Cultivating plants to maturing the Australasian startup ecosystem on the evoke^AG. 2019 Plenary stage

Between a growing global population and the effects of extreme weather events, food security and climate change are intrinsically linked.
One Aussie startup is putting agriculture at the centre of the fight against climate change, using microbial technology to remove carbon from the atmosphere and boosting soil quality for farmers – at the same time.

There’s a wealth of innovative technology at a farmer’s fingertips, and plenty more on the way. But how do farmers make sense of all the data available generated from this technology and choose the right tools to run their businesses? What is holding farmers back from taking up this new technology and what does industry or government need to do to assist?

Australian diners will soon have the option to tuck into a piece of meat grown from animal cells in a laboratory rather than a paddock. Synthetic biology, or SynBio, is also helping to engineer ingredients for plant-based proteins, design crops for fuel production, and the development of insecticides with the help of bespoke microbes.

A thriving ecosystem of AgTech hubs featuring start-up advice for entrepreneurs, technology testbeds, and demonstration farms is ensuring South Australia builds a strong reputation as a global leader in AgTech. Off the back of evoke^AG. 2023 Dr Ben Baghurst explains why South Australia is the “state of Innovation”.

Pairtree Intelligence co-founder Hamish Munro is fast running out of voice as he responds to an avalanche of interest from the global launch of agtech innovation, Pairtree Pipes, at the evoke^AG. event in Adelaide last month.