b'GLOBALGLOBAL INNOVATIONGLOBAL INNOVATIONGLOBAL INNOVATIONGLOBAL INNOVATION SHOWDOWN SHOWDOWN SHOWDOWN SHOWDOWN1 st 2 nd 3 rd 4 thPLACE PLACE PLACE PLACEGLOBAL INNOVATIONGLOBAL INNOVATIONGLOBAL INNOVATION SHOWDOWN SHOWDOWN SHOWDOWN1 st 2 nd 3 rdPLACE PLACE PLACEGLOBAL INNOVATIONGLOBAL INNOVATIONGLOBAL INNOVATIONCANADIAN SHOWDOWN SHOWDOWN SHOWDOWN TOP INNOVATION1 st 2 nd 3 rdPLACE PLACE PLACESEED SALES GO SEAMLESS THANKS GLOBAL INNOVATIONGLOBAL INNOVATIONGLOBAL INNOVATIONTO THIS ACCIDENTAL STARTUPSHOWDOWN SHOWDOWN SHOWDOWN1 st 2 nd 3 rdPLACE PLACE PLACE Someone had a problem, and Bill Rimmer knew how to fix it. Now Seedtrakr is quietly revolutionizing the industrys inventory.Marc ZienkiewiczBY THE TIME Bill Rimmer launched Seedtrakr in early 2016, hed already spent decades building enterprise software systems. But it wasnt until he left the oil and gas world of Calgary and moved to a brick farmhouse outside Glenboro, Man., that he saw a problem worth solving in the seed industry.GLOBAL INNOVATIONGLOBAL INNOVATIONGLOBAL INNOVATIONA seed grower friend of his came over one day with his old SHOWDOWN SHOWDOWN SHOWDOWN laptop. That sparked an idea.1 st 2 nd 3 rd That laptop was running software that had been obsolete PLACE PLACE PLACEfor years, Rimmer recalls. He was desperate to keep his old machine alive because it ran the only system he had for manag-ing his seed business. That system was clunky, fragile, and completely dependent on outdated tech. It was built back in the day for Windows XP and didnt work anywhere else. He was backing it up with USB keys. The whole thing was duct tape and hope, says Rimmer, who originally hails from England. It was the spark that lit the fireBill Rimmer is the brains behind Seedtrakr.for Seedtrakr.Its a full-stack, industry-specific digital ecosystem. And its A Simple Idea with Complex Implications still growing. But there was a catch: not everyone in the seed Rimmer wasnt new to software. He has a degree in electricalchain was using Seedtrakr. So, we asked, how do you bring engineering with a specialization in computer engineering.people into the ecosystem who arent customers yet? Thats We wanted something that worked from anywhere, on anywhere MySeed comes in. device, without the need for local installs or IT support, heLaunched quietly in late 2024, MySeed is a mobile app explains. So, we built it in the cloud. But back then, that was adesigned to connect Seedtrakr users with their non-user cus-tough sell. tomers, growers, or licensees, and to search seed listings in their Today, Seedtrakr runs on Google Cloud with near-perfectarea.uptime. Weve had less than an hour of downtime in almostThe formal launch of MySeed is still pending, but the soft a decade, Rimmer notes. And thats because were leaning onrollout has already provided valuable insights. infrastructure thats been built to be bulletproof. Seedtrakr may have started as a side project, but its become Over time, Seedtrakr evolved into more than just record- a proving ground for Rimmer and his teams most forward-keeping software. We realized that our users were doing busi- thinking work. ness with each other, but still transacting offline, says Rimmer.Youre trying to stay ahead of the curve, anticipate what the So, we built out what we call the Seedtrakr Network.seed industry is ready forand sometimes what its not quite The Seedtrakr Network allows customers to discover, con- ready for yet.nect with, and transact directly with one another inside theBut nearly a decade in, Rimmers approach hasnt changed platform. That includes things like tracking licensed varieties,much from that day his friend walked in with his dying laptop.monitoring royalty payments, and documenting contract grow- Somebody had a problem. We had the tools to fix it. And ing activity. then we just kept going.12 SEEDWORLD.COM/CANADA JULY 2025'