Jenn Smith leads food and ag startup programs for Cornell’s Center for Regional Economic
Advancement (CREA), including the Grow-NY program, an annual $3M competition for innovative,
early stage businesses with high-growth potential working anywhere in the agrifood system.
Through CREA she co-directs an ag tech hardware accelerator and runs a Dairy Product Innovation
initiative and activities supporting the cultivation of Upstate New York’s regional agrifood
ecosystem. In her role she draws on her background in entrepreneurship in the food and farming
space and subject matter expertise in craft beverage market development, gained while being the
Executive Director of the New York Cider Association (NYCA) and the New York State Distillers
Guild (NYSDG). In addition to leading NYCA and NYSDG, Jenn has helped entrepreneurs throughout
the Northeast launch value-added products, agritourism ventures and hospitality businesses.