293. Anu & Land Betterment: Scott Massey & Kirk Taylor on Partnering to Nourish Communities Sustainably
Middle Tech - A podcast by Middle Tech - Mondays
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In this episode, Logan Jones sits down with Scott Massey, co-founder and CEO of Anu, and Kirk Taylor, co-founder and president of Land Betterment. They discuss their partnership to develop and sell autonomous fresh produce growing systems using Eco Solutions' upcycled shipping containers. We explore the technology behind Anu's self-nurturing pods, the scalable solutions for food security, and the journey Scott Massey took from his days at Purdue University to creating a product aimed at fighting food insecurity. The episode also covers the business aspects, the impact on local communities, and the future aspirations of this pioneering project. Learn more about Anu at https://www.growanu.com/ Learn more about Eko Solutions at https://www.ekosolutionsllc.com/ Be the first to see new episodes, along with a summary, key takeaways, and upcoming events, by subscribing to Middle Tech's Spotlight Series Newsletter: https://middletech.beehiiv.com/ Get in touch in the comments below, or reach out to us on social media:Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/middletechpodInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/middletechpod/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/middletech/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@middletechpod?lang=enFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/middletechpod Logan Jones’ SocialsX: https://x.com/lojo_kyInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/lojo_ky/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lojo/ Evan Knowles’ SocialsX: https://x.com/EvanKnowles_LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/evanmknowles/ Middle Tech is proud to be supported by: KY Innovation: https://www.kyinnovation.com/ Bolt Marketing: https://www.buildwithbolt.com/ Hunsicker: https://www.hunsicker.co/firesides 00:00 Introduction: The Home Greenhouse Concept 00:05 Addressing Common Concerns 00:41 Ancient Wisdom Meets Modern Technology 01:00 Middle Tech Podcast Introduction 01:11 Introducing Scott Massey and Kirk Taylor 01:29 Land Betterment and ANU Partnership 02:16 Sponsor Acknowledgements 04:04 Welcome Scott Massey and Kirk Taylor 05:16 Land Betterment's Mission and Challenges 09:43 Scott Massey's Journey and ANU's Vision 12:02 The Birth of ANU: From NASA to Entrepreneurship 13:00 Innovative Hydroponic Systems 17:04 Challenges and Early Successes 22:02 Support and Growth at Purdue University 24:14 ANU's Revenue Model and Consumer Experience 30:25 Diving into EcoSolution and Land Betterment Partnerships 30:50 Fundraising Insights: Friends, Family, and Purdue Research Foundation 31:20 Critical Advice for Aspiring Entrepreneurs 33:18 The Importance of Competitions and Grants 34:25 The Role of State and Federal Grants 35:25 Purdue Research Foundation's Impact 38:55 The Land Betterment Partnership 40:15 EcoSolutions: High Efficiency, Low Footprint Growing 46:06 The Modular Design and Its Benefits 48:36 The Genesis of the Partnership 55:23 Prototype Development and Testing 59:37 Vision for the Future and How to Get Involved 01:02:51 Conclusion and Final Thoughts
