Agtech - So What?

Mic Fels is someone I’ve wanted to speak with ever since I read an article he wrote about how his agtech is really making him money.
Mic not only crops about 11,000 hectares in Esperance, Western Australia, but has also built and commercialized a range of software products and machinery through his company, iPaddock.
Mic and I chat about where the real value is in agtech, and what building products has taught him about startups and about farming.
We also talk about:

• hard earned lessons and tips for working with tech;
• whether ideas or execution matter more; and
• which is harder…farming or building agtech.

• https://twitter.com/ipaddockapps
• https://www.ipaddock.com.au/
• https://www.ipaddock.com.au/how-i-make-money-out-of-ipaddock/

Companies: iPaddock • Topics: ag-tech-adoption, ag-data, farm-economics, crops-horticulture

Agtech is about more than the technologies. It's about new business models in agriculture,and of course the innovators driving changes along the value chain. Today’s guest, Fiona Aveyard, a 5th generation mixed farmer, is definitely an innovator and an entrepreneur.
We talk about how she’s working on a new supply chain and newvalue add products that can bring more profits to the farm and create jobs in herlocal community. And she’s doing all of this while facing dust storms and the worst drought inhistory.
This episode is again part of our series in partnership with Farmers2Founders, aninnovation program designed specially for primary producers. Fiona is one of thebusinesses in the program. Applications are open now for the Ideas Program. So, if you’re a producer with an invention to commercialize or an idea for a new product, check it out!
For more from Fiona, check out:https://www.outbacklamb.com.au/https://twitter.com/outbacklamb

Topics: farm-economics, climate-risk, supply-chain, people-culture

Fee Turner (Bitwise Agronomy) and Lee Coleman (FarmSimple) are both farmers as well as founders of agtech startups. They, along with six other farmer-led businesses, have been selected into the Farmers2Founders Bootcamp program, an intensive 3 month accelerator that is helping them take their business to the next level.
In this episode, Fee and Lee tell us about their farms, startups, and the challenges they're facing being farmers and founders.
Relevant links:

• https://www.bitwiseag.com/
• https://twitter.com/bitwiseag
• https://croppaco.com/
• https://twitter.com/CroppaCo

Companies: Farmers2Founders, Bitwise Agronomy, FarmSimple • Topics: venture-startups, agtech-ecosystem, people-culture

Stuart Austin is a regenerative farmer and self-proclaimed early adopter of technology.
In this episode we cover everything from how Stuart got involved in regenerative ag, to the tools he's using (and helping build) to make 6 and 7 figure decisions at Wilmot Cattle Company.
Stuart also shares his views on alternative proteins, transparency in agriculture, and the books and movies that he's found inspirational.
Relevant links:

• Wilmot Cattle Company- https://www.wilmotcattleco.com.au/
• Write up of the 2019 Field Day- https://www.maiagrazing.com/250-plus-graziers-attend-field-day-on-drought-resilience/
• RCS Grazing for Profit course- https://www.rcsaustralia.com.au/products/family-business/grazing-for-profit-2/
• Allan Savory’s TED talk- https://www.ted.com/talks/allan_savory_how_to_fight_desertification_and_reverse_climate_change
• You inc. by John McGrath- https://www.amazon.com.au/You-Inc-Attract-Amazing-Business/dp/0732276365
• Remember the Titans (trailer)- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ir1OH33uiwA
• Maia Grazing- https://www.maiagrazing.com/
• FarmBot- https://www.farmbot.com.au/

Companies: Wilmot Cattle Company • Topics: regen-ag, soil-health, livestock-dairy, natural-capital

Ashlea Miles and David Ricardo are Australian farmers and founders of agtech startups Training Paddock and Farm Service Manager. They, along with six other farmer-led businesses, have been selected into the Farmers2Founders Bootcamp program, an intensive 3 month accelerator that helping them take their business to the next level.
In this episode, Ash and David share the story behind Training Paddock and Farm Service Manager, and reflect on the differences and similarities between running a farm and building a startup.
Relevant links:

• https://www.trainingpaddock.com.au/
• https://farmservicemanager.com/
• https://twitter.com/FarmServiceApp (@FarmServiceApp)

Companies: Farmers2Founders, Training Paddock, Farm Service Manager • Topics: venture-startups, agtech-ecosystem, people-culture

Aidan Connolly is the CEO of Cainthus, and agtech startup using cameras and machine learning to help farmers make better decisions. Before that, Aidan helped Alltech grow from $24 million to $2.3 billion. During that time he was, among many things, Director of the Pearse Lyons Accelerator where he saw hundreds of agtech startups in all different sectors.
Aidan shares his insights on:

• What it's like to go from a global agribusiness to a startup
• How cameras are transforming agriculture
• How to get engineers off the keyboard and onto the farms they're trying to help
• Why it's so important for farmers to help entrepreneurs, even when it's frustrating

• Aidan on LinkedIn
• Aidan on Twitter
• Aidan on Forbes
• Cainthus

• HBR on the average age of successful founders

Companies: Cainthus, Alltech • Topics: livestock-dairy, ai, ag-data, autonomy-robotics

Coming to you live from the AgTech Meetup in Sydney, this panel explores what it takes for startups and researchers to collaborate successfully in agrifood.
Panelists for the evening were: Dr Peter Thorburn, Chief Research Scientist at CSIRO; Tegan Nock, Co-Founder at SoilCQuest; and Nick Hazell, Founder and CEO at V2 Food.
V2 Food: https://www.v2food.com/SoilCQuest: https://www.soilcquest.org.au/CSIRO: https://www.csiro.au/
The AgTech Meetup is proudly sponsored by SproutX, Australia’s first agtech accelerator.

Companies: CSIRO, SoilCQuest, V2 Food • Topics: research, venture-startups, agtech-ecosystem, government-policy

Murray Scholz farms with his wife Emma in Southern NSW and the Eastern Riverina on the foothills of the snowy mountains. They grow wheat, canola, lupins, and barley, and run beef cattle and prime lambs.
Murray’s family is celebrating their 100th anniversary this year, after his great-grandfather came to the area in 1919. They’ve always been an innovative family, adopting new practices and striving to run a profitableand sustainable business. In this episode, Murray shares several stories of how his thinking has changed through overseas travel and exposure to new perspectives, and the business decisions he’s made as a result.
Tune in to learn about:

• What it’s like to be in the middle of the GMO controversy, where no one seems to listen to what you’re really saying
• Why Murray decided to run sheep, after publicly criticizing them for years
• How a hiking trip in Switzerland challenged his views on ag policies
• The decisions you can make when you’ve been collecting data for over 30 years
• Tips for agtech startups to better engage with farmers

• Practical tips from Murray on integrated weed management and water use efficiency: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9b4QRvoma1o
• Murray on why they integrated sheep and how they’re benefiting from a mixed farming operation https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6KjUfhCDzkU and https://www.theland.com.au/story/6272468/lifting-profit-to-cut-risk/
• Find Murray on twitter and Facebook @ScholzFarming

Topics: people-culture, genetics-breeding, livestock-dairy, agtech-ecosystem

Today’s guest, Victor Friedberg is the co-founder of S2G ventures, a Chicago-based firm that has backed companies across the ag and food industries such as Beyond Meat, Maple Hill Creamery, Benson Hill Biosystems, and Mercaris. Victor is also the founder of Foodshot Global, a non-profit consortium of companies focused on creating a food system that's more healthy, sustainable, and equitable.
In this episode, Victor and I chat about:· How Victor went from tech entrepreneur to food and ag investor· How a systems approach to investing can decrease risk· Opportunities for farmers to benefit from consumer trends· Victor’s reflections on the agrifood tech opportunities down under
Additional resources:

• S2G Ventures
• FoodShot Global
• Maple Hill Creamery
• Beyond Meat
• Umami
• Organic Fraud Imports in the news

Companies: S2G Ventures, Foodshot Global, Beyond Meat, Benson Hill Biosystems • Topics: finance-investing, agtech-ecosystem, supply-chain

Tim Hammerich, who grew up on a hobby farm in Northern California selling pigs, goats and ducks, is the Founder of AgGrad and the host of the Future of Agriculture podcast. In this episode, Tim and I chat about careers in agriculture, including what companies are looking for, tips for getting a job, and what’s different about jobs in agtech.
For more on Tim, check out AgGrad (https://aggrad.com/) or find him on Twitter @TimHammerich and #FutureOfAgriculture Podcast

Companies: AgGrad • Topics: careers-talent, agtech-ecosystem, venture-startups