State Senators
Local Leaders
Fremont
September 24, 2026
Innovation Rooted in the Good Life: Recapping Ag Tech & Beyond
Co-sponsored by Google and Lightsource bp, Ag Tech & Beyond united voices from agriculture, healthcare, higher education and venture capital to address a simple yet ambitious question: How do we leverage — and innovate on — the tools we have to grow our possibilities? Read on for the key takeaways from this forum.
Nebraska’s Narrative: Humility Without an Inferiority Complex
Opening the event, Nebraska Chamber Foundation President Tera Norris and Nebraska Chamber President and CEO Joseph Young set the stage for moving from research to action. Nebraska Governor Jim Pillen reinforced this vision, reminding attendees that Nebraska’s quiet humility shouldn’t be mistaken for a lack of competitiveness.
Governor Pillen highlighted the state’s strengths, from global strategic defense assets at Offutt Air Force Base to a thriving, top-ranked insurance industry holding over $500 billion in assets.
On agriculture, Pillen argued the state must shift its mindset away from exporting only raw commodities like corn and soybeans. Through local processing plants, value-added bio-economy initiatives and renewable natural gas, Nebraska is transforming raw agricultural outputs into high-value food, fuel and consumer goods.
“We’ve got to stop thinking exporting corn and soybeans is the future.”
— Governor Jim Pillen
Technology Meets Agriculture: Doing More with Less
Rather than replacing Nebraska’s traditional strengths, technology expands them. Facing structural labor constraints and shifting global demands, producers are turning to tech to boost efficiency and precision.
- Historical Perspective: Governor Pillen highlighted how a century of innovation shifted pig production from raising animals for lard and soap to sophisticated data tracking, automated climate-controlled barns and micro-dosed amino acid nutrition that optimize animal health and growth.
- Additive Agriculture: Dual-use land solutions, such as agrivoltaics and solar grazing, are allowing farmers to diversify revenue streams. Chad Raines of the American Solar Grazing Association shared how integrating sheep grazing onto solar energy sites manages vegetation naturally while helping family farms stay financially solvent without relying on traditional lines of credit.
- Practical Tech Application: Panelists emphasized that for ag tech to succeed, it must solve real operational problems without adding unnecessary complexity to a farmer’s daily workflow.
Growing Companies of the Future
In a panel moderated by Joseph Young, corporate leaders Russ Gronewold (Bryan Health), Abram Babcock (Adams Land & Cattle) and Allen Fredrickson (Signature Performance) discussed what it takes to build and retain high-growth companies in Nebraska.
“We’re kind of at this moment in time where connectivity, AI, and all of these things are coming together in the perfect storm… I think we’re going to see exponential innovation in our industry.”
— Abram Babcock, President & CEO, Adams Land & Cattle
Mobilizing the Ag Tech Ecosystem
Ben Williamson, Co-Founder and General Partner at Grit Road Partners, delivered a compelling case for building Nebraska into a global hub for ag tech.
Williamson posited that Nebraska doesn’t need to copy Silicon Valley, Miami or Cambridge. Instead, the state already possesses all the necessary ingredients: world-class land-grant research, progressive producers, risk capital and global agricultural corporations. The challenge is connecting those pieces into a cohesive, trusting system.
“An innovation ecosystem succeeds not simply because it possesses the necessary stakeholders and assets, but when those stakeholders develop trust, connectivity, shared purpose and long-term behaviors pointed at that goal.”
—Ben Williamson, Grit Road Partners
Regional Power: The AgWorks Corridor
Demonstrating regional collaboration in action, Alec Gorynski (Greater Omaha Chamber) detailed the newly launched AgWorks Corridor — a joint economic development initiative between Omaha and Lincoln.
By unifying 11 counties across the I-80 super-region, the AgWorks corridor highlights a dense ecosystem of 700+ ag-adjacent companies, 37,000 specialized workers and world-class community college custom-training programs. Gorynski stressed that competing globally requires speed to market, urging state leaders to invest heavily in shovel-ready site development so growing companies can break ground within 12 to 18 months.
Higher Education as an Economic Engine
Academic leaders from across the University of Nebraska system — Dr. Jen Nelson (UNL), Dr. Rusty McCulloh (UNMC/Nebraska Medicine), Dr. Tiffany Heng-Moss (IANR) and Dr. Jody Herchenbach (UNK) — explored how research translates into real-world economic opportunity.
- Translational Impact: From UNL’s leadership in digital agriculture, robotics and advanced materials to UNMC’s rapid clinical trial execution, academic research is directly spawning marketable startups.
- Grassroots Innovation: Through programs like the Engler Agribusiness Entrepreneurship Program, UNL students have launched startups generating over $175 million in revenue, with many choosing to build their businesses in rural Nebraska.
- On-Farm Testing: Initiatives like the On-Farm Research Network and TAPS (Testing Ag Performance Solutions) allow local producers to test cutting-edge digital tools and management strategies on real acreage with zero financial risk.
Taking Action
Closing out the day, former State Senator Matt Williams reminded attendees that when faced with changing times, leaders only have three choices: quit, blame others or step up and accept the responsibility of working together for positive change.
Governor Pillen echoed that the decisions made at events like Go Big Future aren’t just for the next fiscal quarter — they have a lasting impact on future generations.
Nebraska has the people, the research, the land, and the grit. It’s time to take action and build the future right here at home.
What’s Next?
Contact the NE Chamber team.
Drive alignment.
Build coalitions.
Find Solutions.
Grow Nebraska.
If you’re reading this and you’re still not sure what to do next, here are a few local ideas to get you started:
- Speak Up: Some of Nebraska’s best solutions will be built from the ground up. Advocate for local policies that grow workforce capacity, strengthen local infrastructure and diversify our energy portfolio at the grassroots level.
- Grow the Conversation: The topic of Nebraska’s BIG future shouldn’t be confined to state or local government. Talk about the data insights with your friends and neighbors. We win when everybody understands the game.
- Champion Solutions: Actively support or participate in local initiatives or pilot projects that aim to expand opportunity and remove barriers for Nebraskans and their families.
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Ready to GO BIG?
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