Jared is OSA’s research and education assistant director. He has worked in the organic seed industry for over 15 years, managing seed production at two farms and conducting research and education projects with OSA. He currently manages OSA’s regional development in California, conducts participatory breeding projects and variety trials, and teaches farmers about seed production and plant breeding at workshops, conferences, and field days.

Co Founder & Data Science Lead

Informatics analyst with 10+ years’ experience building, running and interpreting cognitive neuroscience and microbial ecology experiments with both frequentist and Bayesian statistical approaches using modern development techniques.

Co Founder & Marketing Lead

Bjorn has years of experience as an event planner, outreach coordinator, and marketing specialist in the local and organic food industry. He is also an avid home gardener and loves seeds. His favorite crops to grow are head lettuce and dry beans and he loves to share his enthusiasm for both with any eager grower. Beyond the garden, Bjorn dabbles in a little bit of this and than including mountain biking, juggling, spoon carving, cidermaking, birdwatching, and getting his adorable son Ardea to smile. Bjorn has a B.S. in Environmental Science Biology from the University of Wisconsin – La Crosse.

Co Founder & Business Development Lead

Dylan has organic veggies in his bones: born and raised in southwest Wisconsin on an organic CSA farm. Dylan left the farm for Chicago and then Los Angeles, working his way through the food system. After graduating, Dylan was drawn back to Wisconsin by promises of good food, tangible seasons, friendly neighbors, and plentiful cheese. Since moving back Dylan has been working at the UW-Madison Organic and Sustainable Research and Extension lab managing vegetable trials. Finally, his heart called him back to the home farm, and with the help of good friends, Circadian Organics was born. Through his management experience in one of the largest national vegetable variety trialling programs, and commercial vegetable and seed production, Dylan has witnessed firsthand the need for an accessible and intuitive tool for varietal choice – he is excited to be a part of the SeedLinked team to bring that solution to fruition.

Philip Kauth is the interim seed bank manager at Seed Savers Exchange a nonprofit whose mission is to conserve and promote America’s culturally diverse but endangered garden and food crop heritage for future generations by collecting, growing, and sharing heirloom seeds and plants. As seed bank manager Philip is head of the Preservation Department charged with maintaining the vast collection of over 25,000 open-pollinated varieties. Philip joined Seed Savers Exchange in 2013 as the tissue culture lab manager and was assistant curator in charge of the evaluation program. Philip has a MS and PhD in horticultural sciences from the University of Florida.

Co Founder, Board of Director

Dave Kruse has started and worked with companies across many different industries including technology (big data, predictive analytics, Internet of Things, security), medical devices, real estate and beverages. He likes connecting with and helping companies grow.

In his spare time, Dave likes to hang out with friends and family, read. And he cannot believe that we are on a large rock flying through outer space.

Co Founder, Technology Partner

Sajan is a technology professional with over 20 years of industry experience. As a consummate programmer, analyst and project manager he understands the software development life cycle and the challenges of designing, developing and rolling out a well written piece of software.

As a consultant he has helped clients refine their software development processes and has helped them identify, hire and retain technology professionals.

Co Founder & CEO

Nicolas brings a broad vision and passion for what is possible in the seed industry founded in his years of private sector plant breeding in multinational seed companies in Europe and the United States. His expertise in data architecture, crop modeling, fundamental breeding techniques and participatory breeding strategies coupled with management and plant breeding program development find full expression in his continuing work and development of SeedLinked.

Julie is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Horticulture at the University of Wisconsin-Madison with extensive experience in participatory and organic plant breeding. She leads the Seed to Kitchen Collaborative in Wisconsin, which tests vegetable varieties suited to organic and diversified agricultural systems for superior flavor, market characteristics, and agronomic performance. Her research includes developing better methodologies for participatory plant breeding, vegetable variety trialing, flavor evaluation and using genetic resources in plant breeding.

Jacob brings together insights and methods from social, environmental, and plant sciences, in the study of plant genetic resources and agricultural systems. He develops quantitative and geospatial methods to study crop diversity and environmental change. Jacob’s specific interests lie in using information and communication technology in farmer-participatory crop improvement to speed adaptation to climate change.