Rugby league to an MBA: Why Ryan James is now supporting Indigenous agricultural businesses
Listening is more important than talking for Bundjalung man Ryan James, but the former NRL player and entrepreneur has a powerful story to share when he takes to the stage at AgriFutures evokeAG. on 18-19 February, 2025.

Ryan James has just returned from Turraburra in Central Queensland where he’s been working with the traditional owners to develop a plan for the 9,000-hectare station that will merge ancient knowledge of country with new technology and business practices.
“It was amazing experience - we were out there with an Uncle who showed us a tree that could be used to stop a cut bleeding,” he said.
“That cultural knowledge show’s why it’s important to be present, and to see and be around these things, because we can learn a lot from sitting and listening.”
A former professional rugby league player, Ryan is now the CEO and co-founder of Indigenous Innovation Ventures, an incubator that provides support to First Nations business owners, communities and entrepreneurs.

A former professional rugby league player, Ryan is now the CEO and co-founder of Indigenous Innovation Ventures, an incubator that provides support to First Nations business owners, communities and entrepreneurs.
RELATED: Cultural IP meets capitalism: How do we ensure Indigenous innovators share the benefit?
The idea was hatched while Ryan was completing his Master of Business Administration (MBA) with fellow student Yohann Azlee.
The pair identified a gap in terms of assistance to scale those businesses and in documenting the flow-on economic impacts to Indigenous communities.
“There’s a lot of support there to get people started,” Ryan said. “But we found that Indigenous businesses, traditional owner groups and Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations, often need support for scaling and growing their business or organisation in a sustainable way. “
Uplifting communities to inspire Indigenous entrepreneurship
Indigenous Innovation Ventures was formed in 2022 with a mission to build the capacity and capability of Indigenous business leaders to uplift communities and empower the next generation.
“Indigenous companies are more likely to employ Indigenous people,” Ryan said. “You can’t be what you can’t see – if we can have more people see great Indigenous companies, leaders, people in the workforce, it’s going to flow on.”
Moving from startup to scaleup is something Ryan knows can be tough to navigate.
“I have started a few companies myself,” he said. “I had a good social media presence, and as a professional athlete I had money to do it. I had assets to borrow against to start these businesses, and I had the perfect recipe to make them work. Yet some of them still failed.”
He’s determined to help other Indigenous businesses.
RELATED: Australia’s First Nations knowledge is inspiring tech for the future of agrifood
“Most Indigenous businesses and groups are first, maybe even second-generation businesspeople,” he said. “However, although we’ve been doing business forever in trading, this is about shaping business into what needs to be done in 2024, and fitting it within the realm of Western business.”
Increasing Indigenous economic impact in agriculture
Australia’s First Nations estate covers 536 million hectares and in 2018-2019 Indigenous agribusiness contributed $85.4 million dollars to the economy but there’s a push to see this increase.
A taskforce representing State and Federal Governments is developing a statement to drive greater economic inclusion for First Nations Australians in agriculture, fisheries and forestry, and it’s expected to be delivered to agriculture ministers in early 2025.

Ryan has found that Indigenous businesses, traditional owner groups and Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations, often need support for scaling and growing their business or organisation in a sustainable way. “
Meanwhile a National Farmers Federation report with KPMG highlights the need for better engagement to unlock the economic potential of Indigenous agriculture, recommending culturally appropriate access to capital, promotion of Indigenous products and businesses and building cultural awareness across the industry.
Ryan also believes there’s opportunity to harness traditional knowledge and practice in food and medicine.
“I’ve learned so much in my last two years just by sitting and listening. It’s just being open to something different outside of traditional science and learning how we cared for country for a long time,” he said.
“We have some of the oldest, plants, flora and fauna in the world, so how do we merge that traditional knowledge with some of the latest technology, such as Artificial Intelligence, to get some of the best outcomes for our country?”
Ryan James.
RELATED: ‘This woman is going to take a chance on me’: Meet the duo making a statement through fashion
Acknowledging that Intellectual Property of cultural knowledge is a challenging issue, Ryan advocates for meaningful partnerships, and ensuring that Indigenous people are at the decision-making table.
“Helping inform decisions with knowledge is the best way forward,” he said.
It’s clear Ryan’s recent time at Turraburra in Central Queensland, learning from Iningai traditional owners has had a profound impact.
“I thought I knew a lot about my indigenous heritage and how we grew up here on the coast, but then you go hang with the inland people and see how they care for country, and it’s different everywhere you go. It’s all about just listening and learning.
“To go out and be part of it, to grow self-empowerment and help a community to help themselves, is the way I get the most kick out of life.”
How lessons from rugby league translate to business
Ryan describes his 14-year professional rugby league career as “living every kid’s dream”, crediting a supportive family, luck and hard work for his success.
“You need a lot of the similar attributes to be a good businessperson as you do to be an athlete,” he said. “You’ve got to show up early and work harder than everyone else to get to where you need to be. And that’s how all good businesses get going.”
Ryan played with the Gold Coast Titans (five years as the captain), Canberra Raiders and Brisbane Broncos, represented New South Wales in the State of Origin, and was a member of the Indigenous All-Stars.
His contribution away from the footy field is equally impressive. He was awarded the NRL’s Ken Stephen Memorial Award for community involvement in 2018 as an ambassador for the Starlight Foundation, and engaged in many charity and outreach programs in Indigenous communities.
Ryan was also the first NRL player to complete a degree – a Bachelor of Business Administration, while still playing professionally. He backed it up with an MBA.
He’s now an ambassador with the Broncos Rugby League Club, working with schools in Northern New South Wales and South-East Queensland, in a program helping Indigenous girls to finish high school while providing culturally safe jobs for them upon graduation.
“Education is so important for Indigenous people, firstly to finish year 12, but that further education can set up a whole family, a whole community,” he said.
Ryan will share his journey when he joins Joshua Gilbert Policy Officer (Indigenous Policy), University of Technology Sydney; Nini Mills, Chief Executive Officer, Nyamba Buru Yawuru, and at evokeAG. 2025 in ‘Moving beyond tokenism: Unlocking the Indigenous estate’ on Day 1 of the program.
View the full two-day program, including speakers and partners making evokeAG. 2025 possible.