Southeast Missouri State University’s Sikeston campus welcomes Saluna, a St. Louis-based agricultural technology startup focused on advancing hemp as a competitive and sustainable alternative for farmers. Saluna will use the campus as its primary field research site as its first business expansion. This new partnership highlights a shared vision for innovation, regional growth and entrepreneurship in the heart of Missouri’s agricultural landscape.
Saluna will lease space and field-testing property at the University’s Sikeston campus, where it will conduct seed trials and hire and train SEMO students to support its research.
“We are excited to welcome Saluna to the Sikeston campus,” said SEMO President Dr. Carlos Vargas. “This partnership is a perfect example of how SEMO is fostering new business opportunities and creating pathways for innovation in agriculture.”
The collaboration not only brings real-world experience to students, but also provides Saluna with access to one of the most productive agricultural regions in the state.
“The idea for Saluna was born in southern Missouri,” said Matt Plummer, CEO of Saluna. “The SEMO-Sikeston campus offers up an unrivaled combination of resources of access to land, facilities, student talent and farmers.”
“This is exactly the kind of innovative partnership we want to attract to our regional campuses,” said Dan Presson, assistant vice president of economic and workforce development at SEMO. “With this partnership with Saluna we’re creating space for new technologies, new ideas and new opportunities that will benefit our students, our economy and our agricultural communities.”
Tell me More about Agriculture
Saluna’s connection to SEMO began in 2023. After hiring a student intern from SEMO, Saluna quickly recognized southeast Missouri’s unmatched agricultural landscape as an asset to its business model. That relationship has now grown into a deeper commitment—anchoring the startup’s expansion in Sikeston, including already hiring three SEMO students.
The partnership highlights SEMO’s ability to bridge rural resources with urban innovation. As Saluna continues to grow, the collaboration demonstrates how SEMO drives workforce development, supports new businesses and creates opportunities.
“This partnership puts us in the heart of our target geography where we can grow and foster the entrepreneurial spirit of farmers across the Mid-South,” said Dr. Mike Gerau, chief technology officer at Saluna and adjunct professor at SEMO.
“This is a unique example of how the University can directly impact regional economic development by serving as a connector,” said Presson.
To learn more about Saluna, visit saluna.ag. To learn more about partnering with SEMO, visit semo.edu/economic-workforce.