Women in Ag Tech: Embracing Artificial Intelligence, Ag Tech Marketing Strategies and 5 Steps to Successful Innovation

By Renee Targos|July 20, 2026

“The bottleneck is not data. It is time.”

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Karen Hildebrand, Global Head of Industry and Partner Solutions for Amazon Web Services, gives this year’s keynote speech at Women in Ag Tech.
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A marketing panel discussion explores how to communicate ag tech’s value to multi-generational U.S. growers.
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Delaney Howell, CEO for AgCulture Marketing (far left), moderated a panel discussion about ag tech marketing challenges and strategies. Panelists included (from left to right) Arha Padman of Niqo Robotics, Natalie Martinkus of Ecoanalytics, and Brooke Brown of Agtonomy.
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Sarah Medrano (left), Vice President of Product Enablement for Agri-Access interviewed Tami Craig Schilling, Founder-Adviser of DeepRoot Strategies, LLC, about strategies for successful careers and innovating ag tech products.
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Lauren Milligan, Lead Editor for Women in Ag Tech, served as Master of Ceremonies for the four-hour Women in Ag Tech conference.
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Connie Bowen, General Partner for Farmhand Ventures, leading an impact huddle, where Women in Ag Tech conference attendees joined small groups to discuss topics.

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It’s a phrase that Karen Hildebrand shared with 70 attendees at the Women in Ag Tech conference on July 20, 2026 at Tech Hub LIVE in Des Moines, IA. Hosted by Lauren Milligan, Lead Editor for Women in Ag Tech, the four-hour, in-person event brought together women in the ag tech industry to learn and network.

Hildebrand, Global Head of Industry and Partner Solutions for Amazon Web Services, presented her keynote speech on, “Cultivating Change: Leading with Authenticity and Innovation in Ag Tech,” exploring how artificial intelligence does the work of analysis, so growers can make better decisions.

As a grower herself, Hildebrand uses AI to analyze management of her crops. “I have a conversation with AI to go deeper into an analysis that I just didn’t have the time to think through the scenarios. For example, how to analyze crop damage from a storm. I build scenarios in AI for weather circumstances, breakeven points, and recommendations for products,” says Hildebrand. “This gives me options for solutions, and it saved my oat crop.”

Following Hildebrand’s presentation, Delaney Howell, CEO for AgCulture Marketing, moderated a panel discussion about ag tech marketing challenges and strategies. Panelists included Arha Padman, CSMO of Niqo Robotics, Natalie Martinkus, Founder of EcoAnalytics, and Brooke Brown, Director of Marketing for Agtonomy.

When asked how they address marketing ag tech to various generations of growers, Martinkus said, “The older generations know their land better than we could ever tell them about their land. They like technology, they use it but are not necessarily as comfortable with it. The younger generation grew up with technology in their hands, and they have different expectations. They understand the power of it and are willing to adopt and learn new technologies if it can be proven to work.”

Padman added that her experience has changed over the last three years with all generations of growers.

“Agriculture has crossed the tipping point. The era of selling the vision is over. The question is no longer ‘Why technology?’ It is ‘Which technology actually works?’ When labor is scarce, inputs are expensive, and every acre counts, innovation must earn its place by solving real problems and improving the grower’s bottom line,” Padman said.

After a short break, Sarah Medrano, Vice President of Product Enablement for Agri-Access, interviewed Tami Craig Schilling, Founder-Adviser of DeepRoot Strategies, LLC, about strategies for launching innovating ag tech products.

Schilling gave five principles for successful innovation:

Every level is solving a different problem.
Innovation breaks at the handoffs.
Buy-in isn’t agreement.
AI exposes what already exists.
Digital transformation is mostly human transformation.

The event ended with industry experts like Connie Bowen, General Partner for Farmhand Ventures, along with Martinkus and Medrano leading impact huddles, where Women in Ag Tech conference attendees joined small groups to discuss topics.

Next year’s Women in Ag Tech conference will be held on July 19. Learn more about Women in Ag Tech’s community and how to stay connected throughout the year.

Renee Targos, as Editor of AgriBusiness Global^TM Direct magazine, leads in content development, event programming, and managing the ABG Board of Advisors and strategic growth of the magazine. Renee’s professional experience covers more than two decades of national and international digital and print content development, editing, and journalism. She received a bachelor’s degree from Southern Illinois University and continued her education with master’s level courses in business administration and behavioral analysis. Renee has served as a board member for several Arizona-based non-profits and government commissions. Renee is also Co-Chair of the 2023 VISION Conference. See all author stories here.