Derek Rapp

Monsanto Co. engages in the provision of agricultural products to farmers. It provides other seed companies with genetic material and biotechnology traits for their seed brands. The company was founded by John F. Queeny in 1901 and is headquartered in St. Louis, MO.

Mendel Biotechnology, Inc. operates as a plant biotechnology company. It develops genetic and chemical solutions for a range of agricultural markets. The firm offers biofuel feedstocks, yield enhancement, flowering, drought tolerance, freezing tolerance, disease resistance, nutrient use efficiency, and cold germination products. The company was founded in 1997 and is headquartered in Newark, CA.

RiverVest Venture Management LLC (RiverVest Venture Partners) is a venture capital firm founded in 2000 by Tom C. Melzer, Jay W. Schmelter, Mark J. Mendel and Andrew B. Craig III. The firm is headquartered in St. Louis, Missouri.

JDRF International is a leader in setting the agenda for diabetes research worldwide, and is the largest charitable funder of and advocate for type 1 diabetes research. JDRF find a cure for diabetes and its complications through the support of research. Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease that strikes children and adults suddenly, and can be fatal. Until a cure is found, people with type 1 diabetes have to test their blood sugar and give themselves insulin injections multiple times or use a pump each day, every day of their lives. And even with that intensive care, insulin is not a cure for diabetes, nor does it prevent its potential complications, which may include kidney failure, blindness, heart disease, stroke, and amputation. It was founded in 1970 and is headquartered in New York, NY.

St. Louis Regional Chamber & Growth Association operates as a non-profit organization, which engages in economic development business and public policy. The company was founded in 1836 and is headquartered in St. Louis, MO.

United Way of Greater St. Louis raises and allocates funds for charities. The company was founded in 1922 and is headquartered in St. Louis, MO.

Divergence, Inc. engages in the discovery and development of genes. It focuses on reducing the impact of parasitic nematode worms, devastating unseen pests that cause billions of dollars in crop losses annually and substantial morbidity to people, livestock, and pets. The company was founded by James P. McCarte in 1999 and is headquartered in St. Louis, MO.

The Donald Danforth Plant Science Center is a non-profit research institute founded in 1998 with a mission to improve the human condition through plant science. The non-profit company's research, education, and outreach efforts focus on the intersection of food security and the environment, positioning St. Louis as a world center for plant science. The company is based in St. Louis, MO. The center is funded through competitive grants from various sources, including the National Institutes of Health, Department of Energy, National Science Foundation, and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. The center's principal investigators conduct fundamental research that leads to useful crops and products that solve real problems.