Michael is a serial entrepreneur, operator and advisor, with a passion for redesigning the food system.

With experience as the Managing Director for APAC at SVG Ventures Thrive and Director for AgriFood tech at BDO, Michael privately advises startups and organisations across the global AgriFood innovation eco-system.

Starting his first company at 21, started a 15 year journey to launch five businesses across a range of industries. His long term engagement with entrepreneurship and mentoring was recognised in 2020, as a winner in the InDaily 40 under 40 awards.

Michael’s curiosity for solving problems using technology led him to Agriculture and the food system, where he now leverages his skills, experience and network to assist AgriFood Tech startups commercialise and scale their innovations to redesign the food system.

Michael is deeply engaged in the development of the AgriFood tech eco-system, working with various startup events and programs, as well as being the co-organiser of the South Australian AgriTech Meetup Group.

Michael’s thinking on redesigning the food system was featured in his TEDx talk, in which he detailed the potential of emerging technologies in agriculture to build a more sustainable and resilient food system.

Connect with Michael

Can you redesign the food system?

My TEDx talk in August 2022, posed the idea that the food system can be redesigned for sustainability and resilience.

In my talk I analyse the four core challenges constraining our current food system and address why we must develop solutions in order to feed our society in the year 2050.

My talk explores our new technology tool kit, which we can use to redesign the food system, retrofitting agriculture, developing new forms of food production and building an ecosystem of agriculture innovators in the process.

Why AgriFood tech

Agriculture is a unique industry, facing a range of challenges resulting from a need to produce more food, with less resources.
I was exposed to agriculture by a few of my past consulting clients, and saw an opportunity to apply my experience, skills and network to improving the food system through the development and integration of new technologies.
The advancement of emerging and advanced technologies such as sensors, cloud computing and robotics provides a new tool kit to redesign the food system to be more sustainable, resilient and equitable.

ADVISORY SERVICES

Tailored for AgriFood tech startups, accelerators and research organizations, focused on transforming research into market-ready solutions.
Together we will develop effective business models, source and structure capital and develop efficient channels to market.
This is underpinned by deep domain expertise, a global network of industry experts eco-system intelligence to drive decisions based on market signals.
Startups need capital, but Venture Capital doesn’t always align with AgriFood Innovation.
It starts with strategy to identify the right investors or partners, then craft a compelling investment narrative, backed by robust business fundamentals.
Together we’ll optimise business / financial models, pitch decks, and diligence materials to ensure a well-structured and effective approach to securing investment.
Navigating the complexity of international market entry is challenging for AgriFood tech companies.
Leveraging my experience and networks in the United States, Canada, Europe and Australia, international expansion is achievable.
Informed by the latest market research and competitor intelligence via the Agcumen platform, to understand market dynamics, identify customers and channel partners.
This insight enables a market entry strategy that can be supported by my global network of on-the-ground experts ready to assist your go to market entry.

Gain visibility into the vast and constantly evolving landscape of AgriTech solutions globally.
Whether it's for investment, channel partnerships or adoption of technology in your agribusiness, a global perspective is critical.
Identified solutions are mapped and ranked against your criteria to inform a structured analysis framework to assess the commercial viability, investment grade and applicability to relevant farming systems.
This analysis is supported by a team of industry experts and eco-system intelligence delivered by Agcumen to ensure informed decisions and strategic alignments in this innovative sector.
The market impacting agribusiness is dynamic and increasingly complex.
AgriTech developments, government regulation and the pressure to innovate require consistent monitoring and eco-system intelligence.
In partnership with Agcumen, we monitor a global eco-system of more than 55,000 global agricultural organisations, analysing their primary sources of communication to identify signals that detail their strategy, intent and actions.
This eco-system intelligence provides agribusinesses and investors clients, with a connected network of market signals, enabling better strategy discussions and decision making for agribusiness, startups and investors seeking a competitive advantage.
Nurturing the growth of the AgriFood Tech eco-system requires a balance of objectives and incentives across a diverse range of stakeholders.
The policies and programs put in place by Government, corporates and research organisations play a vital role in enabling new technologies to come to market and drive increased Agricultural productivity.
I provide an independent and informed perspective to the AgriFood innovation eco-system, to understand stakeholder requirements, develop initiatives and create action for impact