In a world that continually seeks innovation, DARO emerges as a revolutionary force in farm resiliency, leveraging insights gained during the COVID-19 pandemic to transform livestock health, productivity, and biosecurity. With a mission to make outbreaks a thing of the past, DARO focuses on creating systems that empower farmers to regain control over their livestock's well-being. DARO is an Incubator Resident at The Combine, an Agtech Startup Incubator.
Daro Priorities: Transformative Systems for Better Lives
Innovative Teams for Better Systems: DARO is driven by a commitment to assembling highly caring and innovative teams. These teams are determined to create better systems and strive to improve the lives of those who depend on livestock for their livelihoods.
Whole-Population Pathogen Monitoring: DARO is dedicated to providing highly sensitive, whole-population pathogen monitoring systems. These systems empower end-users, giving them the ability to make early and accurate decisions crucial for the health and well-being of the livestock they protect and care for.
Empowering Farmers: The overarching goal is to empower farmers to regain control over productivity. By eliminating the threat of outbreaks, DARO envisions a future where farmers, not diseases, dictate the success of their livestock operations.
Partners: Driving Innovation with Expertise
Kristen Bernhard (Co-founder and CEO): Kristen's background as a lab manager for an emerging pathogens and genomics lab at the University of Nebraska Medical Center brings invaluable experience. Her contributions to surveillance programs globally, including Sars CoV2 wastewater surveillance, showcase her dedication to advancing public health.
Catherine Pratt (Advisor): Catherine, Director of the global pathogen surveillance NGO, BioSurv International, brings strong genomics lab translational skills and deliverables through her deep experience working in challenging low-resource environments. Catherine advises DARO on pathogen surveillance technical aspects.
Rick Knudtson (Co-founder and CEO of Workshop): Rick's entrepreneurial spirit, seen in co-founding Flywheel, a managed web hosting platform, and his role as an active angel investor, adds a dynamic element to DARO's leadership.
Dr. Maria Jose Clavijo (Research Associate Professor): Dr. Clavijo's dual roles in research at Iowa State University and as a Health Assurance Veterinarian at PIC emphasize her dedication to understanding and preventing infectious diseases in livestock. Her international experience and expertise enrich DARO's holistic approach to farm resiliency.
DARO's fusion of expertise, innovation, and a passion for bettering lives positions the company as a leading force in the quest for enhanced livestock health and productivity. As they pave the way for a future where farmers have the tools to safeguard their livestock, DARO stands as a beacon of hope for a resilient and thriving agricultural industry.
What is The Combine?
Invest Nebraska's Combine Incubator is a statewide initiative focused on supporting high-growth agri-food entrepreneurs through mentoring, commercialization support, physical incubation space on Nebraska's Innovation Campus, and a network of helping farmers and ranchers across the state. Invest Nebraska is a private, non-profit statewide venture development organization focused on high-growth companies in Nebraska and growing the state's entrepreneurial economy. Invest Nebraska works directly with entrepreneurs, researchers, and companies to help commercialize their technologies, launch and grow new businesses, and access needed capital.
Thank You To All of The Combine's Generous Sponsors:
