I³R-led project Cultivate IQ (CIQ), steered by assistant research professor Dr. Meredith Adkins, has been selected for the Endeavor Heartland ScaleUp Accelerator—a regional program designed to support high-growth ventures across the Heartland.
One of 18 awardees, Cultivate IQ is an AI data insights software platform funded by the National Science Foundation’s Convergence Accelerator designed to connect food distributors, and the farms they support, with new market opportunities and improved analytic capacity.
In addition to Dr. Adkins, and I3R project manager Philip Sambol, the team consists of researchers from across the U of A System, University of Florida and University of Wisconsin-Madison, as well as local industry partners Cureate and Junction AI.
Driven by artificial intelligence and machine learning, CIQ integrates sales and production data from across the farm-to-market supply chain to help plan and manage regional food supplies. Local food buyers, including aggregators and distributors, host their growers on the platform, extending access to market insights, production planning tools and purchase orders.
Access to regionally specific data empowers producers to match food supply more accurately with market demand—helping to curb both surplus and shortages, reduce food waste, and unlock new sales opportunities. This data-driven approach plays a key role in Arkansas’s agricultural landscape. As the state’s leading industry, agriculture thrives in the fertile Delta region and in Northwest Arkansas, which boasts one of the highest concentrations of small-scale farmers in the state. “Cultivate IQ aims to help these producers compete more effectively by making critical data insights more accessible,” said Dr. Adkins. “The ScaleUp Accelerator program will provide valuable workshops and networking opportunities that support the continued development of the project with maker-to-market solutions in mind.”
The project brings together expertise from various disciplines across multiple land-grant universities as well as industry partners. The first Arkansas-based core team included:
Meredith Adkins, Ph.D. (PI), assistant research professor, I3R
Kristen Gibson, Ph.D. (Co-PI), professor, Department of Food Science, and director, Center for Food Safety
Thi Hoang Ngan Le, Ph.D., (Co-PI), assistant professor, Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science
Trey Malone, Ph.D. (Co-PI), assistant professor, Department of Agricultural Economics and Agribusiness
Chase Rainwater, Ph.D. (Co-PI), chair, Department of Industrial Engineering
Kim Bryden, CEO, Cureate
Vance Reavie, CEO, Junction AI
Philip Sambol, project manager, I³R
Benjamin Sapaning, Sr., graduate assistant, I³R
“This convergent team is proof that I³R is helping turn bold ideas into scalable solutions that serve our region. Cultivate IQ’s selection for the Endeavor Heartland ScaleUp Accelerator is a testament to that mission—using artificial intelligence innovation to empower our people and food systems. This is how we grow impact from the ground up,” said Dr. Ranu Jung, I3R founding executive director and associate vice chancellor.
As a regional program, ScaleUp Accelerator is designed to support scaling businesses in the Heartland. Backed by the Walton Family Foundation, SBA Growth Accelerator Fund Competition, Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, and Arkansas Economic Development Commission, the program provides mentorship, strategic connections, and hands-on support to help founders navigate their next phase of growth.
“Scaling a business comes with unique challenges, and the ScaleUp program is designed to equip founders with the mentorship, strategic connections, and tailored resources needed to navigate them,” said Shawn Morris, Senior Manager at Endeavor Heartland. “We’re excited to have Cultivate IQ, led by Dr. Meredith Adkins, as part of this year’s cohort and look forward to supporting their growth through the program.”
Throughout the program, the Cultivate IQ team will engage in workshops, tailored mentorship, and strategic networking designed to accelerate their project’s impact. They officially launched their fellowship experience at the kickoff event this spring, where they presented their initiative to key stakeholders and connected with fellow awardees to begin building collaborative momentum.
Learn more about the program at https://us.endeavor.org/endeavorheartlandscaleupaccelerator/