Federico Tripodi

Federico Tripodi is a prominent executive, entrepreneur, and investor, currently serving as the Founder and CEO of Blacktop Holdings LLC, a venture lab focused on providing strategic and operational partnership services to rapidly growing companies in the agricultural technology and food sectors. He has been in this role since September 2019.12

Professional Background

Tripodi has over two decades of experience in the agricultural biotech industry. Before founding Blacktop Holdings, he was the CEO of Calyxt, where he led the company through its transition to a publicly traded entity and oversaw the commercialization of significant gene-edited products.1 His career also includes extensive roles at Monsanto, where he held various leadership positions in product development and corporate strategy across North America and Latin America.12

Current Roles

In addition to his role at Blacktop Holdings, Tripodi is actively involved in other organizations:

• Chair of the Board at the Agricultural Utilization Research Institute (AURI) since January 2022, where he focuses on connecting agricultural innovations with consumer needs.14
• Non-Executive Director at Nufarm, a global crop protection company, since June 2023.25

Education

Federico Tripodi holds an MBA from Washington University in St. Louis and a degree in Agronomic Engineering from the University of Buenos Aires.1

Vision and Impact

Tripodi is passionate about leveraging technology to enhance sustainability in agriculture and food production, aiming to create healthier and more sustainable food systems for consumers while addressing global challenges.13