John O’Connell is Director of Plug and Play in Minnesota, where he leads the firm’s regional platform and works with global corporations, startups, and ecosystem partners to accelerate innovation across food, agriculture, and sustainability.
John brings two decades of experience designing shared-value partnerships with multinational companies including Land O’Lakes, Corteva, Ferrero, John Deere, and Danone. His work has focused on mobilizing investment into disruptive technologies and entrepreneurial ecosystems across Africa, Europe, the Middle East, and South Asia.
Prior to joining Plug and Play, John worked at Land O’Lakes on international trade initiatives in partnership with the U.S. Department of Agriculture. He has contributed to global discussions on sustainability and resilient food systems, including at COP27, the Concordia Annual Summit, the World Bank, and leading innovation forums worldwide.
