#Agrifood tech

This week we bring you our evoke^AG. 2024 series with Nina Schick and Phil Morle joining our contributor Jayne Cuddihy in conversation to explore how artificial intelligence is changing humanity.

Are the robots coming for us? Or is artificial intelligence a new ally on the path to a sustainable food future? Here, global expert in responsible generative AI, Nina Schick, demystifies artificial intelligence – and explains why food producers should embrace this kind of scary, but really cool technology to unlock the food system transformation we need to see.

What do you get when you have leading international agrifood tech venture capitalists (VCs) and top tier private equity investors on a panel? A lot of predictions about the future, of course. But this year a panel at evoke^AG. 2024 also spoke openly about their reflections and the stark reality - a downturn in investment, coupled with geopolitical relations and inflation brings further financial headwinds. However, it’s certainly not all bad news. While entrepreneurs don’t have as much money to access from VCs, the overall agrifood tech ecosystem is maturing, with a broader awareness of the sector. 

With more applications than ever before, it’ll be a nail-biting, whip cracking, nerve wracking time when the 2024 evoke^AG. Pitch in the Paddock Competition fires up next month at Beef2024. Get to know the eight visionaries and innovators who will be going head-to-head in Rockhampton, Queensland.

Youth climate rallies, rising costs of living, food insecurity and farmers taking tractors to the streets in protest. To solve the world’s environmental problems Dr Lewis Akenji, Managing Director of the Hot or Cool Institute, says we need to tackle social tensions first – and that means addressing food systems sustainability with a five-step approach for a future-fit agrifood culture.

We often hear about the “cutting edge” or the most advanced technology or product but what about something that’s so radical and un-tested that it’s at the “bleeding edge”?
That kind of innovation can fill a gap in the market and deliver significant premiums but comes with risk.
A diverse group from the agrifood supply chain, both in Australian and export markets, share their insight in developing something new and finding a market willing to pay for it.

A $60 million investment program designed to galvanise the research and adoption of agritech in regional farming areas has been launched by Charles Sturt University, Australia’s largest educator of agricultural students.

In a challenging market for venture capital, agrifood tech investors are not only looking for innovations that could change the world, they’re looking for the founders who can make change happen. That means resilience, creativity, and something that looks a bit like courage.
AgFunder Founding Partner Michael Dean and Olympia Yarger, Founder and CEO of maggot-powered food waste management startup, Goterra explore the funding challenges in this market. For both, the key to success comes from a passion to solve the problem – and a sheer inability to give up.

A nice drop is in order for Onside after the Christchurch-based farm management app recently took out the AgTech and Digital category at the Wine Industry IMPACT Awards. The company was recognised for its ‘Track and Trace’ pilot project, which involved 90 winegrowers across four New South Wales (NSW) wine regions, putting its traceability technology to the test to improve biosecurity in various communities.

In early-2023 CropX Technologies, a global developer of agronomic farm management solutions, had only a small number of remote employees in Australia. Now it has quadrupled in size and established an office location thanks to its recent acquisition of Green Brain, a prominent digital irrigation management solutions provider based in Adelaide, South Australia.

Dyson doesn’t usually spring to mind when you think of agriculture. With its argument starting flatpacks, Ikea doesn’t either. And Justin Timberlake? Didn’t see that coming. Yet some of the most recognised names in business and entertainment have invested in agriculture, either for personal passion, environmental causes, profit – or all three. Meet nine brands, celebrities and businesses you wouldn't expect to have ventures in agriculture but do.

2023 was a very challenging year for the startup world. Across the board, the number of deals, speed of investment, valuations, and totals invested all saw a downturn. Uncertainty ran high. Conservatism pervaded. It was tough for investors and startups alike. Here Sarah Nolet, Managing Partner, Tenacious Ventures and speaker at evoke^AG. 2024 explores what startups need to scale in 2024, the paths to returns, and what the influx of international investors means for agrifood tech in Australia.