ACCEL-KS Profile: Grace Heritage Farms
This profile is part of our series highlighting the recipients of the ACCEL-KS Proof-of-Concept grant, a partnership between the Kansas Department of Commerce and Groover Labs. ACCEL-KS provides up to $25,000 in grant funding to help Kansas innovators move their ideas from concept to commercialization. Over the coming weeks, we’ll introduce you to each team and the problems they’re solving.
Up next? Grace Heritage Farms, Founder Sarah Easdon
Co-Founders of MLNavigator, Donella Cohen and James Auchterlonie
Company name? Grace Heritage Farms
Product name: Virtual Fencing Goat Collars
What gave you the idea for your product or startup?
As a goat farmer committed to rotational grazing, I quickly found how labor-intensive it can be to keep goats fenced and moving onto fresh pasture daily. While virtual fencing collars do exist for livestock grazing, none of them are geared specifically toward goats at a price point that will be profitable for goat farmers.
What makes your product stand out?
My product is developed BY a goat farmer FOR goat farmers - with goat behavior and price needs considered. Goats operate completely differently than sheep and cattle, and their fencing needs are also drastically unique. I’m here to fix the limiting factors of other virtual fencing grazing collars!
What have you learned so far on your journey?
I’m very early in my journey, so the biggest thing I’ve learned is that there is still so much to learn! What I do know is there is an incredible community of support for every step of this journey - in exploring new ideas, creating new products, and trialing them in real-life environments.
How are the ACCEL-KS grant funds helping you reach the next stage of development?
The ACCEL-KS grant funds are critical for developing a product prototype. Any prototype development takes time, energy, and financial resources. This grant allows us to kick off the development process.
What kind of support do you need from the startup community?
The most support I currently need from the startup community is in developing the hardware. My specialty is goats, not electronics. I can tell you exactly what needs to be available in practice, and I need people much smarter than I am in other areas to make it a reality. Once a prototype is developed, I will rely heavily on the startup community for product replication, production, and scaling. Then, when it is time, I will need guidance on how to expand the product to market.
What is something interesting we should know about you or your project?
Did you know that I started off my professional career as a nurse with goats as my personal hobby? The twists and turns of life have brought me here - I’m still surprised!
