Australia needs to evolve its model for agricultural research if we are going to be truly competitive on the global stage, according to industry innovation leaders at this year’s Southstart Emergence conference in Adelaide.

More than 800 people attended the SouthStart Emergence conference at the National Wine Centre on May 6.

Speaking during the AgriFood Tech stream at Southstart Emergence on May 6, a panel comprised of John Harvey (Agri Futures Australia), Martin Cole (The University of Adelaide) and Sarah Nolet (Tenacious Ventures) discussed the need for reform in order to turn the $1.3 billion of annual research spending into commercial outcomes.

As much of the world continues to endure coronavirus lockdowns and restrictions, hundreds of local, national and global innovators will join forces in Adelaide this week for _SOUTHSTART EMERGENCE.

Starting today, attendees will experience four days of conversations, dinners, workshops and other interactive experiences.

Many of the sessions are already sold out across several city venues that include the National Wine Centre, Lot Fourteen and popular city night spots.

But there are still tickets available for the main conference on Wednesday at the National Wine Centre. The full-day event will feature more than 70 speakers from across Australia and further afield who are blazing global trails as entrepreneurs, investors, technologists and creatives.

Wednesday’s conference includes an AgriFood Tech stream where the best and brightest founders, researchers, investors and executives in the sector will explore the future of Food and Agriculture across a range of topics such as technology, exports, sustainability, farm operations, opportunities and overcoming barriers.

“This is an opportunity for the AgriFood Tech community to once again connect in person, to discuss the development of these technologies and the supporting innovation eco-system,” says BDO Associate Director AgTech Michael Macolino, who is one of InDaily’s 40 Under 40 alumni.

Joining Macolino in the conversation will be Fable Food Co CEO Michael Fox and Vow CEO George Peppou, who will explore how plant-based and cell-based meats can reduce our reliance on animal agriculture, providing a scalable tool to offset the impact of farming on our climate.

Justin Webb, Co-Founder of AgriWebb, and Emma Weston CEO of AgriDigital – two Australian AgriTech companies who have successfully raised more than $40 million to drive their growth into overseas markets – will also speak at the conference.

SA Governor Hieu Van Le AC welcomed the 2020 winners of the InDaily 40 Under 40 Awards to Government House yesterday, saying they had all created something for South Australia.. “I like the motto that says ‘if it is going to be, it has to start with me,’” His Excellency the Governor said.

“We have to look out for opportunities and if they’re not there, we need to look for ways of creating them.

“Once we have identified an opportunity, we need to pursue it with vigour, initiative and persistence. We need to give it everything we have.”

The event was attended by the winners of InDaily’s annual business and entrepreneurial awards that recognise leaders under the age of 40 and their contribution to the state.

The South Australian AgTech conference is concentrating on showcasing affordable technology solutions farmers can adopt in 2021.

A piece of AgTech being demonstrated at the Loxton smart farm launch in 2020. Self-driving vehicles and micro-drones that sow, spray and harvest crops are set to be among a wide range of cutting-edge agricultural technology on show at AdvanceAg 2021. Dr Leanna Read, the independent chair of the South Australian Government’s AgTech Advisory Group, said organisers anticipate this year’s July 23 event to build on last year’s success.

AGRIBUSINESS Australia chair and Elders boss Mark Allison was the guest speaker at AA's first event for 2021, outlining findings from a new report called "Changing Community Expectations - implications and strategies for the Australian agribusiness industry".

The report builds on the theme of achieving a $300-billion agri-sector by 2030 and is the third in a series of reports commissioned by AA that "seek to identify and explore key macro trends that will play a leading role in shaping the future direction of Australia's agribusiness industry", he said.

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 alternative protein industry is presenting South Australian primary producers and food manufacturers with enormous growth opportunities as consumers look to plant-based options over traditional meat and dairy items.

“South Australia is well positioned to take advantage of the opportunities this growing sector provides, with world-class food processing and manufacturing facilities and outstanding produce that forms the base of many of these foods”, says BDO Associate Director AgTech, Michael Macolino.

While the UK’s agritech investment is still a small percentage (2%) of the global sum, Chris admits, “The UK can rightly claim to be the European champions for agritech investment.”

In 2019, the UK topped the European agrifood tech funding charts, with $1.1 billion accounting for one-third of Europe’s overall total, tallying more than the next two contenders – Spain and France – combined.

To better understand the value of this exciting market opportunity, including the hot sectors, the challenges, and pathways to navigate the investor journey, we’ve teamed up with the Australian Trade and Investment Commission (Austrade) and the UK Department for International Trade (DIT).

From starting his own business at the age of 21 to managing the Crown Marina project during the Global Financial Crisis, Michael Macolino has never taken the easy road in the South Australian business scene.

Currently Associate Director of AgTech at accounting firm BDO, Macolino is advising and mentoring the next generation of AgTech startups as South Australia turns towards a more sustainable future.

He is also the Expert in Residence at Adelaide University’s Agtech Incubator, helping new entrepreneurs commercialise their AgTech startups and make the tough decisions required to be successful in a competitive market.

Macolino’s business journey started in 2005 when he launched car wash company Deluxe Detailing Solutions—one of only 10 businesses approved by SA Water to clean cars during a period of tight water restrictions.

After selling Deluxe in 2008, he moved on to become the General Manager of the $30-million Crown Marina project in North Haven, steering the large-scale development through the financial headwinds of the GFC to open in 2011.

Since this breakthrough, Macolino has pursued a range of innovative projects from cloud technology to ecommerce, maintaining a strong focus on using tech solutions to foster growth and efficiency.

He said his transition to becoming an AgTech advisor stems from his passion for solving the problem of food system sustainability.

South Australia’s top businesspeople were last night honoured at InDaily’s annual 40 Under 40 Awards, highlighting the innovation, commitment and diversity of the State’s young leaders.

SA Venture Capital Fund Portfolio Manager David Rohrsheim led an assessment panel which analysed the applications of more than 200 award nominees and recognised the creativity, personal determination and philanthropic pursuits of some of the state’s best business people under the age of 40.

The nominees represented a plethora of industries including medicine, technology, finance, hospitality and more.

From more than 600 referrals and 200 completed nominations, a panel of 12 judges from across sectors came up with a shortlist of finalists, which were narrowed down to InDaily’s 40 Under 40.

A series of demonstration farms to fast track new technologies aimed at boosting the state’s agriculture sector are gaining momentum.

The South Australian Government has committed to making PIRSA Research Farms available to South Australian primary producers to showcase the opportunities available through AgTech.

The farms will also give the startups and AgTech innovators the chance to trial hi-tech products in a controlled environment ahead of commercialisation.

Australia’s agricultural industry is undergoing an evolution. As a key powerhouse driving economic growth in the country, agribusiness forms one of our fastest-growing sectors and one of the largest employers in regional Australia.

The industry aims to grow from $60 billion to $100 billion by 2030. So, how do we get there? Answering this question formed the central theme of “Agribusiness: Australia’s Powerhouse”, a series of events hosted by BDO and the Australian British Chamber of Commerce over the last couple of months in Adelaide, Melbourne, Perth and Brisbane.

Across the four events, a number of topics were consistently raised regarding how we reach this $100 billion target. BDO’s agribusiness experts have prepared the following report, deep-diving into four of the key issues covered at the events.

Agricultural technology has been identified as a key factor if Australia is to achieve the National Farmers’ Federation’s goal of $100 billion annual agriculture production in Australia by 2030 from the current level of about $60 billion.

AgTech is a diverse industry ranging from the use of satellites to detect crop health through to robotics in meat processing and remote sensing to maximise water use efficiency.

Last month more than 300 people attended the inaugural AdvanceAg showcase at the Adelaide Showgrounds, prompting the South Australian Government to immediately commit to a second edition of the AgTech event next year.

AgTech industry experts will meet in South Australia next month to explore how AI, big data, biotech, robotics and other emerging technologies can drive efficiency and combat climate change.

AgTech industry experts will meet in South Australia next month to explore how AI, big data, biotech, robotics and other emerging technologies can drive efficiency and combat climate change.

The November 20 gathering at the Adelaide Convention Centre is part of the 8-day southstart festival, where attendees can connect with more than 1000 entrepreneurs, investors, technologists, creative and industry experts from a range of fields

The development of technology that combines Internet of Things sensors with AI and machine learning is the future of agtech, according to BDO.

An example of the technology is an agtech software system that has used artificial intelligence and satellite imagery to map every vineyard in Australia.

Demand for agricultural technology will explode in coming years, and start-ups should work more closely with wealthy and intelligent farmers for ideas and funding, agribusiness leaders say.

Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development executive director Liam O’Connell told a panel discussion the agtech sector was set for massive growth because it could help farmers solve basic problems around reducing costs, inefficiency, improving profitability and reducing impact on the environment.

WA Farmers chief executive Trevor Whittington said the top end of WA farmers were extremely intelligent with highly valuable businesses, and they were prepared to spend big on adopting agtech to increase productivity.

A special AgTech stream at _southstart [conference] is set to explore how AI, big data, biotech, robotics and other emerging technologies play a role in transforming agriculture – known as “the world’s least digitised industry” – and have the potential to drive efficiency and combat climate change.

The chief technology officer at accounting firm Accodex is leaving after five years, and his replacement is now locked in.

Michael Macolino will be joining a consulting firm in early January, which works to assist early-stage companies develop their operations. He left Accodex on 1 December.

A “BIG data” digital platform that provides access to information about South Australia’s resources sector has been recognised for its benefits to the state’s economy.

The SA Resources Information Gateway, developed by the Department of Premier and Cabinet, won the Public Sector Transformation award at last week’s Australian Information Industry Association iAwards in Adelaide.

Judging panel chair Don Easter said SARIG made 130 years of data accessible and usable to explorers, miners, government, businesses, indigenous communities, and the public.