Webinar 1: Putting Our Money Where Our Mouth Is

Thad Simons is the founder and Managing Director of The Yield Lab. He is the former President and Chief Executive Officer of Novus International, Inc. Thad currently serves on various non-profit boards including Maryville University, Ranken Jordan Pediatric Bridge Hospital, The Yield Lab Institute (President), and the Advisory Board of the Collegiate School of Medicine and Bioscience. Thad has also previously served on the boards of Nine Network of Public Media, Grand Center Inc. (Vice-Chair), the St. Louis Regional Chamber of Commerce, Missouri Botanical Gardens, Contemporary Art Museum of St. Louis, St. Louis Zoological Association, United Way of St. Louis, Corporate Council on Africa, National Chicken Council, American Feed Industry Association and International Food and Agribusiness Management Association (President). Thad also serves on the board of several AgTech startups e.g. Ascus Biosciences, Ecto. Inc. and Probiotic Holdings, LLC. Thad’s awards and recognitions include International Businessperson of the Year, World Trade Center of St. Louis, 2001; International Visionary Award, Boeing Institute of International Business, 2007; Heroes of the Planet Award, St. Louis Business Journal, 2009; Entrepreneur of the Year, Central Midwest-Bioscience, Ernst & Young, 2010; Entrepreneur of the Year, National Distribution and Manufacturing, Ernst & Young, 2010; and Agribusiness Leader of the Year, National Agri-Marketing Association (NAMA), 2013.

Jayne Brookman is a biochemist by training with a varied background in the academic, commercial and third sectors including lecturing on biotechnology at the University of Manchester and founding an antifungal drug discovery company, F2G Ltd. Jayne led the AgriFood team at the UK’s Knowledge Transfer Network, working with start-up and established food manufacturing and agriculture businesses, before taking up a role as KTN Lead for the Innovate UK – DFID AgriFood Africa project funded by the Global Challenges Research Fund. In September 2020, she moved to EIT Food as Acting Director of the NW Region to continue her passionate quest to ensure that innovation within the food system is pulled through to the consumer.

Joshua Hope is Investment Associate for Earth Capital Ltd, part of Earth Capital Holdings (ECH) co-founded by Stephen Lansdown and Gordon Power. ECH is a global investment management group focused on technology and infrastructure that address international opportunities in the climate change nexus of energy, food and water security. Established in 2008, the group of specialist managers are responsible for over $1.6 billion AUM in sustainable and impact private markets investments across North America, Africa, Asia and Europe. Joshua has a Cleantech background, having previously worked with a number of start-ups based in the Edinburgh Centre for Carbon Innovation. He joined Earth Capital after completing an MSc in Climate Change, Management and Finance at Imperial College Business School. Joshua also holds a BSc in Geography from the University of Edinburgh.

Tashia Tucker is the CEO and founder of Olombria, an agricultural-tech startup based in London. She is an experienced bio-design researcher with a family background in farming and a passion for using bio-design to improve the outcomes of natural processes. Tashia has over ten years of experience in business development within the design industry, leading teams of engineers, designers, and scientists. Early in her career, she worked for Pew Research, a ‘fact tank’ based in Washington, DC, that informs the public about the issues, attitudes, and trends shaping the world. After completing her M.S, she served as a senior research fellow with the Design Futures Lab and adjunct professor, teaching undergraduate and graduate-level students at Drexel University. She then went on the receive her MRes degree from the Royal College of Art. Her research focused on Biodesign, where she led interdisciplinary teams of scientists, engineers, and designers pursuing speculative research with a focus on novel processes, narratives, and aesthetics.