Josh Carmenatte, freshman in agricultural business, has a passion for coffee and people. Born and raised in Des Moines, Iowa, Carmenatte chose to attend Iowa State University due to its impressive agriculture programs and the connections he had at the school. As a Cyclone, he has been involved in The Salt Company, Change-Maker Academy, and serves as the vice president of Minorities in Agriculture Natural Resources and Related Sciences (MANRRS). 

For Carmenatte, joining the Start Something College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (CALS) Student Incubator program was "like a moth to a flame." He joined shortly after coming to college, realizing the benefits the program could provide him as he worked to develop his business. Carmenatte has joined his two passions, coffee and people, in his new business venture, a coffee roasting company. He plans to grow and sell the beans on a coffee farm in Guatemala, where his parents are originally from. Additionally, he'd like to have a coffee shop on the farm where the beans are grown and develop a successful coffee roasting business. 

"I'm currently talking to coffee roasters and coffee shop owners and seeing how they go about their business, seeing their values and finding out who I want to be in the middle of all of it," comments Carmenatte. After graduation, he plans to move to Guatemala and purchase land to start growing the coffee as soon as possible. 

The Student Incubator program has given him a community of support here at ISU. "I like talking to the other students and learning about the different business ideas and stages everyone is at, being able to help them as well as be helped," he explains. 

When he isn't working on school, Carmenatte enjoys fishing, climbing, and eating - as long as there aren't any vegetables involved. "I hate vegetables. They're the grossest thing on the planet," he laughs. He also loves to swim and has swam in the Panama Canal.

We look forward to watching Carmenatte continue to grow his business idea during his next several years as a Cyclone!