Alumni Spotlight: Interview with Luke Allison of MOVA Technologies
Luke Allison serves as Chief Advancement Officer for MOVA Technologies, where he leads fundraising, strategic partnerships, and commercialization efforts. A Virginia Tech alumnus originally from Tazewell, Virginia, Luke is passionate about advancing technologies that strengthen agriculture while creating new opportunities for rural communities.
MOVA Technologies develops advanced air purification systems that remove airborne contaminants to improve industry economics. Its first product, FEATHER™, helps poultry producers improve bird health, farm profitability, and overall production performance.
We got the chance to connect with Luke, dive into his background, and learn more about how MOVA came to fruition.
Tell us the origin story of your company. What inspired you?
At MOVA, we had a concept of utilizing selective filter media to capture gaseous pollutants. Around 2021, a Maryland lawsuit against the poultry industry regarding ammonia emissions from poultry houses made the light bulb shine above our team members’ heads. If we can utilize our process to capture specific gaseous pollutants, then maybe we could solve this ammonia problem facing the poultry industry.
Since then, we’ve learned that ammonia is much more than just a source of nitrogen that gets into watersheds. It is one of the biggest hindrances in the sector and causes approximately $12 billion in losses annually to the industry. Our goal is to reduce ammonia inside poultry houses to improve bird health and farm profitability.
How did you choose RAMP as your accelerator?
As a company located in Pulaski, VA, RAMP was a natural fit regionally, but it was crucial for our company’s industry focus and customer discovery. When you have a system that can capture several different gaseous pollutants, it can be a challenge to focus on one sector. As we went through the classes and customer discovery calls, we learned that we needed to put all of our eggs in one basket — pun intended.
What has it meant for your company to have participated in RAMP?
It meant everything for our company. MOVA is now in the final phase of development and is preparing for commercialization next year. RAMP gave us the tools we needed to pivot and focus.
Are there any Roanoke Blacksburg mentors that have impacted you?
Lisa Garcia, Mike Abbott, and Amy Ankrum are all mentors who encourage us when things are hard and challenge us when things seem easy. They have provided us with the resources and guidance that have been necessary for our current success.
Describe a typical client and the reach of your product?
Our clients are broiler integrators and farmers. Broilers, the chickens that we eat, represent Virginia’s largest agricultural sector by cash receipts. Poultry is one of the world’s most important sources of animal protein, making the health and productivity of every flock critically important.
What piece of advice would you give early-stage tech/biotech entrepreneurs?
Never give up and be ready to pivot. Customers don’t buy ideas, they buy solutions. If the idea isn’t a solution that furthers them financially, then they won’t adopt you.
When you are fundraising, you have to grind. It is very hard raising money in SWVA, so the only way you can do it is calling more people than you ever have, going to events filled with strangers to tell them your story, and fundraise with full conviction.
Tell us a fun fact about you.
My wife and I love growing plants and have kept all of the plants that we started growing since our wedding in 2021. We started with four potted plants, which have now grown into over 20 different potted plants decorating our home and front porch.
Do you have any insider intel on your future projects?
My team and I are dedicated to revitalizing rural communities. Many of our team members have participated in multiple historic revitalization projects in Pulaski, VA to create workforce housing and new commercial spaces for entrepreneurs in the region.
RAMP is part of the Roanoke Blacksburg Innovation Alliance (RBIA), established to grow the region’s innovation economy, technology and life sciences sectors, and the supporting professional communities. It aligns the strengths and programming efforts of the Roanoke-Blacksburg Technology Council (RBTC), the Regional Accelerator and Mentoring Program (RAMP) and Common Wealth Angels. RBIA serves GO Virginia Region 2 and works to form collaborations with government, business, academia, and other organizations to advance the region and grow a thriving innovation economy.