#Innovation

A decade ago, few could have imagined running a farm from anywhere other than the paddock. Or taking a well-earned break from it, confident that livestock were fed and crops were watered. Today, producers can do both, with agtech tools that monitor production systems and provide real-time insights to mitigate risk and optimise yield.

Australia invests nearly $3 billion each year in agricultural R&D and boasts world-class research capabilities. Yet, we rank last among OECD countries for business collaboration with research institutions — leaving a persistent gap between groundbreaking discoveries and real-world innovation.
Here Tenacious Ventures’ Adam Taylor and Sarah Nolet unpack why this disconnect exists and share practical ways to bridge the gap. From misaligned incentives and cultural differences to examples of successful collaborations, they explore what it will take to turn Australia’s research advantage into commercial impact.

Behind every flashy product launch is a slow grind of trial, error, and the occasional flop. At evoke^AG. 2025, leaders from the pork, beef and fisheries industries stripped back the spin to share what it really takes to embed technology in agriculture.
Here, they share 7 essential truths about what makes agtech stick (or stall).

Chris Bird of FPA Patent Attorneys outlines key IP strategies to turn agritech innovations into profitable, industry-leading business assets.

In industries like technology, constant product and experience reinvention is par for the course and expected by its consumers. In food, legacy FMCG especially, products that succeed tend to stay the shame. How does this culture of maintaining the status quo in food product innovation have implications for the future of food? 

Dan Schultz, agribusiness psychotherapist, shares why he believes much of what we have in agriculture today can be compared to the open-concept office – boring and ineffective. Is it just a market filled with a lot of “something” that no-one thought to ask whether it was worth making in the first place? And how do we ensure we stand out, rather than fading into obscurity?

This week we bring you our evoke^AG. 2024 series with Charlotte Weston and Justin Webb joining our contributor Jayne Cuddihy in conversation to break down the ins and outs of global sustainability requirements.

For 137-year-old Brownes Dairy, the secret to long term success is keeping it fresh. And being obsessed – in a good way – with what their customers want.

Dubbed “food’s Erin Brockovich” by Bloomberg and the New York Times, Robyn O’Brien is a globally renowned speaker and author on food innovation and entrepreneurship. Here Robyn observes the challenges our big, bold innovators must overcome to design solutions that will shape the future of our food systems.

Grand ideas to improve access to technology, international experience, and innovative approaches to improve the sustainability of farming, aquaculture and livestock, these are just some of the cutting-edge concepts that will be explored by Future Young Leaders at evoke^AG. 2024.

AgriFutures evoke^AG. is Asia Pacific’s premier agrifood innovation event is back in 2024 and is bringing a diverse group of individuals and organisations in Perth on 20-21 February 2024 to explore the exceptional edge of agrifood tech innovation. From farmers, to innovators, researchers, corporations, government agencies and investors – and everyone in between. It’s two days to check out cutting edge-technologies and disruptive business models – oh and did we mention you can forge partnerships with a network of cutting edge innovators? If that’s not enough to get your boss (or if you’re the boss YOU) over the line, here are the top six reasons you should book your ticket.

The agriculture sector is changing, and it’s changing fast. For farmers, this means unprecedented possibilities when it comes to technological innovations on-farm. But it also means navigating a space where noise, newness and the next best thing makes it more challenging to connect with the innovations and projects that can bring real-world, practical benefits to your individual business.