293. Anu & Land Betterment: Scott Massey & Kirk Taylor on Partnering to Nourish Communities Sustainably
In this episode, Logan Jones sits down with Scott Massey, co-founder and CEO of Anu, and Kirk Taylor, co-founder and president of Land Betterment. They discuss their partnership to develop and sell autonomous fresh produce growing systems using Eco Solutions' upcycled shipping containers. We explore the technology behind Anu's self-nurturing pods, the scalable solutions for food security, and the journey Scott Massey took from his days at Purdue University to creating a product aimed at fighting food insecurity. The episode also covers the business aspects, the impact on local communities, and the future aspirations of this pioneering project. Learn more about Anu at https://www.growanu.com/ Learn more about Eko Solutions at https://www.ekosolutionsllc.com/
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00:00 Introduction: The Home Greenhouse Concept
00:05 Addressing Common Concerns
00:41 Ancient Wisdom Meets Modern Technology
01:00 Middle Tech Podcast Introduction
01:11 Introducing Scott Massey and Kirk Taylor
01:29 Land Betterment and ANU Partnership
02:16 Sponsor Acknowledgements
04:04 Welcome Scott Massey and Kirk Taylor
05:16 Land Betterment's Mission and Challenges
09:43 Scott Massey's Journey and ANU's Vision
12:02 The Birth of ANU: From NASA to Entrepreneurship
13:00 Innovative Hydroponic Systems
17:04 Challenges and Early Successes
22:02 Support and Growth at Purdue University
24:14 ANU's Revenue Model and Consumer Experience
30:25 Diving into EcoSolution and Land Betterment Partnerships
30:50 Fundraising Insights: Friends, Family, and Purdue Research Foundation
31:20 Critical Advice for Aspiring Entrepreneurs
33:18 The Importance of Competitions and Grants
34:25 The Role of State and Federal Grants
35:25 Purdue Research Foundation's Impact
38:55 The Land Betterment Partnership
40:15 EcoSolutions: High Efficiency, Low Footprint Growing
46:06 The Modular Design and Its Benefits
48:36 The Genesis of the Partnership
55:23 Prototype Development and Testing
59:37 Vision for the Future and How to Get Involved
01:02:51 Conclusion and Final Thoughts