Industry Insights

Challenges & Opportunities in Scaling Precision Fermentation

In a recent post looking into the future of fermentation in food and agriculture, I laid out the basics of different types of fermentation techniques, including precision fermentation. I used a simplified version of the diagram below to break down how the combination of synthetic biology and fermentation processes is creating new ways of producing complex organic molecules, ranging from proteins to fats, minerals, vitamins, and more.

Why Australian Research Commercialisation is Broken and How it’s Being Fixed

The AusAg & Foodtech Summit 2017 held in Adelaide on August 29 brought together an elite group of Australian and New Zealand researchers…

The fallacy of R&D protectionism

As a young parent, I often struggled with balancing my desire to help raise fiercely independent adults with the reality of what it is like…

Is agile agtech an anathema to agriculture?

At the recent 2018 Future Agriculture Challenge (FAC) startup pitch competition, a persistent theme in the agtech space was front and…

Australia’s place at the Global Table

Is Australia maximising its core strengths in the global challenge of sustainably feeding a growing population

$30m is a lot of motivation

From What We Grow to What We Know

Cultivating an Australian AgTech Knowledge Economy

Agricultural autonomy and new ways of working

Episode 38: Angus Street, AuctionsPlus

Global AgTech and Opportunities for Australia

[This article was written for the NSW DPI Dairy Automatic Milking Systems Newsletter, which you can view here]

AgTech in Asia is Heating Up

Who’s who and what’s getting funded

Momentum is Building for Aussie AgTech

My Takeaways from 400M AgTech Forum

Food Saved is Money Earned

A Look at Global Food Waste Startups

Navigating a Sea of Sustainability Tools Doesn’t Have to Be So Hard

Agritech Accelerators: the Good, the Bad, and the Ugly

5 Things I Learned from GrowAg 2016

Vegan Venture Funds and Who’s Behind the Alternative Protein Movement

4 Tips for how Agri Corporates can innovate by working with startups

Based on our work with dozens of startups and corporates in agriculture and food, we’ve pulled together four tips for how agri corporates…

The agtech opportunity for Australia

Innovation in Australian agriculture is not new. Aussie farmers, supported by the research and extension system in which they operate…

Insights from evokeAG 2019

This week I was fortunate enough to head to Melbourne along with 1200+ others for the first (of what is likely going to be many) evokeAG…

From Digital Disruption to Digital Farmers: How Australia Built an AgTech Ecosystem in 2 Years

Two years ago I wrote about Australia’s opportunity to become a global leader in agtech. I’ll admit that at the time I was skeptical, and…

2017: the year agtech hit the mainstream

This year there was a step change in Australia’s agtech activities and a growing groundswell of momentum for agrifood innovation. With the…

Artificial Intelligence and the Future of Work in Agriculture

It’s not as scary as you might think

Change Agents Gather in Montana to Build the Future of Food

Highlights and Reflections from Riverbank Conversations 2017

The Future of Lunch: Healthy Vending Machines

This year’s Top 5 podcast episodes from Agtech…So What?

It’s been another big year for the agtech industry, and we’re proud to have captured some unique stories, lessons & tips on the Agtech…So…

Clams and Lambs: possible impacts of a 20% drop in global demand for beef & dairy

Imagine it’s December 2023. You’re looking back on the year, and wow was it a crazy one for agriculture! It all started back in February…

How Sustainable Food Brands Can Build Trust

Tips and examples for navigating amidst a world of misinformation

Agritech: Australia’s next big export opportunity

Is Australia ready to be a maker, not just a taker?

5 Things I Learned from the 2016 MIT Sustainability Summit

[This post was originally published on Sustainability Television]

5 Things I Learned from FoodFunded 2016

Earlier this month I attended the second annual FoodFunded event, hosted by The Mixing Bowl Hub. It was an awesome event (see my summary…

5 Things I Learned from Everything IoT AgTech Forum

[This post was originally published on the EverythingIoT blog here]

5 Takeaways from the Digital Disruption in Agriculture Conference

This post was written for and published by AgFunder News.

5 Takeaways from Sustainable Brands Sydney

[This article was originally published on Conscious Connection]

3 Takeaways from the AFI Agriculture Roundtable

Last week the Australian Farm Institute (AFI) held the 12th annual Agricultural Roundtable, an event that brings together key public and…

5 Lessons on Pitching from the Judges of FoodBytes! Sydney

[This post was originally published on AgFunder News by @svnoles, founder of AgThentic, Sam Trethewey, head of Sprout-X, and Michael Dean…

“It has to be in person” is an excuse, even in agriculture

3 tips from 14 hours on video conference with 20 farmers we’d never met

Food System Innovators Steal the Show at Rabobank’s Farm2Fork Summit

Small, yet mighty: how microorganisms will revolutionize food and agriculture

There’s a revolution brewing in precision food and health for humans, animals, and plants based on humble, single-celled organisms.

AgTech Innovation in Japan

Takeaways from AgSum

Will Sustainability Hit the Wine Industry?

3 Takeaways from the AFI Agriculture Roundtable

Sydney’s First AgTech Meetup: QnA with Michael Dean from AgFunder

What I Learned About the AgTech Scene in Adelaide

Yes, there is very much an agtech scene in SA!

5 Themes from Sydney’s Second AgTech Meetup

This week’s NSW AgTech Meetup featured Francisco Caffarena, investment manager at BridgeLane and co-founder of AgTech startup SproutStack…

Edible Insects for Dinner and Discussion

We’re hiring a Flywheel Operator…is it you?

Our mission: transform the global food and agriculture system

The sound of inevitability: the coming consolidation in Agtech

It’s coming up on 10 years since the ~$1B acquisition of the Climate Corporation by Monsanto, an exit that some claim was the catalyst for…

5 Things I learned from MIT’s first Food and Agribusiness Innovation Prize

How Silicon Valley Set Agtech Back A Decade

Silicon Valley, where I (Sarah) grew up, and I (Matthew) lived and worked during the dot com era, is known as the birthplace of the modern…

In Search of a Sustainable Meatball

Food System Innovators Steal the Show at Rabobank’s Farm2Fork Summit

Last week I had the opportunity to serve as a judge for the first international FoodBytes!event at the Rabobank Farm2Fork Summit. The whole…

5 Things I learned from the 2016 MIT Sustainability Summit

5 Things I learned from Everything IoT AgTech Forum

5 Things I learned from FoodFunded 2016

5 Takeaways from the Digital Disruption in Agriculture Conference

Success is About More Than Just Funding: New Zealand’s Agritech Accelerator Sprout Reflects on…

5 Takeaways from Sustainable Brands Sydney

A Revolution to Celebrate: Bringing Africa the Green Revolution’s successes, and learning from its…

In Search of a Sustainable Meatball

5 Things I Learned from GrowAg 2016

Last week I had the opportunity to attend GrowAg, a top innovation summit for 100 of “agriculture’s sharpest, most innovative leaders”. The…