Thrive to survive: Limerick at heart of agri-innovation in Silicon Valley

Imbalance between supply and demand led to formation of leading agri-food accelerator

John Hartnett with US Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue at the launch of the USDA Innovation Agenda in February.

In 2010, John Hartnett from Limerick set up an investment fund — SVG Ventures — in Silicon Valley because he felt that companies didn’t just need money, they needed to access mentorship and guidance, customers, be able to scale their business, and become more aware of the eco-system and infrastructure around their companies.

It was the beginning of a journey into agriculture and food that he had never really envisioned up to that point.