ST. LOUIS (ST. LOUIS PUBLIC RADIO) - Agriculture and biotech companies from around the world are in St. Louis for a venture-capital showcase. It's part of a larger effort to develop St. Louis as a hot spot for biotech.

Sam Fiorello is the Director of Bridge Park, a biotech research campus associated with the Danforth Plant Science Center. He says the two big trump cards St. Louis has in plant science are industry giant Monsanto and the Danforth Center, one of the top plant research institutions in the world.

Focused on spotlighting commercial investment opportunities and scientific advances from around the world in ag-bio, food and nutrition, biofuels, sustainable materials, clean-tech, information technology and animal health, a marquee event entitled the Ag Innovation Showcase will be held on May 24th & 25th in St. Louis, MO. The venue is the Danforth Plant Science Center, the world’s largest independent plant science research institute, located in the heartland of American agriculture.

The Ag Innovation Showcase, the leading global conference for agriculture industry leaders, entrepreneurs, venture capitalists and investors, has announced a special preview program on Algae to Biofuel: A Practical Solution to Energy, from 9:30 until 11:00 a.m., on Monday, May 24, at the Donald Danforth Plant Science Center in St. Louis, MO. Held immediately before the luncheon and official kick-off at noon for the second annual Ag Innovation Showcase, the pre-program is available at no additional charge and reservations can be made online at www.agshowcase.com.

Presented by the Enterprise Rent-A-Car Institute for Renewable Fuels, based at the Danforth Plant Science Center, the program will feature three prominent leaders in the field exploring the accelerating efforts to take algae from “pond scum” to a renewable energy source at the fuel pump.

Algae have significant potential as a clean, renewable, and economical fuel source. In addition, biofuels generate more jobs than any other sector of sustainable energy. As the industry grows, there is potential for hundreds of thousands of new jobs nationally. St. Louis has become a hotbed for this cutting edge research.

Join us for a lively discussion and learn the facts about what may be the most promising solution to our nation's quest for energy independence from three leaders is the field. This special opportunity "advance" program will be presented just prior to the noon kick-off of the Ag Innovation Showcase (9:30-11:50AM on May 24).

The Ag Innovation Showcase, the leading global conference for agriculture industry leaders, entrepreneurs, venture capitalists and investors, has announced May 24 and 25 for the second annual program. It will be held at the Danforth Plant Science Center in St. Louis, Mo., the largest independent plant science research institute in the world, located in the heartland of American agriculture.