10 Minutes with Michael Macolino PodCast with InDaily

In the first episode of a podcast series exploring South Australia’s business climate in the coming year, Michael Macolino, the Associate Director for AgTech at BDO, discusses the opportunities he sees in this burgeoning industry.

InDaily Business Editor Andrew Spence spends 10 minutes with Michael Macolino to discuss the trends surrounding AgTech in South Australia.

Macolino, an alumnus of InDaily's 40 Under 40, says that South Australia is perfectly positioned to develop the AgTech sector, with its already established agricultural sector being complemented by a growing space industry that includes Internet of Things connectivity with nanosatellites and on-ground sensors.

The state's broad range of agricultural output and zones - from dryland cropping to citrus growing - offers AgTech companies to test their solutions across various crops and climates without having to travel far.

Macolino says these factors make South Australia a perfect staging point for international companies to branch out into Southeast Asia, which will help local companies become world leaders in their fields.

He warns, however, that the state needs to attract more expert talent and technology in order to keep pace with the fast-moving industry.