In the late 1980’s, in the creative soils of Northern California, a unique entrepreneurial ecosystem began to take root.

Ideagarden Institute, a non-profit organization dedicated to nurturing the next generation of food system innovators,

sprouted from these rich lands of vision, resourcefulness, and serendipity.

 

The story begins with two mission-driven natural foods entrepreneurs, Will Rosenzweig and Greg Steltenpohl. These visionaries

had spent decades cultivating successful brands like Odwalla, Republic of Tea, and Califia Farms. Their shared passion for "systems entrepreneurship" – using business acumen to plant seeds of positive systems change – grew over 20 years of collaboration. Will also brought his entrepreneurial experiences into teaching and academia when he joined the professional faculty of BerkeleyHaas in 1999. There he founded and continues to steward the BerkeleyHaas Sustainable Food Initiative.

 

Inspired by the creativity,  passion and potential of Will’s students during a guest lecture at Food Innovation Studio* in early 2021, Greg's generous spirit provided the initial catalyst for creating an environment where students could actualize their visions. With a combined gift of $175,000 from Greg and Will, Ideagarden Institute was established as a greenhouse for promising young leaders with ideas that could revolutionize our food systems—and in turn, urgently address issues related to climate, health and social equity. Though Greg unexpectedly died shortly after, his legacy continues to inspire the Institute's mission and practice.

 

The first seedling to emerge was Plant Futures, germinating from Samantha Derrick's graduate project. Sam, a student in Will’s

Edible Education course was pursuing her Masters in Public Health. She noticed a gap in the curriculum – no courses explored the interconnected world of humans, animals, and agriculture in relation to climate, health, and social equity.

 

Recognizing this opportunity, Will brought together a dynamic student team. Sam joined forces with undergraduate dynamo Brittany Sartor and post-doctoral food and sociology expert Nina Guilbeault. This trio designed and delivered an innovative campus-wide course: "Plant Futures: Accelerating the Transition to a Plant-Centric Food System."

 

Launched during the pandemic, the online course flourished beyond expectations, attracting 350 UC Berkeley students and hundreds more from universities worldwide. The hunger for this knowledge was evident, and the lack of similar offerings elsewhere was striking.

 

Building on this success, the team developed the "Plant Futures Challenge Lab," where students could tackle real-world problems alongside major organizations. This applied approach drew both undergraduate and graduate students, as well as impressive professional partners and paved a pathway for students to develop practical skills and valuable networks that lead to rewarding careers.

 

Recognizing the potential of their budding idea, the trio decided to make this mission their professional focus. The Plant Futures Initiative catalyzed the formation of Ideagarden Institute, officially established as a 501(c)(3) non-profit in September 2021.

 

Upon graduation, Sam, Brittany, and Nina didn't let their idea rest. With guidance from mentors and additional funders in the Ideagarden ecosystem, they spread Plant Futures far and wide. Within three years, chapters have sprouted on more than fifty campuses across the country and the core course is now offered on all nine University of California campuses. What began as a single course has grown into a dynamic, impactful movement, aligning thousands of college students on a shared mission to accelerate the transition to a plant-centric food system.

 

Today, Ideagarden Institute stands as a vibrant ecosystem, fostering innovation and mentorship in the world of

food systems innovations. It's more than just an incubator – it's a garden where the seeds of transformative ideas are planted, nurtured, and grown into world-changing realities. In addition to Plant Futures, new initiatives like FARMpreneurs and Climate Farm School

are taking root and flourishing.

 

The Ideagarden Greenhouse offers a unique nurturing environment for these ideas to grow. Emerging leaders receive virtual residencies and financial support to explore and test their innovations. A wisdom council selects entrepreneurs focused on systems change with potential for measurable impact. These young leaders are then mentored by experienced guides committed to their growth.

 

As ideas prove their viability, Ideagarden provides seed grants to catalyze further investment, setting new enterprises on a path to sustainable success. The Institute aims for a five-year horizon, helping ventures reach critical mass and develop diverse funding streams.

 

Throughout this process, Ideagarden offers shared services in development, communications, and operations —

managing the essential back-office functions that allow early-stage entrepreneurs to focus on growth.

 

From its roots in a friendship between two thoughtful entrepreneurs to its current status as a thriving ecosystem for food systems innovations, Ideagarden Institute continues to cultivate the freshest crop of changemakers. It stands as a testament to the power of nurturing great ideas and nourishing the people behind them, promising a future where positive change in our food systems can truly

take root and flourish.​​​​​​​​​​

 

*In Will’s entrepreneurship classes, ideas often seem to have people. Numerous ventures and leaders

have sprouted from these fertile conditions on campus.