What IS Idea Farming, and WHY?
Idea Farming 2026 is the next evolution of the Northeast Colorado Entrepreneur Pitch Competition, originally launched by Logan County Economic Development in 2023. What began as a regional startup showcase has grown into a more focused platform designed to align innovation with the real-world strengths of Northeast Colorado.
After three years centered on startups within the NECO region, the concept expanded in 2025 to reflect a clearer opportunity: agriculture and ag-tech innovation. As new partnerships formed and industry trends emerged, it became clear that Northeast Colorado is uniquely positioned at the intersection of advanced technology and large-scale production agriculture—including innovations often categorized under climate and sustainability.
Northeast Colorado offers ag-tech founders rare dual access: proximity to the high-tech startup ecosystem of the Denver Metro and Front Range Corridor, including emerging quantum technology hubs, and direct connection to one of the nation’s most productive agricultural regions. This combination creates a powerful environment for testing, validating, and scaling new technologies in real operating conditions.
In partnership with the CSU Ag Innovation Center, this vision became Idea Farming—an approach centered on growing innovation through direct collaboration between entrepreneurs and agricultural producers. The goal is simple: help founders build solutions that deliver real value and justify investment in a thin-margin production agriculture industry.
By bringing ag producers into the room on April 2, Idea Farming 2026 demonstrates its core value proposition—partnership. That producer-driven collaboration is what makes Northeast Colorado an attractive place for founders to engage, test, grow, and ultimately build the next generation of ag-focused innovation.