Almanac, an agricultural intelligence platform, has appointed Dr. Chad W. Jennings as its new Vice President of Product Management. Dr Jennings, with over two decades of experience in data analytics and geospatial technology, most recently served as Group Product Manager at Google Cloud, where he focused on advancing geospatial analytics for BigQuery. His background includes a connection to agriculture through his family’s 100-year-old farm in Australia, bringing additional context to his role in agtech—a sector projected to reach $22.5 billion by 2025.
With Dr Jennings at the helm of product development, Almanac aims to expand its integration of IoT, geospatial analytics, and AI, while remaining focused on practical solutions for the agricultural sector. Currently managing over 100 million acres globally, Almanac combines data science with geospatial analytics, emphasizing the needs of farmers.
Commenting on Dr Jenning’s appointment, Sumer Johal, CEO of Almanac said:
“His expertise in AI, geospatial analytics and the craft of product management aligns with our goals. We look forward to leveraging his leadership, experience and product discipline to enhance Almanac’s intelligence to amplify the wisdom of our growers for smarter, more insightful decisions throughout global food systems.”
Holding a Ph.D. in Aeronautical and Astronautical Engineering from Stanford University, Dr Jennings has held leadership roles in both startups and established companies.
Dr Jennings’ work at Google included making BigQuery the first large-scale data warehouse to support geospatial functions and contributing to the integration of Google Earth Engine with Google Cloud. Commenting on the evolution of agricultural technology, Jennings noted that recent advancements in cloud computing and AI are transforming data analytics, presenting new possibilities for farmers.
Reflecting on his agricultural roots, Dr Jennings shared a perspective on farming’s challenges in balancing tradition with modern technology. “I have deep respect for the life farmers choose—balancing tradition with the need to embrace modern technology,” said Jennings.
“With the global population surpassing 8 billion and climate change threatening food supply chains, there has never been a more urgent time for the agriculture industry to embrace data-driven solutions. Almanac is uniquely positioned to gather and analyze vast amounts of real-time data—from sensors, satellite imagery, and weather logs—to empower growers with the insights they need to produce more food on the land we have.”
Almanac, formed through the merger of agrotech platforms Semios and Agworld, now offers a broad suite of data-driven products for farmers and agricultural professionals. Central to the platform is Alma, an intelligence tool that compiles data from farm sensors, weather patterns, and community insights to provide real-time, actionable guidance. Semios delivers data on climate, pests, and water through a vast sensor network, while Agworld enables farm management tracking budgets and operational efficiencies. Together, these tools support over 100 million acres worldwide, helping farmers make informed, sustainable choices amid shifting agricultural challenges.
