We build the next generation of agrifood companies – with the industry, not for it.

DIAL Ventures, part of Purdue Applied Research Institute, brings together industry leaders, entrepreneurs, researchers, and investors to build venture-backed companies that solve agriculture's most important challenges.

Why Purdue?

DIAL Ventures is part of Purdue Applied Research Institute – one of the nation's leading applied research organizations. Together, we combine world-class research, entrepreneurial talent, and deep industry engagement to accelerate the commercialization of agrifood innovation.

#1

Agricultural & Biological Engineering graduate program in the U.S. (QS)

#3

College of Agriculture nationally — #6 globally (QS)

Problem first. Always.

Every company begins with an industry problem, not an idea. Working alongside corporate partners, producers, entrepreneurs, and Purdue researchers, DIAL validates opportunities before building venture-backed companies positioned for commercial adoption from day one.
"Innovation succeeds when the people living the problem help build the solution."

Allan Gray,

Executive Director,
Purdue DIAL Ventures

Real companies. Real customers. Real results.

H-2A workforce management. 2,000% revenue growth in a year; now serving employers across 45 states.
Ag equipment maintenance. In use across 70+ agricultural operations; raised a $1.5M pre-seed round.
Ag land and lease management. Named Overall Supply Chain Solution of the Year by AgTech Breakthrough.
AI-powered supply chain intelligence for ag input manufacturers, blending internal and external data to help operations teams anticipate disruptions and act early. Raised a $1.9 million pre-seed round.
Voice-AI sales enablement for ag retail. Sales reps dictate notes from the road and Fieldist turns them into structured account records, visit prep, and on-demand agronomy answers — capturing the customer knowledge that walks out the door when reps turn over.
Logistics optimization for rural businesses. Aerton streamlines routing, dispatch, and delivery coordination for seed, chemical, and fertilizer, cutting wasted miles and giving ag retailers and their customers real visibility into inputs on the move.
Farm succession planning. A digital platform helping farm families navigate ownership transitions and preserve operations across generations.

How It Works

Moving research to the marketplace is typically long and arduous. DIAL Ventures changes that. The Agrifood industry needs discoveries translated quickly, introducing innovations that can rapidly affect changes in the market. DIAL Ventures is perfectly positioned to bring together industry expertise, entrepreneurial talent, and Purdue’s highly ranked faculty and technology assets to make this happen. DIAL Ventures creates innovative companies based on emerging trends and opportunities, using a rigorous and well-defined process to achieve success. Watch this video to learn more about our process.

Partner For Success

Corporate PARTNERS

The Agri-food industry is a complex network of producers, distributors, growers, packagers, and consumer retailers. All of DIAL Venture's corporate partners are seeking early access to develop innovative ideas and agility in bringing new solutions to the market. DIAL Venture's corporate partners engage in our innovation process, investigating new technologies, adding potential new revenue streams, repositioning their business, and making a positive industry impact. DIAL Ventures creates an alternate path for corporations to develop new ideas they care about while closing gaps between external perceptions and their internal culture of innovation. Corporate partners work closely with DIAL Ventures and the Fellows on ideation, take new solutions to the market and participate in growth within the industry.

Become A Corporate Partner
Innovation FELLOWS

Highly motivated individuals with a passion for entrepreneurship. They have a desire to own and drive something meaningful. They want to build/grow a business with confidence without the typical roadblocks of entrepreneurship. By partnering with DIAL Ventures, they get direct access to the industry, its thought leaders, established supply chains, and potential customers as well as a monthly stipend and customized training to be successful. DIAL Ventures offers personal development, business support, and a condensed timeframe from idea to funding to launch through a repeatable turn-key process. The end goal is for Fellows to become co-founders of the companies they develop the DIAL Ventures' studio process.

Become a Fellow
Investor Partners

Participate in the cadence of innovative companies we launch. We select top entrepreneurs and a proven concept development process to de-risk our company leadership, and their teams, while consistently reducing time to revenue. DIAL Ventures works with its Innovation Fellows and corporate partners to validate the key areas to make changes with an outside-in, needs-driven approach to innovation. Therefore, our investor partners can be assured that our due diligence in people, process, and product launch reduces risk while driving upside growth. DIAL Ventures' innovation ecosystem provides a consistent pipeline of ideas, talent, and lower risk curated startups.

Become An Investor

CONTACT US

We are building an innovation ecosystem. Partner with us today to help create startups that bring digital innovation to the food and agriculture industries.

We invite you to join us!
By submitting this form you agree to our Privacy Policy.
Thank you! Your submission has been received!
Oops! Something went wrong while submitting the form.