Companies Evolve Industries, Ag Technologies Do Not
Editor’s note: In a recent issue of Upstream Ag Professional, agribusiness analyst Shane Thomas discusses why it’s not the technology that drives industry change. It’s a company’s unique integration and application of the technology, leveraging their unique insights, resources and talent to solve problems.
Last week’s Agricultural Retailers Association Conference highlighted a pivotal theme in AgTech: the importance of companies, not just technologies, in driving industry transformation. Common questions at the event focused on which technologies to watch, but a more impactful question is, “What companies should we watch?” This shift in perspective underscores that it is not emerging technologies alone that create change — it’s how companies and their teams harness and apply these tools.
Anastasia Volkova, CEO of Regrow, echoed this sentiment in a recent interview. She emphasized that technologies themselves are not the differentiators; instead, success hinges on companies’ ability to leverage technology meaningfully. Volkova pointed out that the availability and application of meaningful data are critical. Companies that can acquire, structure, and apply data to address specific problems with viable business models are the ones poised to disrupt the industry.
History offers illustrative examples, such as the Haber-Bosch method for nitrogen fertilizer. Fritz Haber developed the laboratory process, but its transformative impact came when BASF and Carl Bosch scaled it for industrial use. Similarly, gene editing holds immense potential, but its success depends on companies understanding the commercial-scale problems to solve, mastering plant genomes, navigating regulations, and effectively bringing products to market.
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These examples highlight that while cutting-edge technology is necessary, it is insufficient on its own. Success comes from integrating technologies to create practical, scalable solutions that meet customer needs and provide business value. Companies must possess unique perspectives, skilled teams, and the capability to implement solutions that change human behavior and deliver results.
In agriculture, transformative progress depends on companies’ ability to align innovative technologies with real-world applications. The better question to ask is not about the next breakthrough technology but about which companies have the vision, talent, and strategy to make a lasting impact.
For more in-depth coverage, visit Upstream Ag.
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