Women in Ag Tech Returns to Tech Hub LIVE 2025 With Inspiring Voices and Real-World Insights
Women in Ag Tech (WiAT) returns to Tech Hub LIVE on Monday, July 21, offering a full afternoon of inspiring conversations, actionable insights, and meaningful networking for women working in every corner of agriculture and ag tech. The event will take place from 12:30 to 5:30 p.m. at the Iowa Events Center in Des Moines.
Hosted by Meister Media Worldwide, WiAT brings together forward-thinking professionals working across precision agriculture, R&D, digital platforms, crop protection, financial services, ag retail, and farm management technologies.
Now in its third year, WiAT has become a cornerstone of Tech Hub LIVE, delivering content that’s smart, strategic, and grounded in real-world experience. From crop input innovation to data science, farm finance, and digital tools, Women in Ag Tech is built for professionals leading and shaping the future of the industry.
This year’s program opens with a keynote from Susan Olson, Ph.D., a former aerospace engineer who now leads ag tech startup Action Intel. Drawing on her unique background and the founding of BargeAI™, Olson will explore how technologies like AI, sensors, and analytics are transforming agriculture and how women can lead that change.
Other highlights from the agenda include a panel discussion on getting more value out of ag tech investments by addressing data gaps and infrastructure challenges. Panelists include Jessica Wedow from AIFARMS at the University of Illinois, Tami Craig Schilling of Bayer Crop Science, and University of Nebraska-Lincoln’s Jennifer Clarke. Their session focuses on the importance of building a solid tech foundation to ensure successful adoption of automation and digital tools.
Sarah Canada, Chief of Staff to the CTO and Director of Global R&D Operations at Corteva Agriscience, will offer a rare behind-the-scenes look at how innovation moves from the whiteboard to the field inside one of agriculture’s largest R&D organizations.
The program will also explore how ag tech is reshaping farm credit and insurance, from underwriting to digital documentation, and what that means for producers navigating a shifting landscape. Kelly Miller, Director of FinTech and Retail at Agri-Access, and Lindsey Ross, Head of Precision Ag at Burns Insurance Agency, Inc., will lead the discussion. They’ll share how tools like digital mapping, automation, and cloud-based recordkeeping are influencing risk models and lending decisions, and how ag professionals can help farmers adapt to these evolving systems.
Iowa farmer and ag advocate April Hemmes will host an open-floor Q&A, inviting attendees to ask anything—from cover crops to carbon markets to career pivots.
Attendees will also participate in the Tigress Teams Activity, a fan-favorite, featuring group coaching sessions on professional development, legal literacy, and making connections that matter—designed to guide women to lead with clarity and confidence. Facilitators include Stephanie Copley of Landus Cooperative and Billi Hunt of America’s Cultivation Corridor.
The Women in Ag Tech event is supported by a group of committed sponsors who continue to champion leadership, innovation, and inclusion in the sector. Corteva Agriscience returns as Signature Sponsor, joined by Agri-Access as Visionary Sponsor and Faegre Drinker as Sustaining Sponsor.
“Creating space for women to thrive in ag tech is essential to the future of the industry,” said Kristin Utterback, Innovation and Engagement Strategy Leader, R&D for Corteva. “We’re proud to support initiatives like WiAT that encourage innovation and inclusion.”
Lara Sowinski, Group Editor of the CropLife Media Group, Meister Media Worldwide and chair of the WiAT event, notes that the event is designed to go beyond inspiration. “This is about giving women the tools, strategy, and support they need to grow,” she said. “It’s always personal and energizing, but it’s also very practical.”
Attendance is just $199 with full registration to Tech Hub LIVE or $299 for Women in Ag Tech Only. More information on the program, registration, and how to join the year-round WiAT community, is available at techhublive.com/women-in-ag-tech.
Get The Newsletter Today!
