Stick With It
Sometimes science beats us down. Statistically, we’re destined to fail about 90% of the time. So, why try over and over? Because if we stick with it, there’s something extraordinary on the other side.
The one win that changes everything.
Our
Mission
DO the right thing — courageously — in every aspect of our business.
LIVE with environmental presence.
APPLY radical aspiration and brilliant science.
HARNESS nature to grow in ways never thought possible.
THIS IS GROWCENTIA
A highly credentialed team of experts with the experience and entrepreneurial drive of a category leader.
Rich Conant, Ph.D.
Chairman and Director
Growcentia co-founder, professor and head of the Ecology and Sustainability Department at Colorado State University. Recognized globally as an authority on the relationship between human activities and ecosystem biogeochemistry and soil health his scientific publications garnering over 16,000 citations.
Growcentia co-founder, professor and head of the Ecology and Sustainability Department at Colorado State University. Recognized globally as an authority on the relationship between human activities and ecosystem biogeochemistry and soil health his scientific publications garnering over 16,000 citations.
Jim Hornthal, MBA
Director
Co-founder and chairman of M34 Capital, Zignal Labs and LaunchPad Central. Lester Center Fellow at UC Berkeley Haas School of Business; Bachelor's degree in economics (cum laude) from Princeton; MBA from Harvard Business School (Baker Scholar).
Co-founder and chairman of M34 Capital, Zignal Labs and LaunchPad Central. Lester Center Fellow at UC Berkeley Haas School of Business; Bachelor's degree in economics (cum laude) from Princeton; MBA from Harvard Business School (Baker Scholar).
Errol Arkilic, Ph.D.
Director
Co-founder and CEO of M34 Capital. Chief innovation officer and executive director at University of California Irvine Beall Applied Innovation. Formerly, founder and program director of the National Science Foundation’s I-Corps program. Founder and CEO of StrataGent Lifesciences. Ph.D., Aero and Astro Engineering, MIT.
Co-founder and CEO of M34 Capital. Chief innovation officer and executive director at University of California Irvine Beall Applied Innovation. Formerly, founder and program director of the National Science Foundation’s I-Corps program. Founder and CEO of StrataGent Lifesciences. Ph.D., Aero and Astro Engineering, MIT.
Scott J. Wiley
Director and CEO
Tenure: Two years. 30-plus year veteran in the agricultural, agtech and natural resources sectors. CEO, president and COO roles for companies across the agrifood value chain. Sunkist and Fruit Growers Supply Company board director. M&A transactions exceeding $40 billion. Two-time top Colorado CEOs recipient.
Read Scott's Bio
Tenure: Two years. 30-plus year veteran in the agricultural, agtech and natural resources sectors. CEO, president and COO roles for companies across the agrifood value chain. Sunkist and Fruit Growers Supply Company board director. M&A transactions exceeding $40 billion. Two-time top Colorado CEOs recipient.
Read Scott's Bio
Matthew Wallenstein, Ph.D.
Senior Advisor to the Board of Directors
Co-founder and chairman emeritus of Growcentia. Chief Soil Scientist for Syngenta Group, and previously a professor and department head of Soil and Crop Sciences at Colorado State University. He is recognized as a worldwide authority on soil science and agricultural technologies.
Co-founder and chairman emeritus of Growcentia. Chief Soil Scientist for Syngenta Group, and previously a professor and department head of Soil and Crop Sciences at Colorado State University. He is recognized as a worldwide authority on soil science and agricultural technologies.
Darrin Paschal
Chief Commercial Officer
Tenure 1 year. A decade as nursery owner and consultant in controlled environment and greenhouse space. Over 25 years’ experience in horticulture and agricultural industries.
20+ years leading product development for new market development of emerging technologies. Advanced tech nutrition/nano technology and biology. Specialize in high value specialty crops. Experience building and leading national sales teams.
Tenure 1 year. A decade as nursery owner and consultant in controlled environment and greenhouse space. Over 25 years’ experience in horticulture and agricultural industries.
20+ years leading product development for new market development of emerging technologies. Advanced tech nutrition/nano technology and biology. Specialize in high value specialty crops. Experience building and leading national sales teams.
Ilene Rosenthal, MBA
Chief Marketing Officer
Tenure: One year. Strategy, brand and growth marketer. MBA, NYU Stern School of Business.
Tenure: One year. Strategy, brand and growth marketer. MBA, NYU Stern School of Business.
Linda Judge
Corporate & Intellectual Property Counsel
Tenure: Two years. Thirty-plus years of corporate and intellectual property law practice and executive level corporate biotech IP leadership. Investor in numerous startup and early-stage biotech companies. A master's degree from UC Berkeley and a J.D. from the University of Santa Clara Law School. Registered before the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.
Tenure: Two years. Thirty-plus years of corporate and intellectual property law practice and executive level corporate biotech IP leadership. Investor in numerous startup and early-stage biotech companies. A master's degree from UC Berkeley and a J.D. from the University of Santa Clara Law School. Registered before the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.
Michael J. Braus, Ph.D.
Product Development Research and Data Scientist
Tenure: One year. Soil biogeochemist, bioinformatician and life sciences educator. Formerly soil scientist at AlgaXperts and post-doctorate soil microbiologist at Idaho State University. Ph.D. in soil science, microbial ecology and biogeochemistry from the University of Wisconsin.
Tenure: One year. Soil biogeochemist, bioinformatician and life sciences educator. Formerly soil scientist at AlgaXperts and post-doctorate soil microbiologist at Idaho State University. Ph.D. in soil science, microbial ecology and biogeochemistry from the University of Wisconsin.
Matt Anderson
National Sales Director
Tenure: Three years. Formerly: senior sales executive at Growcentia, territory sales manager at Sparetime Supply Distribution, firefighter/EMT for Willits Fire, warehouse manager for Mendocino County Farm Supply, sergeant and combat engineer for the United States Marine Corps.
Tenure: Three years. Formerly: senior sales executive at Growcentia, territory sales manager at Sparetime Supply Distribution, firefighter/EMT for Willits Fire, warehouse manager for Mendocino County Farm Supply, sergeant and combat engineer for the United States Marine Corps.
Natalie Ward
Director, Sales Operations and Salesforce Lead and Administrator
Tenure: Six years. Formerly team lead and Narrowband coordinator at Nuvox, site manager for the YMCA’s Learn to Swim Program, assistant manager of bookstore operations at the University of Central Florida, and administrator and trainer for a southeastern U.S. regional law firm.
Tenure: Six years. Formerly team lead and Narrowband coordinator at Nuvox, site manager for the YMCA’s Learn to Swim Program, assistant manager of bookstore operations at the University of Central Florida, and administrator and trainer for a southeastern U.S. regional law firm.
Dylan Hodges
Director, Operations
Tenure: Six years. Formerly engineering technician, Colorado State University Engineering Research Center, chemistry technician at ALS Environments, civil engineering intern at the City of Loveland. Bachelor's degree in watershed science with a geology minor, Colorado State University.
Tenure: Six years. Formerly engineering technician, Colorado State University Engineering Research Center, chemistry technician at ALS Environments, civil engineering intern at the City of Loveland. Bachelor's degree in watershed science with a geology minor, Colorado State University.
Alex Morrissette
Director, Quality and Lead Scientist
Tenure: Four years. Formerly microbial control and flavor chemist at Rodelle. Master's degree in microbiology and bachelor's degree in biology from Colorado State University.
Tenure: Four years. Formerly microbial control and flavor chemist at Rodelle. Master's degree in microbiology and bachelor's degree in biology from Colorado State University.
Our Journey
Growcentia’s three co-founders successfully harvested microbes from all over the world and identified the ones most likely to improve soil health, plant growth and quality.
These microbes were introduced to one another in small groups — scientifically directed “chance” encounters — that may have taken millennia to occur on their own. When all the right guests attend these microscopic parties, the result is a microbial consortium that naturally contributes to soil enhancement.
