Highlights from Australian agrifood innovation.

Innovation champion Dairy Australia is levelling up – looking beyond traditional R&D partners and using AgriFutures grow^AG. platform to find innovators to solve some of the industry’s biggest challenges. Across the globe, if you’re an entrepreneur, startup or scaleup with solutions to methane, data, and labour challenges, Dairy Australia wants to hear from you. 

A collaborative network led by T+I in Germany and UQ in Queensland can support Australian industry and researchers in finding German partners and secure funding under ZIM, Germany’s largest innovation program for small to medium size enterprises (SMEs). ZIM funds German collaborations with public and private non-profit research and technology organisations (RTOs) to develop new or significantly improve existing products, processes or technical services. 

VetChip is setting a new standard in animal healthcare through revolutionary biosensor technology. The easily implantable chip monitors the vital signs of animals big and small, providing real-time information to pet owners, farmers, vets and researchers that can be used to prevent illness and improve quality of life. Expressions of interest for their Series A funding round are now open. 

With the launch of its $20 million second investment round, Australia’s Food and Beverage Accelerator, FaBA is seeking new partners and projects with ‘strong innovation potential’ to drive Australia’s food and beverage manufacturing sector forward.

Australia’s first fully automated hands-free commercial farm, the Global Digital Farm (GDF), a high-tech collaboration between Charles Sturt University and Food Agility CRC, celebrates its first birthday. Now GDF’s six cutting edge research projects, can be explored on AgriFutures growᴬᴳ⋅ to help drive agritech innovation and the future of farming.     

Geora is supporting businesses and producers in preparation for the sustainability metrics that will be required for future supplier decisions. The data-tracking company is seeking collaboration with companies looking to track scope 3 emissions and invest in better sustainability outcomes across their farmer network.

We go one-on-one with Dr John Kapeleris, CEO of BirdSol. This innovative agtech company has developed a patented bird deterrent and wildlife management technology based on an integrated AI system called Cherrp, and is seeking $3 million from investors to accelerate commercialisation. 

It’s an exciting time for Australian agritech and for AgriFutures growᴬᴳ⋅, as the marketplace evolves to meet the needs of this expanding industry, providing the vital connections which help big ideas flourish into reality. With tickets going on sale for AgriFutures evokeᴬᴳ⋅ 2024, grow^AG.'s Senior Manager, Arianna Sippel reflects on the buzz of evokeᴬᴳ⋅ 2023 and the importance of face-to-face connections.

Finding world-leading agrifood research expertise, and research, investment and commercialisation opportunities easily, let alone in one easy-to-use location, was always a challenge – until AgriFutures grow^AG..

Australia’s Young Farmer of the Year says robots can play a key role in tackling worker shortages and labour costs for fruit growers, and is helping a Victorian startup develop an autonomous apple-picking machine to do just that.

A German-Queensland science program is set to nurture innovator and researcher networks. Grants of up to $250,000 are available to Queensland research organisations and partners to work together with German counterparts to co-develop bioeconomy solutions.

From insects to indoor greens, Australian startups demonstrate the potential for novel farming systems at home and abroad. With the support of grow^AG.'s marketplace, three Aussie startups - ARC Ento Tech, Invertigro and the Gaia Project Australia, are gaining more visibility and investment.