational companies. He has expertise in global business development, brand strategy, distribution channel development, corporate sustainability, government/public affairs, and corporate development. Michael has had repeated success in building multinational teams, establishing distribution networks across multiple regions, and launching new products, growing businesses profitably worldwide.

L5 Automation Inc.
Alexander Gutierrez, Founder and CEO
La Canada Flintridge, CA

Alex is a repeat founder, having co-founded Astrobotic Technology with his advisor and others, which has done over $600M in revenue to date. Directly prior to L5, Alex spent 9 years working at Lockheed Martin where he was responsible for bringing technologies from proof of concept to proof of value. Alex is a certified “Robot Master”, graduating from Carnegie Mellon’s Robotics’ Institute, with a focus on autonomous vehicles. 

Farm-ng
Nathan Dorn, VP Sales & Business Development
Watsonville, CA.

Previous roles as CEO of Data Science / Capture company for specialty crops, Food-Origins. Reiter Berry Farms, Director of Knowledge and Innovation. Technical Manager for Gallo Coastal Vineyards and Wineries. USS Omaha SSN 692 Nuclear Machinist Mate. Wheat Custom Harvester and Farm kid from Nebraska. 

Mirai Solar
Dr. Michael Salvador, CEO
San Francisco, CA.

Dr. Michael Salvador has over 15 years of experience in basic research and R&D and a proven track record in developing solar technologies, with emphasis on thin-film, flexible photovoltaics. Previously, he held research positions at top-ranked universities in the USA and Germany, including Caltech, University of Washington, University of Erlangen-Nuremberg. He has contributed to several patents for solar energy devices including those forming the intellectual property of Mirai Solar. Michael has led Mirai Solar from an R&D project into a full-scale startup with manufacturing capabilities and pilot demonstrations. 

innov8.ag
Steve Mantle, Founder & CEO
Walla Walla, WA

A distinguished former Microsoft exec, Steve Mantle expertly blends data-driven insights with genuine care for the agricultural community—a testament to his founding of innov8.ag. His work focuses on empowering growers through meaningful partnerships, reflecting his commitment to both technological advancement and the human element of innovation. 

Responsive Drip Irrigation, LLC 
Janice Gould, Founder / Owner & CEO
Bradenton, FL, USA, and Abu Dhabi, UAE

Janice’s main focus has been in developing and distributing a disruptive irrigation technology through her company, Responsive Drip Irrigation, LLC (RDI). Her mission has been to increase food production and save water for our children today and for our children’s children and grandchildren. She has become a strong advocate for water conservation and improving water management and sustainability to preserve the environment and create a livable planet.  

Neolithics LTD.
Dr. Timea Ignat, Chief Scientist
Tel Aviv, Israel

Dr Timea Ignat has a Ph.D. in food science – at the Corvinus University of Budapest, Hungary – on the subject of non-destructive sensor and data fusion to determine agricultural produce quality. She has developed various measurement methods using multiple sensor platforms, chemometric algorithms, machine learning and fusion techniques. She advanced proximal- and remote sensing – including airborne and satellite – in agricultural, environmental and food industry application, in the fields of precision agricultural, post-harvest of agricultural produce and food hazard management. Most recently, she is the chief scientific officer at Neolithics in Israel, where she further advances the development of agricultural produce quality control and food hazard management applications. 

Helios Artificial Intelligence, Inc.
Francisco Martin Rayo, CEO
Tysons, VA.

Francisco Martin-Rayo is the CEO and Co-Founder of Helios Artificial Intelligence, the world's leading AI platform that predicts agricultural supply disruptions.  With its unprecedented coverage across 85 countries and 160 commodities, Helios AI helps agricultural buyers worldwide forecast global fruit and vegetable prices and supply availability before their competitors.  

ClearLeaf
Dr. Agustin Büchert, Cofounder and CSO
Wilmington, DE.

Agustin Büchert is a biotechnology Ph.D. and MBA who serves as the Chief Science Officer and co-founder of ClearLeaf, a company dedicated to developing sustainable, safe, and innovative crop protection solutions. With his scientific expertise, creativity, and multitasking abilities, Agustin has transformed the company into an experimentation hub for product design. His leadership and vision drive ClearLeaf's mission to create cutting-edge solutions that benefit both farmers and the environment.

Agragene Inc.
Dr. Stephanie Gamez, Director of R&D
St. Louis, MO

Dr. Stephanie Gamez currently serves as Agragene’s Director of R&D where she oversees the development of KnockOut™ sterile insects utilizing Precision-Guided Sterile Insect Technique (pgSIT). Dr. Gamez received her PhD in Biology at the University of California, San Diego (UCSD) where her work explored the potential of gene drive technologies to introduce heritable modifications into insect genomes, with applications ranging from disease vector control to agricultural pest management. 

At Agragene, her leadership and work exemplify the transformative impact of genetic innovation on modern agriculture where she continues to drive innovation in sustainable pest management through the advancement of pgSIT technology. 

Root Applied Sciences
Dr. Sarah Placella, CEO
Oakland, CA.

With an understanding of the challenges facing modern agriculture, Sarah Placella founded Root Applied Sciences with a clear mission—to revolutionize agriculture with near real-time information on unseeable biological threats. Under her leadership, the company has become a trailblazer in developing solutions that optimize resource usage, reduce environmental footprint, and promote the overall resilience of agricultural ecosystems. Beyond her role at Root Applied Sciences, Placella is a respected advocate for sustainable agriculture and is actively involved in technical founder communities as well as advocating for women and mothers as startup leaders.  

Sufresca
Ofir Daube, VP Produce & Regulation
Ness Ziona, Israel

Ofir Daube oversees product development and commercialization at Sufresca since its founding, a startup specializing in disruptive natural edible coatings that prolong post-harvest marketability of fresh fruits and vegetables. With extensive regulatory and market expertise in the agri-food industry, and strong focus on sustainability and feasibility, Ofir leads Sufresca's vision of offering highly effective natural solutions for fruit ageing and fungal growth to anyone, anywhere.

Ofir is the past co-founder and CTO of two software startups in the fields of psychophysiology and telecommunication, and an experienced system developer, designer, and analyst. Ofir holds a Master of Science degree in Anthropology and an educational background in law and social sciences.

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