Australian-Grown Innovation is designed to support Australia’s horticulture supply chain develop of commercially viable products and services
Hort Frontiers has launched a new programme offering mentoring and support for Australian growers launching new products and services, aiming to turn great ideas into commercially viable solutions that make a real difference on the ground.
Over the next five years the new programme – Australian-Grown Innovation, developed in partnership with Startupbootcamp and Cluster Connect – will accelerate grower-led innovation through three stages of mentorship. The objective will be to unlock transformative opportunities and deliver practical solutions to real industry challenges such as: climate resilience strategies, value-added product innovation, technology-driven solutions harnessing AI, and supply chain improvements to increase productivity.
The solutions will also meet one of the five overarching Frontiers themes: healthy living, adaptation and resilience, market access, disruptive technologies and capability building.
Brett Fifield, CEO of Hort Innovation said Australian growers are the country’s most innovative entrepreneurs.
“They’re on the frontline of horticulture and know better than anyone the problems that need solving,” he said. “This programme has been designed to tap into this knowledge and the entrepreneurial spirit of Australian growers to try and solve problems together for our horticulture sector.”
Hort Innovations recent Australian Horticulture Statistics Handbook showed that the Australian horticulture sector has now reached a total production value of A$17bn.
“With more growers being given the tools to bring farm changing ideas to life we know that we will see this number continue to grow,” Fifield added.
Anna Barlow, food and agriculture innovation partner at Startupbootcamp said the programme is designed for growers, producers, entrepreneurs and businesses across the horticulture supply chain “who want to develop new ideas”.
“Helping new businesses in the food and agriculture space has been a big part of what Startupbootcamp has been focused on and we are thrilled to be able to work with Frontiers to bring this programme to life to continue doing so,” Barlow said.
