293. Anu & Land Betterment: Scott Massey & Kirk Taylor on Partnering to Nourish Communities Sustainably

Middle Tech

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