Animal Enterprise and Innovation Major

Animal Enterprise and Innovation Major

Passionate about animals, business and innovation?

This new major blends animal production and management skills with business, data and technology. This develops graduates who are well-suited to start their own business or serve in roles such as product managers, data analysts, technical sales professionals, industry leaders and more. 

Animal agriculture companies and professionals have expressed an interest in team members with an animal science background who understand animal biology and animal products while being able to integrate that information with datasets and business implications to make informed management decisions. The AEI major is a one-of-a-kind program created from industry demand to pair the core animal science curriculum with business acumen. 

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Animal science + innovation

The Animal Enterprise and Innovation (AEI) major integrates animal science with entrepreneurship, systems management, and data-driven technology to prepare students for innovation and leadership in animal-related industries.

AEI Curriculum

Animal Enterprise and Innovation FAQs

Data drives the farming world today. I see successful dairy nutritionists today being the ones who can manage the volume of data generated on a dairy - be it the feeding, parlor, or herd management software. They still need to be proficient at balancing rations, but the ones who shine are those who can also help the farm manage the enormous volume of data they have.
Brady Zuck, Account Manager (WI), Zinpro
In my 35+ year career in the meat industry I have hired many Animal Science and Food Science graduates. Graduates of this program will be able to step in immediately across many animal industries and make positive, impactful change.
Craig Bacon, Senior Vice President Technical Services, Simmons Foods, Inc.
By offering the "Animal Enterprise and Innovation" major, Iowa State will be bringing the type of talent to the animal industry that we desperately need. Incoming students' eyes will be immediately opened to the opportunities in the industry beyond veterinary & animal science. I believe this will result in students who can visualize clearer paths to animal industry careers early in their studies, which will create motivated and well-prepared graduates entering the workforce.
Hannah Hill, 2018 Iowa State Graduate

Prepare for innovation and leadership in animal-related industries

  • Comprehensive Domesticated Animal Expertise
  • Data-Driven Decision Making in Animal Management
  • Development and Management of Animal Business Models
  • Entrepreneurship in Animal Products and Services
  • Innovation and Technology in Animal Products and Services

Graduates in the Animal Enterprise and Innovation (AEI) major will integrate expertise across scientific and economic disciplines to be ready to contribute to progress in a rapidly changing platform for enterprises that use animals to serve society in numerous ways, including food, fiber, pharmaceuticals, recreation, and companionship. Students will be able to provide context to their major with options that emphasize logistics of production and delivery, entrepreneurship, data management and technologies to ensure responsible use of resources.

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Alumni Spotlights

Kelsey Sindelar

Kelsey Sindelar, Process and Innovation Manager at Jones Dairy Farm

I'd absolutely love to hire a student that has graduated with an 'Animal Enterprise and Innovation' degree! 

Having a student coming right out of school having the basic understanding of how animals are raised, how animal products are created, and the business and mathematical background to readily integrate into an organization is fantastic. 

Seeing the coursework related to statistics, data analytics, and spreadsheet management is imperative and something that I've spent a lot of time with interns and the current workforce (of all ages) on - so having a student with the experience and confidence coming into an organization, but also having the scientific know-how is fantastic.

Brady McNeil

Brady McNeil, Multiplication Business Lead at DNA Genetics

This new major will help students directly prepare for the challenges they will face on day one of their jobs. Team members with an animal science background need to be able to understand the business implications to any science based decision and how to justify that decision. 

With agriculture now able to capture large datasets, our company and many of the companies we work with are in desperate need of students who understand data and the underlying biology it represents. 

Students with this major will have great flexibility to start their own company or quickly move up within an organization because of the unique background they bring to the table.

Abby Greiman

Abby Greiman, Livestock Market Advisor at Ever Ag

As a recent graduate of the Animal Science program at Iowa State, I believe the Animal Enterprise and Innovation major will set students up for success across a range of careers in the anımal industry. 

Many students that graduate with an Animal Science degree end up working in a role outside of veterinary medicine or research. AEI will provide a better base of knowledge and experience for these students. Personally, in my current role as an Agri-Food Intelligence Analyst, the courses included in AEI would have significantly decreased my learning curve in data analytics and supply chain logistics. 

The animal industry is rapidly evolving - establishing the AEI major underscores the emphasis Iowa State puts on innovation and forward thinking, and I believe it will make graduates even more sought after in the industry.

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