AGRIBUSINESS AND FOOD INNOVATION MANAGEMENT PROGRAM
Offered by the Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics in-person at the CSU Spur campus in Denver.
Application, enrollment, and registration are managed through CSU Online.
Master’s in Agribusiness and Food Innovation Management
Introduction Content
Who Are We?
The Agribusiness and Food Innovation Management program is offered in-person at Colorado State University’s Spur campus in the vibrant heart of Denver, Colorado. We bring together motivated young professionals from the agricultural and food industries in our masters and certificate programs and train them in core competencies as innovators and entrepreneurs.
We then invite companies, academic scientists, or others to propose to our students a pressing “innovation idea” with the potential to transform some aspect of agriculture and food. Our students then work with one of those idea providers in a year-long practicum project to explore and develop the market potential of that idea, with the aim to launch a new product, service, or even a startup company to commercialize it.
Why Spur?
CSU Spur Denver Campus is a modern day approach to CSU’s land grant mission.
- A campus that brings learning to everyone, offers collaborative spaces for research around the most pressing issues of our time, and serves local and global communities.
- The perfect home for the first-of-its-kind Agribusiness and Food Innovation Management program, preparing leaders to solve local and global challenges
- A hub for cutting edge coursework, active networking, and practical experience
What We Offer
Full Time Masters Degree
Complete your masters with 35 credits over a 4-term coursework program. Plan on 16 months for completion. Your degree is from CSU’s Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics.
Part-Time Masters Degree
Complete your masters with 35 credits over an 8-term coursework program. Plan on 28 months for completion. Your degree is from CSU’s Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics.
Certificate in Innovation and Entrepreneurship
Complete your certificate with 9 credits over one or more terms. Plan on 4 – 9 months. Your certificate is in partnership with CSU’s College of Business MBA program.
The Practicum Projects
You will gain hands-on, real-world experience through a unique, integrative, team-based, business development practicum project. Based in teams of three or four, your team will choose one of two practicum tracks. In both tracks, you are paired with external partners who are active innovators in science or industry. And you are guided through the practicum by CSU faculty, advisors, and entrepreneur-in-residence mentors.

The Venture Creation Track
Analyze a new business prospect or invention, develop a business plan, seek to raise capital, and prepare to launch a startup to commercialize the idea.

The Corporate Partner Track
Engage with a successful agriculture or food company to analyze and develop an innovation within that company’s current offerings or as a new line of business.
Testimonials
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Our Industry Partners
Industry Advisory Board Info
Ag, Food, and Water Innovators Network
Alpha Farmers Network
Be an Entrepreneur-in-Residence
Propose a New Practicum Project
News and Events
New research models how to slow spread of COVID-19 among firefighters in wildland fire incidents
FFA students test their ag skills during the Colorado Career Development Events at CSU
Spurring Discovery In Food And Agriculture
The CSU Spur Campus at Denver’s National Western Center brings together research, teaching and engagement activities in a modern-day approach to the university’s land-grant mission. The public-facing campus celebrates the proud tradition of Colorado agriculture while inspiring innovation with global impact.
At CSU Spur, the College of Agricultural Sciences and Agricultural Experiment Station collaborate with diverse partners to provide a community-centric, experiential and lifelong learning opportunity focusing on the safety, security and sustainability of food and natural resources to enhance the well-being of humans, plants and animals.