The RISE Summit for Entrepreneurs and Innovators on Thursday, August 27, 2026 in Danville, VA will include networking opportunities and breakout sessions featuring amazing speakers to support entrepreneurs at each stage of business, from ideation to starting, growing, and scaling.
About this Workshop
Exploring Entrepreneurial Opportunities in Controlled Environment Agriculture
Description:
Explore the future of agriculture, technology, and manufacturing through the lens of Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA) in this session featuring Dr. Scott Lowman, Vice President of Applied Research at the Institute for Advanced Learning & Research. From spinach to mushrooms to fish production, CEA is revolutionizing the way we grow, produce, and innovate. Whether you’re a grower, tech innovator, or equipment manufacturer, this session will uncover specific entrepreneurial opportunities within the CEA industry. Learn from real-world examples, emerging technologies, and collaborative opportunities to position yourself for success in this fast-growing field.
Speaker: Dr. Scott Lowman, Institute for Advanced Learning & Research
Dr. Scott Lowman
About the Speaker
Dr. Scott Lowman
Institute for Advanced Learning & Research, VP of Applied Research
Dr. Scott Lowman joined the Institute for Advanced Learning and Research (IALR) in 2014 and was named Vice President of Applied Research in 2022. Prior to joining IALR, Lowman worked in the pharmaceutical industry and, in 2003, co-founded Lynchburg Grows, a non-profit urban farm and job training center in Lynchburg, Va. As a trained molecular biologist, Lowman has championed work in biotechnology and robotic imaging to improve agricultural productivity and sustainability. In 2020, Lowman teamed with Virginia Tech to launch the Controlled Environment Agriculture Innovation Center on IALR’s campus. The center, along with the Applied Research division at IALR, focuses on supporting industry, governmental and academic partners to help drive economic transformation in the Southern Virginia region.
Lowman supports this mission in his civic life as well, serving on the Town Council of Altavista, as President of Altavista on Track, and as a member of Altavista’s Economic Development Authority. In recognition of his work, Lowman was named a 2017 Outstanding Recent Graduate Alumnus at Virginia Tech and was presented the Commonwealth Environmental Leadership Award from the Waldorf Foundation. Lowman earned his bachelor’s degree in biology with Honors from Virginia Tech, his master’s in biology from the College of William and Mary, and his Ph.D. from Virginia Tech.
Register TODAY for the RISE Summit
The 3rd annual RISE Summit for Entrepreneurs and Innovators will be held Thursday, August 27, 2026 at the Institute for Advanced Learning & Research in Danville, VA. Don't miss out the unique opportunity to connect with peers and resources designed to help you start, grow, or scale your business in Southern Virginia.