Disrupt Victoria’s $17.8 Billion Agriculture Sector

Hear from recently funded AgTech Pre Accelerator programs and how you can develop and grow your AgTech business idea.

Each of the funded programs will share details on their upcoming program and how founders can benefit from their support, advice and network. Prior participants of their programs will share their journey from idea to Accelerator to flourishing Startup.

Hear from our panellists:

• Dr Christine Pitt - Managing Director, Farmers2Founders

Christine is a globally recognised thought leader, investor and entrepreneur in theag+food tech ecosystem. She has a particular interest in building globally networked agrifood ecosystems and creating new business models for raising funds to invest in disruptive innovation across the agrifood value chain.

• Graham Smith - Program Manager, Farmers2Founders

• Daniel Fischl - CEO and Lead Agricultural Scientist, Eartrumpet Consulting

Daniel Fischl is an international viticultural advisor, and the principle agricultural scientist of Eartrumpet Consulting. Trained through PhD research in grapevine molecular genomics with more than two decades of winegrape specialisation, he is internationally-sought as a consultant of technical viticulture to the highest tier of the wine industry, traveling the globe in roles as diverse as vineyard development and management scientist, Ag-tech startup founder, alternative crop scientist, keynote presenter, researcher of climate change adaptive strategies, regenerative ecosystem designer, and Organic and Carbon-friendly farming consultant.

• Maxie Juang - Marketing & Community Associate, SproutX

As SproutX's Marketing and Community Associate, Maxie fosters communications and engagement between SproutX founders, investors, partners, industry mentors, and agribusiness. She also supports the national Agri/ FoodTech accelerator's newly launched "Business of Agriculture" Pre-Accelerator Program and the annual 6-month Accelerator Program.

• Fern Ho - Co-Founder & CEO, The Leaf Protein Co

Fern’s love of food was inconveniently disrupted when she developed significant food intolerances and allergies as an adult. This led her on a quest to better understand the provenance of food and its impact on health.

With a 17 year global career in Product Management and Product Marketing, she understands that there is no substitute for genuinely good products and that consumers aren’t fooled by clever marketing.

• Emma Coath - Managing Director, Rocket Seeder

Emma is the Managing Director of Rocket Seeder Limited in Australia. She has a passion for building a sustainable food and agriculture sector through supporting innovative founders.

Emma has worked in the food and agriculture sector for the past 25 years, in both public and private organisations. Emma has completed a Bachelor of Commerce (Deakin University), a Master of eBusiness (RMIT University) and is a Member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.

• Jonathan Lacey - Program Facilitator, Rocket Seeder

Jonathan is co-founder of Cruxes Innovation.  Cruxes exists to unlock the potential of Australian research to lead the world into a more sustainable future, with sustainable food and agriculture playing a central role.  Jonathan has thirty years’ experience driving innovation with research, as a researcher, product champion, start-up CEO, coach, and mentor, in Australia and Silicon Valley. 

• Liam Burns - Co-Founder & CEO, Alterratech

After completing his university degrees in Climate Science and Economics, Liam moved to China and the USA to continue researching into the future of agriculture. After completing his research, he worked at a water measurement startup in California covering a variety of horticultural crops across the state. 

Returning to Australia he tried his hand at developing his own startup in agricultural data analytics for two years, before pivoting over to developing a pathway for agricultural automation utilising computer vision. 

Moderated by:

Dr Kate Cornick - CEO, LaunchVic