Ellie Symes

Ellie Symes

Born in St. Louis, Missouri, Ellie Symes, CEO of The Bee Corp, grew up in a number of cities across the Midwest and Canada. Ellie recently completed her Masters of Public Affairs with a concentration in Information Systems from the Indiana University School of Public and Environmental Affairs. Ellie grew her love for beekeeping by starting a beekeeping club at Indiana University while she completed her BS degree in Environmental Management. Ellie was recently given the Rising Star Award at TechPoint’s annual Mira Awards.

 

Company Background: The Bee Corp, founded in 2016, applies data analytics to beehives to help growers ensure effective pollination. The company was started after winning Indiana University’s BEST Competition and a $100,000 investment and has since raised a funding round. The company has also been awarded several grants: National Science Foundation SBIR Grant, ISBDC Technical Assistance Program, Next Level Jobs Grant, and a Bloomington Urban Enterprise Association Grant. The company was recently honored with a ISBDC Small Business Impact Award.