Our Team
Steve is the founder of innov8.ag, a Walla Walla Washington-based agtech startup and Microsoft-partnered company. Prior to embarking on the startup, Steve spent 12 years at Microsoft where he most recently focused on Microsoft’s fastest growing product line, Azure Cloud. His leadership skills contributed to growing Azure from a $100M to a $10B+/year business over 6 years. After his time spent at the Microsoft headquarters in Seattle, Steve decided to relocate his family of four to Walla Walla, Washington, in the summer of 2018. He envisions this location as the perfect base for ag startups given the convergence of progressive farmers and three colleges with strengths in agriculture, engineering, science, established ag manufacturers, strong connectivity providers, and a highly collaborative business climate. An Australian by birth, Steve has his MBA from the University of Washington.
Steve Mantle
CEO & Founder of Innov8.ag
Our Advisory Board
Bob Rupar
Retired VP • Nelson Irrigation
Bob brings to the table expertise in water and irrigation management from his career with one of the world's foremost irrigation manufacturers.
Dave Brown
PhD, Director • Washington State
University AgWeatherNet
Dave is an Associate Professor of Soil Science and director of WSU's AgWeatherNet, a source of data and support tools for Washington State growers and policy-makers.
Andrew Nelson
Farmer & Consultant • Nelson Wheat
Andrew has rich expertise in computer science and hands-on, long-term experience farming 9000 acres of dryland wheat.
Erin Anders
PhD • Crop & Soil Science • Ecological Food & Farming Systems • Michigan State • Walla Walla Community College
Erin is lead instructor for the Agricultural Systems Bachelor's program at Walla Walla Community College.
Douglas Granitz
CEO-Specialized Strategy Solutions LLC
Doug is bringing a global understanding of the downstream cultivation of the data we are providing. He will provide the needs, the regulations, and resources needed to sustain globally.
Jeff Tucker
CEO Tuctronics • Computer Science • Electrical Engineering
College of Agriculture WSU
Jeff grew up working on a wheat farms, and even studied at University of Idaho while working on potato tissue culture. He provided the first commercial tissue culture based potato seed in Northern Idaho.
Todd Tucker
Tuctronics since 2009 • Computer Science • CWU
Todd is a 4th-generation dryland wheat farmer with 17 years of experience in Eastern Washington. His passion includes working with growers and learning valuable techniques, while furthering research. Mission: newest tech to ag market in shortest amount of time.
Hermann G Thoennissen
HTG International, LLC Owner
Hermann has 35+ years of experience in various orchard management positions in WA State, 30+ years as the owner of HTG International LLC., 20+ years of experience in using aerial imagery in permanent crop production and also being an active team member of FarmCloud since 2012.
Modhurima Amin
Ag Economist
Dr. Modhurima Dey Amin specializes in Applied Econometrics, Statistics, and Data Science. Her research program broadly focuses on food and agricultural markets, precision agriculture, energy, and industrial organization.
Andrew Sundquist
President • Sundquist Fruit & Cold Storage
Andrew is the President of Sundquist Fruit & Cold Storage, Inc., a multigenerational grower of apples, pears, and cherries in Yakima, WA.
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Caleb Pan
PhD, Data Scientist
Spokane resident that has a B.S. and M.S. in Geology and a PhD in Systems Ecology. With experience and skills in machine learning, remote sensing, and geospatial analysis.