Bring your ideas to life.
The Innovation District is a comprehensive ecosystem of people, programs, and places working together to foster entrepreneurship and the commercialization of ideas at UGA.
When Anthony (Tony) Llano joined the University of Georgia’s College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences (CAES) earlier this year as director of industry partnerships and project-based learning, he brought with him a clear goal — to help bridge the gap between academic research and the industries shaping the future of food, farming and sustainability.
“I see my role as helping connect the incredible research being done here with the companies and organizations that can turn those ideas to sustainable, market impact,” Llano said. “It’s about building the right relationships to increase the clock speed of innovation.”
Llano arrived at UGA with more than two decades of experience in international agribusiness and agricultural technology. His career has taken him across the globe, from leadership roles in corporate partnerships to developing market-driven strategies for food security and precision agriculture, in addition to organizational effectiveness and operations leadership. That global perspective now informs his approach at CAES, where he’s working alongside UGA’s Innovation District to make sure innovation doesn’t stop at the lab or test field.
In his new role, Llano is helping the college expand its partnerships with private industry and align research with the evolving needs of the agricultural sector. He works closely with faculty, students, and external collaborators to identify opportunities for joint research, technology transfer, and entrepreneurial development.
Building the future of agriculture at UGA Grand Farm
One of the key initiatives he’s leading is the college’s collaboration with Grand Farm, an innovation ecosystem based in Fargo, North Dakota, dedicated to developing and testing emerging agricultural technologies.
Through this partnership, known as UGA Grand Farm, AgTech innovators have a unique opportunity to pilot their technologies on 250 acres of farmland in Perry, Georgia, adjacent to the Georgia National Fairgrounds and Agricenter and at the heart of the state’s agricultural landscape. The initiative supports sustainable, data-driven farming practices and helps validate new technologies under Georgia’s real-world agricultural conditions.
“The UGA Grand Farm partnership is an incredible opportunity,” Llano said. “It is an ecosystem and a living, working network of industry partners, innovators, growers, and researchers advancing precision agriculture and sustainability. Together, we are testing and validating emerging AgTech solutions that improve soil health, input efficiency, yield outcomes and farm economics, all while preserving the land that sustains us. It’s where research meets implementation.”
Empowering industry through research innovation
For Llano, these collaborations are part of a broader vision to make UGA a national hub for agricultural innovation. His business background gives him a pragmatic view of how to translate academic research into market-ready solutions, while his respect for the scientific process helps him support faculty in navigating the often-complex path from idea to impact.
“I’ve seen how industry and academia can speak different languages,” he said. “My job is to create that translation layer. I want to make it easier for our researchers to find partners, access resources, and see their work make a difference, which is exactly what they want to do as well.”
Much of that translation happens through UGA’s Innovation District, which Llano describes as a critical resource for turning ideas into tangible outcomes. The district provides the infrastructure, mentorship, and network that faculty entrepreneurs and student innovators need to bring their discoveries to market.
“The Innovation District has been invaluable,” Llano said. “It helps faculty and students think about commercialization, intellectual property and collaboration in a way that’s both structured and creative. It’s a space where ideas don’t just stay ideas.”
Aligning UGA with industry needs
Beyond developing partnerships, Llano is also focused on nurturing a culture of innovation within the college. He regularly meets with researchers and graduate students to discuss how their work might align with industry needs, guiding them through questions about scalability, application, and potential collaborators.
“Academia produces a tremendous amount of meaningful innovation,” Llano said. “The challenge is figuring out how to get those ideas to the people and companies who can use them. I am proud to be part of a community of professionals committed to making those linkages possible.”
As agriculture faces new challenges, from environmental pressures and resource scarcity to labor shortages and supply chain disruptions, Llano believes the key to progress lies in collaboration. And at UGA, he sees a community ready to lead that change.
“UGA has the talent, the research, and the entrepreneurial mindset to continue to make a real difference in how the world grows food and manages natural resources,” he said. “My goal is to help us connect those strengths with the industries and partners who can amplify that impact.”
With Llano’s leadership, CAES is positioning itself at the crossroads of innovation and implementation — where discovery meets demand, and where the future of agriculture is being cultivated one partnership at a time.
