Geared for Growth: Skull Diamond Heart Capital Cultivates Sustainable Future Through Strategic AgTech Investments in Greater Rochester
Skull Diamond Heart Capital pays tribute to the Greater Rochester region’s history of agricultural technology innovation by investing in our future through strategic funding for local startups. Founder & CEO Chance Wright was on Geared for Growth on Wednesday, February 28th as part of Greater Rochester Chamber’s ongoing partnership with 13WHAM/Fox Rochester. Wright discussed the organization’s strategic viewpoint, their investments in Greater Rochester and the city, and what the future holds for their organization.
SDH Capital is a venture capital company focusing on strategic growth for up-and-coming companies. Chance shared that their organization primarily focuses on food, tech, and agricultural technology. "One of the
we picked Rochester is for the region’s deep history in regenerative farming and agricultural tech,” Wright noted. He shared that this industry became a central point of their business model because of its broader impact on the whole world. “The world has a limited amount of space and more people as the world continues to grow. So we asked how can we feed more people more efficiently, using the same resources,” Chance explained, “Combatting hunger around the world starts with providing food for people.” He continued to share that they’re specifically focusing on creating sustainable growth for the future through emerging technologies such as regenerative farming, warehouse farming, and more.
In addition to their investment in early stage agricultural businesses around our region, Skull Diamond Heart have additionally invested in the City of Rochester. Last year, they opened their brand new office in the historic Sibley Building in the heart of downtown Rochester. “Downtown Rochester has been such a joy to be a business in. To see the change in the downtown area just in the short time that we’ve been there has been really incredible,” Chance noted, “Greater Rochester Chamber of Commerce and all of our local partners have been really fantastic in assisting us in any of our needs.”
Wright shared that over the past few years, they have growth from a team of two to now having eight employees in Rochester and are in the process of hiring three more team members. Looking to the future, he shared that they’re seeking to deepen their roots in the local community, specifically through partnership with our local university systems. “It’s been a great growth opportunity for us to explore all the new and exciting companies coming out of the university systems directly,” he explained. The Greater Rochester region is home to nineteen colleges and universities and over 80,000 students.
For those looking to learn more about Skull Diamond Heart, the work they’re doing, and how you can get involved, please visit SDHCap.com or connect with them on LinkedIn.
To hear more exciting stories about growing organizations in the Greater Rochester region, be sure to tune into FOX Rochester every Wednesday morning at 8:45 AM to catch every segment of Geared for Growth.