Being the best comes naturally to the RTR AgTech Cluster.
The Research Triangle AgTech Cluster is not just where innovation begins, it’s where it’s put to work. With the right combination of talent, facilities, available capital, and green spaces for AgTech to be put into practice, the Research Triangle has what you need to be the best in the field.
If you’re looking for the best place for AgTech in the country, maybe even the world, meet the Research Triangle Region of North Carolina. This 13-county footprint possesses some of the best resources for any company, large or small, to grow and thrive. And North Carolina knows business — ranked America’s Top State for Business by CNBC. AgTech alone contributes $1.2 billion in gross regional product, with a five-year growth rate of 17.2%, nearly double the national rate. For us, AgTech isn’t just another industry, it’s a big part of our livelihood. Agriculture is the number one business in North Carolina and the mild climate coupled with our unique geographical landscape makes it the perfect place to put your entrepreneurial mind and passion for discovery to work. This diverse landscape is home to over 48,000 farms, producing over 80 different commodities.
While NC is the fourth largest farm producer in the US, almost 3 out of 4 AgTech employees work within the Research Triangle Region. That’s over 7,000 employees, across 100 AgTech companies. And new talent is coming to the region every day — including many from three tier-one universities, North Carolina State, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and Duke, all within the region. Each year, over 5,000 STEM graduates come from these local institutions. With these educational powerhouses in our backyard, our region boasts the fourth highest concentration of PhDs in the country and has been rated the second most educated region in the US. That’s a lot of brain power ready to work.
And it’s not just talent — the Research Triangle Region is an established hub for research, development, and discovery, complete with facilities to accommodate growing companies and industries. Whether the Plant Science Initiative at NC State, or one of over 20 AgTech incubators, accelerators, and associated facilities, companies can find the space and support to take root and grow. That’s why companies like BASF, Syngenta, NuFarm, Fair Products, Avazyme and Indigo all call the Research Triangle Region home. We’re also home to over 2,000 startups, with over 25 venture capital and angel investment firms. These entrepreneurs are the seeds that will grow into the companies of tomorrow — and they’re flourishing here.
What takes place here has global implications, and AgTech has become a global business. The Research Triangle Region has easy access to Raleigh-Durham International Airport (RDU), with direct flights to many major hubs in the United States and Europe, plus three ports and major interstates and rail corridors that can get you anywhere. And we stay connected to each other, according to Adrian Percy, Executive Director of the N.C. Plant Sciences Initiative, “The breadth of the ecosystem and the community’s willingness to work together enthusiastically — you don’t see that anywhere else.”