At last month’s Arkansas Governor’s Cup, U of A Agricultural Economics and Agribusiness graduate students Emmy Noyes and Emory Johnson advanced to the semifinals. They introduced Agri-Guard, a startup that was selected as a finalist in the competition’s graduate-level High Growth and Technology category.
The Arkansas Governor’s Cup was launched by Arkansas Capital to encourage college students to be innovative and challenge their entrepreneurial spirit. The goal is to immerse students in launching new and innovative business ideas in existing industries. Any degree-seeking student currently studying at a state college or university is eligible to enter the contest. Students must meet a variety of requirements, such as having majority ownership of the company ideas they present and holding a “C-level” role in management.
“I really enjoyed getting the chance to play in the Governors’ Cup,” Noyes said. “I learned a lot about what it takes to develop a complete business plan and how much thought and planning it takes to start a new business. We did a lot of hard work and stayed up late in the office a lot, but we are both very proud of Agriguard and hope to be able to compete again next year.”
“It was an honor to represent the agricultural economics sector and extend my knowledge of crop insurance through our start-up,” Johnson said.
Trey Malone, assistant professor in the same department and Dale Bumpers College of Agriculture, Food and Life Sciences, was a faculty advisor to the project. He helped his Noyes and Johnson coaches and mentored them as they created their presentations.
“Emmy and Emory broke new ground in this competition,” Malone said. “They were the only agriculture-related business plan to reach the final, and their efforts really shined throughout the pitch.”
“This contest would not have been possible without the help of our advisor, Dr. Trey Malone,” Noyes said. “It was a pleasure to work with someone who is well versed in agribusiness entrepreneurship. We learned a lot from him through this process.”
Although the duo did not win the competition, they were the only agricultural business plan to advance to the semi-final round.
“We didn’t receive any prize money, but the opportunity to compete with Arkansas’ most innovative students was a great experience,” Johnson said. “Participating in this competition has allowed me to learn and grow as a future entrepreneur in the agrofood and agritech sector.”
About Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences: Bumpers College provides life-changing opportunities that position and prepare graduates to become leaders in businesses related to food, family, the environment, agriculture, sustainability and the quality of human life. And who are the top candidates for employers looking for leaders, innovators, policy makers and entrepreneurs? The college is named after Dale He Bumpers, a former governor of Arkansas and a longtime U.S. Senator who distinguished the state in domestic and international agriculture. Learn more about Bumpers his College.websitefollow us on Twitter.@Bumpers Collegeand Instagrambumpers college.
