Over the last 2 years, HARVEST programs have had more than 30 graduates and successfully delivered new connections, partners, customers, and investment opportunities to participants, while also supporting collaboration across the agrifood industry in WA.
“HARVEST helped by raising our domestic profile and focusing our attention in a different way when strategically analysing our business. It also helped with direct introductions to supply partners, government and industry bodies. An amazing platform for people to utilise and take advantage of the opportunities presented.”
Inspiring expert mentors and growth facilitators have delivered highly interactive workshops, relevant panel discussions and field trips including:
Future technologies for agtech and food innovation
Strategic expansion planning
High growth markets for agrifood and export strategies
Access to new networks of trial partners, growers, agri-corporates and investors
Partnering and positioning: IP and legal issues for start-ups and brand positioning
Pitch coaching and media training
Increasing income, including grant writing and investor readiness
“HARVEST is a fantastic course; I have learnt more during the course than I have in 13 years working within a Corporate SME”
HARVEST IN 2019
The 2019 cohort completed a 5-day HARVEST Accelerator Bootcamp. Companies included HempGro, Elite Cannabinoids, Smartsoil, BlockChain for Food Safety, Go4OrganicsAU, Atom Earth Pty Ltd, IGrower, BackyardMarket, and Sage Plantations.
Muresk Institute hosted the group at the agricultural hub and conference facilities in the wheatbelt region of WA. Mentors and speakers during the program included CSBP Fertilisers, Agworld, Wrays, CCIWA, Moora Citrus, DPIRD, Swan Systems, Food Agility CRC, Kondinin Group plus AgriStart Alumni: Latitude28, LIVEstock Pricing, and Stratus Imaging.
Alumni News
We were excited to hear that Margaret River based agtech start-up and Harvest Alumni AGTALENT has recently received $150K seed funding for their sustainable and regenerative agriculture jobs and training platform.
Since completing the Harvest program, Latitude 28 have had significant media coverage as they continue to break new ground in the China market with their direct to consumer app, Orijin Plus, which uses block chain technology to allow consumers in the Asian market to authenticate their product. They were selected for the Austrade Australian Landing Pads program where they presented at the Australian Innovation and Technology Showcase in Shanghai to investors and stakeholders, and have rolled out a successful social engagement strategy including a video series that has totalled more than 6 million views in China.
After completing the Harvest program Gloria Dieu Orchards has begun to value-add for excess produce . Pitching skills gained from Harvest were used to present to Singapore delegates early in 2019.
Stratus Imaging has continued to go strength to strength and has recently partnered with Enviroeye Australia to compliment their spatial data by bringing weather stations, soil probes, frost sensors and flow meters onto a powerful dashboard providing a comprehensive decision making tool. They were also selected for the 2019 SproutX Accelerator and became Western Australia’s only company with Civil Aviation Safety Authority certification to fly five drones with one pilot and one controller at once for aerial application.
Other Alumni News
Paula-Lee Pownall from GrubsUp received a Nuffield Scholarship to investigate how to scale an insect production facility using the latest technology and research. She will also study the policies, procedures and supply chains of the emerging insect protein industry.
Bronnie Kemp from Atom Analytical received a Curtin Ignition scholarship with the aim to grow her agricultural software business.
Smartsoil are now focusing on building the worlds first holistic regenerative curriculum, educating the next generation of food producers, and bringing transparency and integrity back into food production.
Dr Vidy Potdar from Block Chain R&D Lab has been accepted into CSIRO’s On-Prime.
MALDI-ID CEO Dr Sophie De Meyer has received the prestigious WA Business News award for transforming her academic research into MALDI-ID. She was named as one of the 40under40 winner. She was also part of the March 2019 Austrade USA mission.
Are you working on an innovation in the agriculture and food industry? Looking to grow your business, access new markets or attract funding?
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