Homegrown Team Finds Startup Success Supported by LSU Resources

BATON ROUGE - What began as a whiteboard sketch in LSU's first Large Language Model Development course has evolved into a thriving startup that translates LSU AgCenter research on crop management and weed control into practical tools for agricultural professionals.

FarmSmarter.ai is an artificial intelligence-powered tool that synthesizes LSU agricultural research and other data to offer actionable advice through an advanced virtual assistant, Farmer Al. Farmer Al gathers research, the relevant regulatory framework, EPA-approved pesticide and herbicide labels and other information to streamline the process of addressing challenging agricultural problems and formulating high-quality crop management plans.

The venture was founded by LSU's Colin Raby (BS Mechanical Engineering '24), Grant Muslow (BS Computer Science '24, BS Computer Engineering '24 and current MS Electrical Engineering candidate) and Julius Pallotta (biological engineering major) last year. The trio claimed an early victory by earning first place and $20,000 in the 2024 J Terrell Brown Venture Challenge, LSU's leading pitch competition sponsored by the Stephenson Entrepreneurship Institute (SEI).

Using earnings from the competition, Raby, Muslow and Pallotta launched the initial version of the product and attended several agricultural conferences to gather feedback from professionals in the field. Winning the J Terrell Brown Venture Challenge also created additional mentoring opportunities and opened doors to other collegiate pitch competitions.  

"The J Terrell Brown Venture Challenge is a launch pad that gives student entrepreneurs the structure, visibility and confidence to take their ventures to the next level," said Fahimeh Abbasi, SEI program director. "As their faculty advisor, I supported the FarmSmarter.ai team by connecting them with mentors and leveraging resources within LSU's entrepreneurial ecosystem to help refine their business model and pitch. I provided feedback on content and delivery. I also encouraged them to take advantage of external pitch competitions. I helped them think strategically about how to use these contests, not just for exposure, but as a pathway to funding and building valuable connections."

FarmSmarter.ai, which now includes Cole Lacombe (BS Plant and Soil Systems '25), has recently achieved an impressive series of pitch competition wins:

• The group earned first place ($50,000) and won the elevator pitch competition ($2,000) at the Entrepreneurship Pelican Cup held by the University of Louisiana at Monroe.
• The team took seventh place and earned over $100,000 at the Rice Business Plan Competition, the world's largest and most prestigious intercollegiate student startup contest. They made history as LSU's first venture to be named a finalist in the competition.
• They earned third place ($7,500) in the graduate category of the Arkansas Governor's Cup's "high growth/technology" division. Again, making history as LSU's first team to place in the competition.

Thanks to these successes, FarmSmarter.ai has attracted the attention of investors and is halfway through raising funds for its seed round.

"We are actively engaged in conversations with many angel investors and venture capitalists who see the same opportunity we do: to accelerate our first-mover advantage and transform agricultural intelligence to help agricultural professionals around the nation," said Raby, the company's CEO. "That trajectory, product to launch and vision to validation, can all be traced back to the support and springboard the J Terrell Brown Venture Challenge provided."  

As FarmSmarter.ai prepares to roll out advanced GIS integrations, regulatory compliance tools and cutting-edge multimodal AI, the team remains committed to proving that transformative technology can be built and scaled in Louisiana. Their momentum highlights an opportunity for the state to lead by supporting high-impact ventures and cultivating an innovation ecosystem that retains top talent and fuels economic growth.

"We're proud to be building this company right here in Louisiana," said Pallotta, the company's chief operating officer. "For too long, brain drain has been an economic reality for Louisiana. However, we believe brain gain is possible if Louisiana invests in and supports teams building the future with groundbreaking technologies. We believe that technologies like AI will redefine every industry in the coming years, and we look to lead the way, building systems that make it useful for agriculture while providing opportunities for innovative builders right here at home, rather than having to move away to find opportunity."

The FarmSmarter.ai team's journey, from class project to a nationally recognized startup, is a testament to the power of LSU's entrepreneurial ecosystem and the critical role of programs like SEI, the J Terrell Brown Venture Challenge and LSU Innovation. Much like a well-coached team that turns raw talent into championship success, these programs provide the game plan, mentorship and resources student entrepreneurs need to compete and win on the national stage. By fostering innovation and supporting ventures like FarmSmarter.ai, LSU empowers its students to chase bold ideas and strengthens Louisiana's economy through homegrown talent and cutting-edge technology.

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About FarmSmarter.ai
FarmSmarter.ai is live to try out at https://farmsmart.ai/ and on the appstore 'FarmSmarter.ai' (not the "Farmsmarter App"). Students and AgCenter researchers can get free or discounted use of the system. To get the discount code or to reach out to the team with feedback or questions, contact them at support@farmsmart.ai.

About the Stephenson Entrepreneurship Institute
The mission of the Stephenson Entrepreneurship Institute is to promote and foster entrepreneurial practices through education, outreach, and research. An integral part of LSU's E. J. Ourso College of Business, the SEI utilizes its various programs and other means to address entrepreneurial challenges and positively impact students, the regional economy, the state of Louisiana and the nation. A generous donation by LSU alumni Emmet and the late Toni Stephenson made the continued development of the college's entrepreneurship institute possible.

About the J Terrell Brown Venture Challenge
The J Terrell Brown Venture Challenge, held by the LSU Stephenson Entrepreneurship Institute, is an annual business plan competition open to all on-campus students in the LSU system. The competition empowers student entrepreneurs by providing capital and technical support as they develop their pitches and plans. Three finalists are chosen to pitch live to a panel of judges for a chance to earn a share of the $35,000 prize pool. The competition is supported by a generous endowment created by the J Terrell Brown family in recognition of his entrepreneurial success.