Jacqueline Heard of Enko
An exclusive Tech Tribune Q&A with Jacqueline Heard (co-founder) of Enko, which was honored in our:
- 2025 Best Tech Startups in Connecticut
- 2024 Best Tech Startups in Connecticut
- 2023 Best Tech Startups in Connecticut
- 2022 Best Tech Startups in Connecticut
Tell us the origin story of Enko – what problem were you trying to solve and why?
Across my career and leadership roles in R&D and biotech, I saw that crop protection was in dire need of a new model of innovation. It is undoubtedly surprising to the layperson to learn that farmers worldwide lose 40-60% of crops annually due to weeds, pests, and disease. With an eye on Pharma’s revolutionizing success applying cutting-edge drug discovery tools and early AI to healthcare, I wanted to explore a similar model for plants because crops get sick too. With support from Anterra Capital, I formed Enko in 2017.
Enko’s singular objective is to more quickly and cost-effectively find sustainable solutions that can help farmers to maximize their fields by protecting their crops from weeds, insects, and disease.
Enko’s AI driven discovery platform ENKOMPASS™ was the first of its kind in agriculture. With the guidance of scientists in the lab, it can identify new and safer chemistries at a speed (90% faster) and scale that traditional methods cannot match. ENKOMPASS can find products that provide greater farmer success because they are targeted and designed to be more sustainable and better for the planet.
That takes us to a future where we’re using more effective compounds that have fewer or no effects on non-target species, something approaching the perfect crop protection product.
What was the biggest hurdle you encountered in your journey?
Fundraising, and challenging long held crop protection discovery models. Applying an AI-powered platform like ENKOMPASS™ into an environment steeped in traditional R&D required more than just scientific validation, it represented a shift in mindset across the industry. Today, some of the industry’s biggest players are partners.
What does the future hold for Enko?
Enko strives to enable a new era of safe, sustainable crop protection. Alongside discovery, Enko’s growing number of industry partnerships are critical to getting new discoveries to market. The company is now in the capable hands of Tony Klemm, Enko’s new CEO, and the company’s board.
The future means safer, not slower. Our platform can identify new, effective chemistries in weeks, not years. As threats like Palmer Amaranth and corn rootworm continue to evolve, we’ll be ready to respond in real time with smarter, cleaner solutions. Enko is building a foundation for long-term resilience in global food production and setting the stage for regulatory-ready innovations.
What are your thoughts on the local tech startup scene in Connecticut?
Connecticut is a national leader in supporting and incubating bio-tech startups. Connecticut Innovations (CI), one of Enko’s investors, is the State of Connecticut’s venture capital division, an organization that has embraced and supported Enko in many ways since our move to the state in 2021. CI has more than 250 portfolio companies and provides access to in-house talent acquisition, recruiters, and state incentives for start-ups.
What’s your best advice for aspiring entrepreneurs?
It’s best to start a business in a field you know inside and out. Your investor pitch must be strong, airtight, and impactful. Knowing your industry well helps leaders to anticipate and respond to questions and challenges. Investors won’t easily dismiss a business idea that hits key buckets: fulfilling a massive need, offers significant social and environmental impact, and has the potential to generate strong profits.
Beyond the bottom line, everything depends on the people in your circle. Make time for the people building your business, create a culture of inclusion and comradery where everyone can grow and ideas are nurtured and appreciated no matter who brought them to the table.