Investment

Recipe: take a generous serving of a thriving and open local ecosystem. Add a hefty dash of a community hungry for innovation and solutions. Mix with passionate, open-minded people. What have you got? Queensland – the ideal place to host AgriFutures evoke^AG. 2025 – and the perfect platform for Queensland organisations and innovators to now consider how they would like to be involved.  

AgriFutures evoke^AG. 2025 is heading to Queensland! Dynamic, diverse, and decentralised, Queensland’s agricultural sector is shifting gears – accelerating its transition from a powerhouse commodity producer to a powerhouse agrifood tech innovator. Here, Salvo Vitelli from Host State Partner, the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries Queensland; Queensland’s Chief Entrepreneur Julia Spicer OAM and Philippe Ceulen from Brisbane-based agrifood tech VC, Mandalay Venture Partners, discuss why there’s no better place than Queensland to host evoke^AG. 2025. 

Australia's economic landscape has long been characterised by two formidable pillars: mining and agriculture. These industries, while distinct in operation and sometimes at odds politically, share a tapestry of challenges, knowledge, and opportunities. Could the surprising interconnectedness of mining and agriculture pave the way for collaborative solutions to shared challenges? As Australia embarks on a journey towards sustainable economic development, harnessing the collective wisdom of these industries will be instrumental in realising our shared bounty.
Rebecca Tomkinson, CEO, Chamber of Minerals and Energy of Western Australia explores five key factors of this symbiotic relationship.

What do you get when you have leading international agrifood tech venture capitalists (VCs) and top tier private equity investors on a panel? A lot of predictions about the future, of course. But this year a panel at evoke^AG. 2024 also spoke openly about their reflections and the stark reality - a downturn in investment, coupled with geopolitical relations and inflation brings further financial headwinds. However, it’s certainly not all bad news. While entrepreneurs don’t have as much money to access from VCs, the overall agrifood tech ecosystem is maturing, with a broader awareness of the sector.