Mark Edelman, professor & extension economist, presented a seminar titled “Alternative Models used by AgTech Angel Investor Networks in the U.S. Midwest,” to Egyptian Angel Investor networks in Cairo, Egypt, on June 17, 2019, as part of a weeklong Innovate Egypt workshop series for Egyptian angel investors, entrepreneur teams, and university entrepreneurial ecosystem stakeholders.
Edelman is facilitating a three year initiative called the “Iowa Rural Equity Project,” co-sponsored by Iowa State Extension and Outreach along with Ag Ventures Alliance, Iowa Microloan, and a grant from the Economic Development Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce.
Edelman’s seminar was one of three panel presentations that included Dr. Angela Lee, founder of 37 Angels and Associate Dean of Innovation, Columbia University School of Business, NY, NY; and Jaleh Daie, Band of Angels, AgFood Tech Section, San Fransico, CA. The Cairo AgTech Angel Investor Forum was organized by VentureWell, and co-sponsored by USDA, United States Agency for International Development (USAID), the National Academy of Sciences, and the Egyptian Development Fund.
“The opportunity to outline Angel network development strategies focused on AgTech ventures in the United States to the emerging Angel Investors from the Cairo, Alexandria, and Nile regions was of practical use for the audience and provided an opportunity to add value and experience for the classroom and Extension Iowa Rural Equity Project (IREP) workshop content being planned for the coming year,” said Edelman.
VentureWell is a nonprofit based in Springfield, MA, with a global mission to cultivate a pipeline of early stage entrepreneurs, university faculty innovators, and capital networks driven to solve the world’s biggest challenges to create lasting impact. Their website states “We foster collaboration among the best minds from research labs, classrooms, and beyond to advance innovation and entrepreneurship education and to provide unique opportunities for STEM students and researchers to fully realize their potential to improve the world.”