Photo Courtesy: World Trade Center St. Louis

Business Development

Global Ambassador Award

The Yield Lab, the world’s first food and agriculture technology business accelerator, was presented the World Trade Center St. Louis’ Global Ambassador Award on Friday at the annual Growing Global event. The luncheon, at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel in Clayton, Mo., attracted more than 600 guests.

The award acknowledges a person or organization that has enhanced the image of St. Louis as a global center and whose efforts have resulted in the exposure of St. Louis to the international community. The Yield Lab is an early-stage venture fund and business accelerator that invests $100,000 in early stage food and agricultural technology (AgTech) startups, provides one-on-one mentorship, free workspace, and networking opportunities supported by agriculture focused organizations and businesses from the St. Louis region.

Agriculture is a leading industry in the U.S. Midwest, with extensive business connections to the St. Louis region and beyond. The diversity, central location, and solid business community support make the St. Louis region a leading market for AgTech expansion.

Previous award winners include United States Ambassador to Ireland Kevin O’Malley, the Donald Danforth Plant Science Center and Washington University in St. Louis Chancellor Dr. Mark Wrighton.

“Honoring The Yield Lab with this year’s Global Ambassador Award was the obvious choice,” World Trade St. Louis Executive Director Tim Nowak said. “Their work in the AgTech space, not only in St. Louis, but abroad, is why this award was created and we are thrilled to name the Yield Lab as this year’s recipient.”

The award will be added to the recent milestones The Yield Lab has achieved. In July, it launched The Yield Lab Galway, a food and agriculture technology venture fund and business accelerator, located in Galway, Ireland.

“We believe finding innovative solutions to sustainably feed the world’s rapidly growing population are the biggest problems facing human kind today,” The Yield Lab Managing Director Thad Simons said. “The Global Ambassador Award comes at a pivotal time in our international growth and will provide greater recognition and strategic opportunities for both our St. Louis and Galway-based investments.”

Tom Adamitis, managing director at The Yield Lab, accepted the award on his organization’s behalf at the luncheon.

“Being bestowed with this honor based on our efforts, locally, nationally and internationally, gives St. Louis and The Yield Lab a boost of confidence to continue our work in finding a way to sustainably feed our world’s growing population,” he added.

About The Yield Lab
The Yield Lab brings together new innovative technologies focused on improving productivity, enhancing knowledge, eroding boundaries, and merging historically independent ecosystems into a more cohesive agricultural system. For more information, please visit TheYieldLab.com.

About World Trade Center St. Louis
As the international division of St. Louis Economic Development Partnership, the World Trade Center St. Louis’ mission is to grow trade and investment and enhance the global connectivity and competitiveness of St. Louis. For more information, please visit WorldTradeCenter-STL.com.