What Purdue DIAL Ventures does

Purdue DIAL Ventures (Digital Innovation in Agri-Food Systems Laboratory) is a venture studio and innovation accelerator established in 2021 within Purdue Applied Research Institute (PARI) at Purdue University in West Lafayette, Indiana. The organization operates a threefold strategy: a venture studio that creates and de-risks startups through deep corporate partnerships, a fellowship program that vets and develops entrepreneurs into co-founders, and co-investment opportunities for industry partners in portfolio companies. It serves three primary constituencies: corporate partners in the agri-food supply chain seeking early access to innovation, Innovation Fellows (tech entrepreneurs recruited from outside agri-food), and investor partners (venture investors and family offices) seeking de-risked deal flow.

DIAL Ventures has built a portfolio of approximately 10 portfolio companies spanning equipment tracking (Gripp), labor management (Croft), land management (Oaken), sales enablement (Fieldist), logistics (Aerton), financial/sustainability optimization (Windrow), AI-driven supply chain (Nuel), farm succession planning (Kindred), and agricultural digital marketing (MakeHay). The organization runs multiple fellowship cohorts annually (Spring 2022 through Fall 2024, ~6-7 fellows per cohort) and maintains a research arm, FASIC, that produces white papers and industry commentary on agri-food digital innovation. The core operational team consists of approximately 8 people, including the Executive Director, two Managing Directors, a Research Manager, an Operations Manager, a Resident Entrepreneur, and two interns.

The business model operates through professional services-style engagement: corporate partners pay for innovation engagement and participation in co-development, investor partners participate in portfolio company co-investment rounds, and the fellowship program selects entrepreneurs through a vetting process. Distribution is direct and relationship-based, with global reach through partner networks despite the U.S.-domiciled headquarters. DIAL Ventures does not disclose revenue or pricing publicly and has no publicly recorded external funding rounds, consistent with its structure as a university-affiliated research institute entity.

Name

Purdue DIAL Ventures

Legal name

DIAL Ventures

Website

https://dialventures.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2021

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Purdue DIAL Ventures is a university-affiliated AgTech venture studio within Purdue Applied Research Institute that co-creates digital startups with corporate partners, develops tech entrepreneurs through a fellowship program, and offers co-investment opportunities across the agri-food supply chain.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

AgTech Accelerator and Venture Studio Services

NAICS

Management Consulting Services (54161)

SIC

Services-Management Consulting Services (8742), Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731)

akta.pro primary industry

Venture Studios / Company Builders (FSANAAAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Corporate Accelerators & Startup Programs (FSANAHAD), Corporate Strategic Partnership & Ecosystem Investment Arms (FSANAHAF)

Keywords

• Agtech accelerator
• Venture studio services
• Corporate innovation partnerships
• Entrepreneur fellowship program
• Agri-food digital innovation

Headquarters

HQ city

West Lafayette

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Venture Studio and Fellowship Program: DIAL Ventures operates as part of Purdue Applied Research Institute. Revenue is generated through corporate partnerships for innovation engagement, co-investment opportunities in portfolio companies, and fellowship program participation.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Purdue DIAL Ventures is an AgTech venture studio and accelerator that co-creates startups with industry partners to drive digital innovation in the agri-food sector. It operates a threefold strategy: a venture studio that creates and de-risks startups through corporate partnerships, a fellowship program that vets and develops entrepreneurs into co-founders, and co-investment opportunities for industry partners in portfolio companies. The organization also maintains the FASIC research consortium and produces the DIALed IN webcast.

Product overview

DIAL Ventures is a venture studio and innovation ecosystem based at Purdue University that creates and de-risks startups to drive digital innovation in the agrifood sector. The organization operates through three core offerings: a venture studio that co-creates companies with industry partners, a fellowship program that develops entrepreneurs through direct industry access and training, and co-investment opportunities for industry partners in portfolio companies. The venture studio has produced multiple portfolio companies including Gripp (equipment tracking), Croft (seasonal worker management), Oaken (land management), Fieldist (sales enablement), Aerton (logistics), Windrow (sustainability optimization), Nuel (AI-driven supply chain insights), Kindred (farm succession planning), and MakeHay (farmer content platform). The organization also maintains a research arm (FASIC) and produces the DIALed IN webcast series covering agrifood innovation topics.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• DIAL Ventures Venture Studio A venture studio service that creates and de-risks startups through deep industry partnerships, driving ideation and concept development in the agrifood sector for corporate partners, fellows, and investors.
• DIAL Ventures Fellowship Program A cohort-based fellowship program that vets and develops successful entrepreneurs into co-founders of new agrifood startups, providing direct access to industry, thought leaders, supply chains, customers, a monthly stipend, and customized training.
• Co-Investment Opportunities Co-investment opportunities for industry and investor partners in the studio's portfolio companies, providing curated deal flow with due diligence on people, process, and product launch.
• FASIC Research Consortium The Food and Agricultural Sciences Innovation Consortium is a research platform producing projects, commentary, white papers, and publications on digital innovation in the agrifood industry.
• DIALed IN Webcast A webcast series featuring digital systems innovation at startup and corporate levels in the agrifood industry, hosted by Executive Director Dr. Allan Gray and Managing Director Jarrod Sutton with guest interviews from industry leaders.
• Gripp An equipment tracking and maintenance management platform that enables agrifood companies to track equipment, manage maintenance routines, and retain operational knowledge without expensive hardware sensors.
• Croft An online platform for seasonal worker management with digital remote onboarding, making staff, H-2A and domestic workers, agents, recruiters, and business partners more efficient and productive.
• Oaken A digital relationship, lease, and land management platform that strengthens and streamlines the connection between agribusiness and its stakeholders.
• Fieldist A sales enablement platform enabling field sales reps with on-demand agronomic expertise and grower relationship data to do their job better, faster, and more conveniently.
• Aerton A logistics platform that reduces wasted miles, tracks actual delivery costs, and provides in-advance delivery information so agricultural inputs reach the right place at the right time.
• Windrow A financial platform helping producers intelligently select programs to optimize land use and sustainability practices for maximum value per acre planted.
• Nuel A supply chain platform providing real-time visibility and AI-driven predictive insights that enhance production accuracy, inventory management, and supply chain resilience.
• Kindred Financial software providing critical help to farm families and their trusted advisors in managing the complex succession process with planning tools.
• MakeHay A digital marketing platform empowering farmers across the nation to become content creators by sharing their unique experiences and insights into agricultural practices.

Named customers9 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Purdue Applied Research Institute (PARI)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDIAL Ventures is a part of Purdue Applied Research Institute, dedicated to driving digital innovation in the food and agricultural industries. This is the parent organization that houses DIAL Ventures.
• Purdue UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDIAL Ventures leverages Purdue's 150-year history and #1 ranking in Agriculture and AgBioscience, accessing faculty, research assets, and technology capabilities from the university.
• Corporate Partners (Agri-food Industry)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCorporate partners engage in the innovation process, investigating new technologies, adding potential new revenue streams, repositioning their business, and making a positive industry impact. They participate in ideation, have access to early trials, help develop product features, have early sales access, and may consider acquisitions.
• FASIC (Food and Agricultural Sciences Innovation Consortium)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch consortium providing critical resources for strategy and decision-making. Includes projects, commentary, white papers, and publications on agri-food digital innovation topics.
• U.S. Farmers and Ranchers in Action (USFRA)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUSFRA is a connector organization convening farmers, ranchers, and food/ag stakeholders to drive solutions and co-create value. DIAL collaborates with USFRA on sustainability and innovation initiatives in the agri-food space.
• Portfolio CompaniescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPortfolio companies include Gripp (equipment tracking), Croft (labor management), Oaken (land management), Fieldist (sales enablement), Aerton (logistics), Windrow (financial), Nuel (supply chain), Kindred (succession planning), and MakeHay (digital marketing). These are startups co-created through the DIAL Ventures studio process.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• AgFunder: AgTech-focused venture capital platform with research, deal syndication, and corporate-venture activity across the agri-food value chain. Comparable to DIAL as an investor-facing access point to vetted AgTech deal flow.
• Y Combinator: The largest and most-recognized startup accelerator, running cohort-based programs that combine mentorship, seed funding, and a strong alumni network. Comparable to DIAL's cohort-driven fellowship model, though not sector-focused on agri-food.
• Techstars: Large global accelerator network running vertical-specific programs. Techstars operates agriculture- and food-focused accelerator programs (e.g., the Techstars Farm to Fork accelerator) with a similar cohort-based venture development model.
• Plug and Play Tech Center: Global innovation platform and venture studio with corporate partner programs spanning multiple verticals including AgriFood. Operates a similar corporate-partner + startup co-creation model with branded vertical programs.
• IndieBio: Biology-focused accelerator and venture studio that provides fellowship-style programs, seed capital, and intensive company-building support. Comparable to DIAL's venture studio + fellowship hybrid model, though focused on biotech rather than agri-food.

Direct peers

• SVG Ventures | THRIVE: AgTech-focused accelerator and venture firm that runs a corporate-partner-driven program for early-stage agri-food startups. Most direct comparable to DIAL given its AgriFood focus, corporate partnerships, and accelerator cohort structure.
• Cultivian Sandbox Ventures: Venture fund investing in early-stage AgTech and FoodTech companies with deep industry-corporate relationships. Comparable to DIAL given its sector specialization and corporate-partner co-investment approach.
• Radicle Growth: AgTech and FoodTech focused accelerator and venture fund. Directly comparable to DIAL given its accelerator model pairing early-stage agri-food startups with corporate sponsors and investor capital.

Regional players

• Iowa Startup Accelerator (NewBo City Market): Agri-food-adjacent accelerator based in Iowa's agricultural heartland. Comparable to DIAL as a Midwest-based accelerator with strong university/community ties, though with a regional rather than national corporate partner footprint.

Emerging players

• SproutsIO / FarmBox (agtech venture studio ecosystem): Smaller-scale AgTech venture studio focused on building companies around controlled-environment agriculture and food systems. Comparable to DIAL as an emerging venture studio in the agri-food digital innovation space, though narrower in scope.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/purdue-dial-ventures

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments1 record

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Purdue DIAL Ventures