A Night for Founders & Funders:
evokeAG. Culinary Capital
The evokeAG. Investor Pitch Dinner has been reimagined to the A Night for Founders & Funders: evokeAG. Culinary Capital Dinner. This evening is designed to provide an unparalleled networking opportunity that brings together agrifood tech and innovation startups and scaleups and their target investment audience. The event will be held on Monday, 19 February 2024, the eve of the two-day evokeAG. Event at Postal Hall, Perth, and will provide startups and scaleups with the opportunity to pitch their ideas, innovations, and customer value propositions to potential funders. The event offers the chance to facilitate conversations and connections between international and local investors and agrifood tech founders by shifting the focus to customer pitches and expanding investment avenues.
Applications are now closed for the 2024 event. We look forward to introducing you to the companies who will pitch in the coming months.
About the event
In response to evolving industry needs, the evokeAG. Culinary Capital Dinner will transition from investor pitches to customer pitches. This new format will enable agrifood tech and innovation startups and scaleups to showcase their technologies, solutions, and business models to a broader range of potential partnerships and investment, including corporate investors and partnership opportunities, venture capitalists, and producers. By emphasising the customer value proposition, startups can demonstrate market demand and attract investment from entities looking to innovate their operations or enter new markets.
This event is a ticketed event and via invitation only. If you are a corporate or producer looking to create partnerships or an investor looking at investment opportunities in agrifood tech and wish to attend please contact Lauren Sharkey, evokeAG. Communications Manager via [email protected].
Who can apply?
The evokeAG. Culinary Capital is open to both Australian, New Zealand and Pacific Island agrifood tech startups and scaleups, who meet the following criteria:
- Must be a registered business
- Must be looking for investment, or partnership opportunities from corporates and/or producers
- Must have an exceptional agrifood tech and/or innovation product to showcase at the event
- Innovation must be solving local and/or global agricultural challenges
- Must have raised a Seed funding or above round previously
- Must have read and understood the evokeAG. Startup Program Terms & Conditions.
What are we looking for?
- Startup/scaleup status: The program is open to exceptional agrifood tech and innovation startups and scaleups. Applicants should be in the early to growth stages of development, with a minimum viable product (MVP) or proof of concept. Startups should be actively seeking investment, partnerships, or commercialisation opportunities. Companies must have raised a minimum of a seed round previously.
- Exceptional innovation and technology: Startups and scaleups must demonstrate exceptional technologies and solutions that have the potential to revolutionise the agrifood sector. Their innovations should address global challenges and contribute to positive change in the industry. The focus sectors include but are not limited to agritech, foodtech, spacetech, climatetech, and sustainability. Companies must be able to demonstrate how their technology has an Exceptional Edge over others in the market.
- Customer value proposition: Startups and scaleups must demonstrate a clear and compelling customer value proposition. Companies must demonstrate how their technologies, solutions, or business models address market demand and provide tangible benefits to customers in the agrifood sector.
- Market potential: Applicants must demonstrate a strong market potential for their innovations. They should have a clear understanding of their target market, customers, and competitive landscape.
- Investment readiness: Companies should be actively seeking investment or partnerships. They should have a well-defined investment thesis, showcasing their funding requirements, valuation, and growth plans. Startups should be prepared to engage with potential investors and partners during the dinner and post-event.
- Innovativeness and impact: The program seeks startups and scaleups that showcase exceptional technologies, solutions, or business models with the potential to create positive change in the agrifood sector. Applicants should demonstrate how their innovations contribute to sustainability, efficiency, food safety, food security, or environmental and social impact.
What will you receive?
- 1 x startup station at evokeAG. 2024: Each participating company will receive one dedicated station within the Startup Alley exhibition area. The branded station will provide power, desk space for product displays allowing startups to showcase their innovations effectively.
- 2 x evokeAG. 2024 tickets: Each company will be provided with two full-access tickets to the two-day evokeAG. 2024 event.
- 2 x Founders Lunch invitations: Join the Startup Alley cohort at the evokeAG. Founders Lunch on Thursday, 22 February in Perth for an opportunity to wind down and connect with your fellow cohort over a casual long lunch.
- 3 x nights’ accommodation: To ensure a seamless experience for participating companies, the program will cover the cost of three nights of accommodation for two team members. The accommodation will be conveniently located near the event venue, providing startups with a comfortable and convenient stay during the evokeAG. 2024 event. Companies will need to pay their own airfares and transfers.
- Featured on growAG.: Each participating company will be featured on the AgriFutures growAG. platform – a premier online resource that showcases innovative agrifood tech and innovation. This comprehensive resource connects industry stakeholders, investors, and potential partners with our startups.
- evokeAG. Startup Alumni: By participating in Startup Alley, each company becomes a member of the evokeAG. Startup Alumni. This program offers post-event support initiatives, including access to sponsorship opportunities for agrifood tech events and mentorship opportunities. Being part of the alumni community provides ongoing support and networking opportunities for continued growth and development.
Timeline
- Monday, 18 September 2023: Applications open at 9.00am AEST
- Monday, 23 October 2023: Applications close at 11.59pm AEDT
- Thursday, 9 November 2023: Successful participants advised
- Monday, 4 December 2023: Public announcement
- Monday, 19 February 2024 : Culinary Capital: A Night for Founders & Funders
- Tuesday, 20 February – Wednesday, 21 February 2024: evokeAG. 2024
- Thursday, 22 February 2024: Founders Lunch.
Apply now
Applications open Monday, 18 September 2023 and will close at 11.59pm AEDT on Monday, 23 October 2023.
If you have any further questions about the application process or evokeAG. Startup Program, please contact Dallas Pearce. evokeAG. Manager via [email protected].