Later-Stage Agtech Startup Lessons #2 - Paul Lightfoot, BrightFarms
Agtech - So What?17 Marras 2021

Later-Stage Agtech Startup Lessons #2 - Paul Lightfoot, BrightFarms

“When you say, ‘can I have your money?’ Then, people speak the truth.”
Paul Lightfoot is a serial entrepreneur who has learned several lessons the hard way, from raising money to communicating purpose to hiring (and firing). After spending much of his career as a software CEO, Paul wanted to follow his “calling” to enter the world of sustainability and foodtech.
But this meant moving from a familiar career trajectory to an industry that, 10 years ago when Paul was entering it, barely even existed. In 2011, Paul founded BrightFarms, which uses hydroponic greenhouses to produce locally sourced packaged salads in the US. Along the way, he has made several critical decisions for his startup’s success. This includes an incredibly rare and difficult decision for any founder to make- Paul voluntarily stepped back from the role of CEO and hired someone he believed could do a better job.
Now, BrightFarms has 300 employees, five greenhouses, and in 2021, it was acquired by Cox Enterprises. In this episode, Paul talks about:

  • How to distinguish between what your ego is telling you and what’s best for your company.
  • How he raised capital in the early days, as well as more recent strategic partnerships to support the growth of BrightFarms.
  • Why establishing core values and purpose is not simply human resources ‘fluff’, but rather integral to success throughout every phase of a startup.

For more information on this episode, visit our website. This is the second episode in our “Later-Stage Agtech Startup Lessons” series. Listen to the first episode with Michael Gilbert of Semios.

Jaksot(203)

Killing Weeds Without Poison with Liam Hescock at Azaneo

Killing Weeds Without Poison with Liam Hescock at Azaneo

Controlling weeds on farms is a sticky, two part challenge. First, you’ve got to identify the weeds, as distinct from the plants you want to grow. Then, you’ve got to destroy the undesirables and keep...

5 Helmi 202536min

2025 in AgTech… So what? with Shane Thomas

2025 in AgTech… So what? with Shane Thomas

As the new year gets underway, we’ve been thinking about the likely ups and downs ahead for the agtech world. We’ve been searching for insights in the recent announcement that FMC’s corporate venture ...

22 Tammi 202533min

How Business Model Innovation Changed AgTech in 2024

How Business Model Innovation Changed AgTech in 2024

There’s nothing like the end of another year to have us reflecting on the recent successes in the world of agtech, and the many challenges still left to overcome. One thing that has continued to stand...

11 Joulu 202434min

Shortening the Long Game in Livestock Breeding with Gerard Davis from Nbryo

Shortening the Long Game in Livestock Breeding with Gerard Davis from Nbryo

The history of agriculture is a history of selective breeding. Whether it’s plants or animals, humans have been choosing desirable traits and making sure those traits make it to the next generation fo...

27 Marras 202438min

Rethinking Who Pays in Irrigation AgTech with Jairo Trad

Rethinking Who Pays in Irrigation AgTech with Jairo Trad

Despite its importance to both agricultural and environmental outcomes, irrigation has not been a terribly successful subsection of agtech. We have our theories about why that is (we wrote a whole rep...

13 Marras 202437min

The Two Faces of Global ESG in Ag with Catherine Marriott

The Two Faces of Global ESG in Ag with Catherine Marriott

Depending on where you sit, the supremacy of ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) action seems inevitable. Corporates are talking about. Investors are talking about it. Governments, regulators,...

30 Loka 202433min

Fractal Ag Pitch Breakdown with Ben Gordon and Shane Thomas

Fractal Ag Pitch Breakdown with Ben Gordon and Shane Thomas

Farmland has long been a popular asset among investors for its steady appreciation and resistance to economic downturns. At the same time, farmland is also a challenging asset at times, especially for...

16 Loka 202441min

Investing in Regenerative Agriculture Supply Chains with Calla Rose Ostrander

Investing in Regenerative Agriculture Supply Chains with Calla Rose Ostrander

When it comes to leveraging capital to fund climate action in agriculture, few ideas get as much play as regenerative agriculture. The idea of production that can not only be sustained but that can ac...

2 Loka 202432min

Suosittua kategoriassa Liike-elämä ja talous

sijotuskasti
psykopodiaa-podcast
mimmit-sijoittaa
rss-rahapodi
rss-lahtijat
rss-rahamania
rss-neuvottelija-sami-miettinen
rahapuhetta
ostan-asuntoja-podcast
rss-porssipuhetta
rss-laakispodi
rss-h-asselmoilanen
rss-startup-ministerio
rss-bisnesta-bebeja
taloudellinen-mielenrauha
pomojen-suusta
sijoituspodi
rss-rikasta-elamaa
rss-yrittajat-ymparillani
rss-porssipodi