Highlights from Australian agrifood innovation.

CSIRO underpins all its activities under the mantra of, ‘we solve the greatest challenges through innovative science and technology’. Two of its most transformational programs – ON Prime and ON Accelerate – embody this mantra by leading researchers out of the lab, and helping startups prepare to hit the market.

Queensland animal welfare and traceability platform Ceres Tag has turned a smart cattle tag into a burgeoning enterprise that numbers giraffes, bears, lions and even wild pigs as clients. Now in 25 countries, David and Melita Smith are delivering a reusable tag inspired by farmers, and seeking supply chain partners to continue their expansion into large overseas markets. 

A pioneering digital platform that connects investors with agrifood entrepreneurs, researchers and industry leaders has led to AgriFutures Australia being recognised as one of the country’s most innovative companies.

One of modern grain production’s most pressing issues is yield gap – the difference between the potential yield in optimum conditions and the actual yield achieved. Australian agrifood tech company Next Instruments is seeking investors or strategic partnerships to help even more farmers bridge that gap with its CropScan 3300H On Combine Analyser and CropScanAg N-Gauge App.

From a cattle farm in regional New South Wales to a hedge fund in Texas, with a career as a trader and agronomist in between, Les Finemore brings a unique set of skills to Yarta. The company is seeking investment to roll out three products to streamline commodities trading and livestock movement in Australia and North America.

Buoyed by the success of their first fund, champions of Australian agrifood innovation, Tenacious Ventures, are taking their proven high conviction, high support investment model to the world – with a $70 million fund that opens the door to co-investors and founders beyond Australia who share the company’s passion for delivering climate impact through agricultural innovation.  

LIVEXCollect is the system used by the livestock export industry to meet regulatory reporting requirements such as animal welfare, health treatments and environmental conditions during sea voyages. LiveCorp is seeking Australian-based solutions providers to help develop an app to improve the efficiency of data collection and allow near real-time monitoring and analysis on board livestock export ships.

When mechanical and aerospace engineer Ben Single searched fruitlessly for a weed detection technology that suited his family’s broadacre farming business, he took on the challenge and developed Single Shot – a drone that can map up to 1,500 hectares a day and deliver a selective spraying solution for weeds that cuts chemical use and reduces environmental impact. Now he’s seeking investors to assist in manufacturing and distribution.  

An integrated online agritech tool, WaterCan Profit is helping Australian grain growers navigate the road to maximum profitability by answering the “what ifs” using economic and climactic factors to calculate the most successful on-farm outcome. The Tasmanian Institute of Agriculture and Grains Research and Development Corporation are now seeking partners to help host and commercialise this analysis platform. Expressions of Interest close Sunday, 30 October 2022.

Did you know there’s a 56% gap between the amount of food we make today and what we're going to need globally by 2050? Main Sequence Ventures Partner, Phil Morle is on the hunt for innovators with ground-breaking ideas to help solve the 'Feed 10 billion People' challenge.

Driving the investment and commercialisation of Australian innovation and technology transfer is a top priority for strategic partners, Knowledge Commercialisation Australasia and AgriFutures grow^AG., on the quest to solve global agrifood challenges. 

Leading Australian venture capitalist Matthew Pryor of Tenacious Ventures shares his insights and experience with growers and advisors at the Australian Cotton Conference this week. He believes the industry’s climate-adaptive technologies can attract global collaboration and multi-million-dollar investment. And now is the time for cotton growers to engage with consumers in the digital realm like never before – to drive opportunity and ensure rightful representation.