In a significant boost to Victoria’s agricultural innovation landscape, ten start-ups have been selected to receive $15,000 each to tackle the pressing issue of waste in the agriculture sector. This initiative is part of the Victorian Government’s CivVic Labs program, a LaunchVic endeavor that invites aspiring and early-stage founders to address sector challenges identified by the government.
This year’s challenge theme, ‘circular agriculture,’ is a call to action for technology-driven solutions that can maximise efficiency, minimise waste, and unlock new revenue streams. The theme builds on the previous challenge, which focused on farm safety, reflecting the government’s commitment to addressing the unique challenges faced by the agriculture sector.
The selected start-ups will participate in an intensive six-week bootcamp, where they will receive equity-free funding and specialist advice. The program, delivered by LaunchVic and funded by Agriculture Victoria, culminates in a showcase event. Here, the start-ups will pitch their solutions, with two standout teams awarded an additional $35,000 to bring their prototypes to life.
The previous challenge, which focused on farm safety, saw innovative solutions like People in Paddocks and AgriAssure. People in Paddocks, co-founded by Sam Pritchard, offers a real-time workforce management tool aimed at enhancing farm safety and productivity. Meanwhile, AgriAssure, founded by Laurence Khoo, empowers agribusinesses to identify risks and reduce potential insurance costs.
Minister for Agriculture Ros Spence expressed the government’s pride in supporting innovation in the agriculture sector. “This initiative will bring together creative start-ups to develop practical, technology-driven solutions to address some of the critical issues facing our farmers,” Spence said. “Embracing fresh perspectives and technological solutions is key to overcoming the complex issues facing our agriculture sector while improving productivity.”
Kate Cornick, Chief Executive Officer of LaunchVic, highlighted the program’s success in fostering innovation. “Since its inception in 2017, alumni have collectively secured over $20 million in investment capital,” she said. The CivVic Labs program serves as a sandbox for aspiring or early-stage founders to build and test new ideas, fostering a culture of innovation and entrepreneurship in the agriculture sector.
The current challenge is expected to yield innovative solutions that can transform the agriculture sector, making it more sustainable and efficient. As the start-ups embark on their six-week journey, the agriculture sector watches with anticipation, eager to see the innovative solutions that will emerge.
