Author Archive

Despite difficult trade conditions, we’ve seen impressive organic growth, acquisitions by our mature businesses, capability and knowledge growth across our research groups, and the emergence of many more startup businesses.

Perhaps even more impressively, we have noticed increasing ecosystem citizenship behaviour through collaborative approaches, collective action and social exchanges. For example, indirect actions include  supporting the development of others in our community and paying it forward. In a country that has a small, vibrant agritech market, these behaviours will help create even greater prosperity and impact from the agritech industry.

We remain committed to passionately advocating on behalf of our community and fostering collaborative practice wherever we can. During the year we hosted eight Member Connect Events, a Parliamentary Dinner and three International Virtual Summits. We also championed the continued Government partnership approach to our sector andmade two Government Submissions. This year we launched the Baseline of Digital Adoption in Primary Industries, participated in the inaugural Fieldays Digital Futures Hub, multiple Advisory Groups and commented frequently on the important topics.

Special thanks to the hardworking AgriTechNZ and NZTech teams, our wise and generous Executive Council, our awesome Members, plus our collaborative industry and Government partners. I wish you all a regenerative holiday season!

On the road again

We’re back on the road from early February! Our Agritech Connect Tour will share updates and gather your valuable input on the Agritech Industry Transformation Plan and more. You’ll learn more about  our tools, resources and 2023 plans. Our tour is the ideal opportunity to connect, learn and influence.  Stay tuned for more information, but until then, please save these dates: 2 February in Christchurch, 8 February in Hamilton, 10 February in Tauranga, 14 February in Auckland, 2 March in Wellington, 7 March in Nelon, 9 March in Dunedin and 15 March in Palmerston North. Further dates and locations to be announced.

Coming soon… even more agritech news!

In 2023, we’re launching a new channel with Farmers Weekly, curating agritech industry news. Keep updated on agritech solutions in our industry that contributes $1.6 billion towards New Zealand’s economy with potential growth of $10 billion over the next decade.

Preview here

How fabulous was Fieldays?

Fieldays was certainly a success for AgriTechNZ with plenty of authentic opportunities to connect with the industry. Our sold out events received overwhelmingly positive feedback. The Women in Agriculture session hosted in partnership with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT) was especially popular and we intend to repeat it. The opportunity to meet and discuss sector interests had some unexpected consequences. For example, our position in the Pavilion at the inaugural Fieldays Digital Futures Hub meant we were able to guide visitors to  specific exhibitors of  interest. Planning is well underway for Fieldays 2023, 14-17 June. The Fieldays Innovation Awards were also a great success, and applications are now open for next year.

Read more

Join our first 2023 webinar: Global Insights – How can New Zealand respond to overseas trends?

Meet 2022 Nuffield scholar Lucie Douma, who shares key agritech insights following her international study tour exploring environmental and farming contexts. This year, Lucie spent four months visiting farmers, growers and support organisations across Europe, North America and Australia. Join us to hear Lucie’s key agritech insights including water challenges in North America, labour shortages, corporatising farm trends, food security, soil understanding and knowledge, plus the corn belt and the role of genetically modified organisms (GMO).  She will also discuss the impact of production and growth trends for New Zealand and how we position ourselves on the global stage.

Register here

Evocative EvokeAg

AgriFutures Australia are hosting the next agrifood tech event in Adelaide, 20-21 February. We’ll be there to connect  the ecosystem of farmers, innovators, researchers, companies and investors. We highly recommend you join us and strengthen our Trans-Tasman representation. Once you’ve secured your tickets please register for Callaghan Innovation’s Australian Market Immersion to ensure you gain the most from your visit.

Register here

Blue economy interests

As part of the Agritech ITP, New Zealand Trade and Enterprise (NZTE) and AgriTechNZ are gauging levels of interest and commitment to aquatech developments. Do you know any local companies who have innovative solutions in aquaculture or in an adjacent technology/sector and would benefit from a top quality market entry accelerator? There is potential for a New Zealand cohort to participate in an international aquaculture market entry accelerator. We are currently seeking recommendations from our networks for prospective cohort participants. The accelerator will be delivered by global aquaculture specialists Hatch in partnership with NZTE.

Join the Q&A zoom session on Tuesday 20 December at 3.30pm.

Please email megan.huddleston@nzte.govt.nz with your recommendations by 22 December.  

Meri Kirihimete me te Hape Nū Ia!

Brendan
Chief Executive, on behalf of the Executive Council of AgriTech New Zealand

PS: Please don’t forget! We love to share your Member news and events. If you’re doing something cool, please let us know!

Read more: AgriTechNZ News: Meri Kirihimete

Read more: Fonterra and Nestlé partner on ambition to create New Zealand’s first net zero carbon emissions dairy farm

Learn more

FIELDAYS: Celebrating women in agriculture

We’re excited to host a special event at Fieldays to celebrate inspirational women in our industry in partnership with New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT). Unfortunately tickets have sold out, but please email us if you would like to be involved in future initiatives like this.

Contact us 

FIELDAYS: Innovation Awards Finalists announced

A highlight for us, the Fieldays Innovation Awards deliver a global platform for creative problem solvers to showcase their innovation to the primary industries and the opportunity to be recognised. We wish all finalists the best of luck and will celebrate the winners as they are announced next week.

Read more 

FIELDAYS: Lunch & Learn – Solutions for Successful Digital Adoption

We are excited to be hosting the Lunch & Learn session Solutions for Successful Digital Adoption event on Thursday 1 December, followed by a networking lunch sponsored by the United Kingdom (UK) Department of International Trade. Unfortunately space is limited and tickets have now sold out. We’ll keep you updated on social media and please let us know if you are keen to connect with the UK mission.

Contact us

FIELDAYS: All the agritech events in one place!

Check out all the agritech events being hosted during Fieldays including an online tools seminar, airborne agritech seminar and tour, NZ-UK Free Trade Agreement Event and ecosystem networking. 

Read more

FIELDAYS: Exhibiting? Come and say hi

Over 30 of our AgriTechNZ Members are exhibiting at Fieldays this year and if that’s you, please come and visit us at the Fieldays® Digital Futures Hub in the Main Pavilion. Kylie and I will also be out and about visiting as many of you as possible. This may include posing for a few selfies to share on social media to help promote your attendance, so please be prepared to say ‘cheese’! 

FIELDAYS: Prioritising health and wellbeing 

Due to increased demand the Hauora Taiwhenua Health and Wellbeing Hub has tripled in size for this year’s Fieldays! The one-stop shop for health checks includes blood pressure, blood sugar levels, hepatitis C, skin cancer and more.

Read more 

Ngā manaakitanga me kei runga noa atu 
Go well and onwards and upwards

Brendan
Chief Executive, on behalf of the Executive Council of AgriTech New Zealand

PS: Join our next Connect Event: Going green without getting in the red on 5 December in Christchurch to discuss agritech innovations and the transition to low emissions agriculture. We will have speakers from both the UK and New Zealand. This must attend event is sponsored by the UK Department of International Trade and co-hosted by Lincoln Agritech.  Space is limited, so please register now.

Read more: AgriTechNZ News: Fieldays Special Edition

FRESNO, Calif., and TAURANGA, NZ – Robotics Plus, a New Zealand-based agritech company, today launched its autonomous multi-use, modular vehicle platform for agriculture designed to carry out a variety of orchard and vineyard machine tasks – to alleviate ongoing labor shortages and transform the industry.

The multi-purpose Unmanned Ground Vehicle (UGV) can be supervised in a fleet of vehicles by a single human operator. The vehicle uses a combination of vision systems and other technologies to sense the environment – to optimize tasks and allow intelligent and targeted application of inputs such as sprays. Growers will be able to rotate multiple tools on the highly adaptable and configurable agriculture platform, depending on the day’s work – for jobs such as spraying, weed control, mulching, mowing and crop analysis.

Robotics Plus, a specialist in the design and build of robotics, artificial intelligence and autonomous machines, unveiled its demonstration vehicle at FIRA USA 2022, a California-based event dedicated to autonomous agriculture and agricultural robotics solutions for the North American market.

Steve Saunders, Co-founder and CEO of Robotics Plus, says its world-class team worked alongside growers, researchers and best-in-class technology suppliers to deliver the unique modular architecture for its multi-purpose UGV, which can operate in a range of environments.

Caption (L): Steve Saunders Co-founder and CEO of Robotics Plus
Caption (R): Dr Alistair Scarfe, Co-founder and CTO of Robotics Plus

“We’ve created a flexible agricultural platform with the power to adapt to different crop types with tools for various applications, providing year-round automation benefits and maximizing machine utilization.

“To adapt and thrive in a changing world and create a sustainable and competitive future in the agricultural and speciality tree crop sector – growers and orchardists need automation that solves real-world problems, reduces reliance on increasingly costly and hard-to-find machine operators and provides data-driven insights for informed decision-making.”

Saunders says that for automation to be adopted, it must also provide a good return on investment.

“Our multi-purpose vehicle replaces tractors and other tools. But, it does much more than just replacing labor – it’s loaded with intelligence to improve efficiencies,” he says.

The first application for the technology is intelligent spraying. The system intelligently varies the flow rate to ensure spray efficacy whilst reducing inputs. Spray rates and airspeed is controlled in zones and responds as the sprayer moves along orchard or vineyard rows.

The highly manoeuvrable UGV has a small footprint and unique steering configuration, incorporating electric steering and independent motors, which increases productivity – allowing significantly more ground to be covered than machines which turn on every second row or greater, depending on row configuration. The UGV can be deployed in a range of applications in various crop types with a minimum row spacing of 1.8M/6ft.

Dr Alistair Scarfe, Co-founder and CTO of Robotics Plus, says its hybrid electric diesel UGV delivers outstanding performance in the field.

“Electric drive motors give superior torque and control, whilst a Tier 4 diesel generator means the vehicle can operate for extended periods. Fuel consumption is minimized by electrically driving all systems, including tools. Regenerative braking and high-capacity batteries also extend efficiency and range.

“In addition, the vehicle’s lightweight design and intelligent all-wheel-drive system, with independent wheel motors to ensure grip and control – while significantly reducing ground compaction to protect the soil,” he says.

The vehicle has been designed from the ground up to be modular and easy to service. With no hydraulic, gearbox or differential fluids to be managed, operators can easily keep their vehicles running if a part fails by simply swapping out modules when needed. All of this is designed to reduce downtime and complexity for growers.

Robotics Plus has partnered with best-in-class technology suppliers, including Yamaha Motor Company, Autonomous Solutions Inc., and Croplands, to significantly increase the robustness and support for the product in a demanding environment such as agriculture.

Caption: Robotics Plus’ multi-use, modular platform Unmanned Ground Vehicle (UGV)
automates tree and vine crop tasks for orchards and vineyards

Saunders says by taking a partnership approach, Robotics Plus has created a best-in-class platform for the agriculture industry.

“We’ve benefited from our partner’s deep knowledge and access to high-quality technology components. In addition, growers can deploy Quantum sprayers with configurations adaptable to various crop types, growing formats, and heights.”

Robotics Plus has developed multiple autonomous systems for use in agriculture and automation for intelligent fruit-packing to address significant industry issues, including global labor shortages, rising costs, and yield security. In addition, its robotic automatic log scaling machines are transforming port logistics with improved safety and productivity.

Robotics Plus’ fast-growing team developed the modular platform UGV at its Tauranga base, with extensive testing in New Zealand and the US in various environments and applications. Robotics Plus investors include Yamaha Motor Company and New Zealand’s ACC Impact Fund.

Robotics Plus’ new autonomous modular vehicle is available for pre-order.
For more information, see https://www.roboticsplus.co.nz/

Read more > 

Robotics Plus unveils it’s autonomous platform

Industry leader and AgriTechNZ member Robotics Plus were in the news recently when they launched their multi-use modular autonomous vehicle at FIRA USA 2022. We celebrate their ‘global from day one’ approach and look forward to further growth of the company and New Zealand agritech’s global impact.

Read more > 

NZ International Business Awards

Congratulations to AgriTechNZ members Agrisea and UBCO for being chosen as finalists in the International Business Awards.

Read more >

Common language in farming data

We are working with Rezare Systems and the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) on a project to align the way we describe and identify data elements. This will help our ecosystem participate in a range of industry initiatives without ‘reinventing the wheel’ each time.

Read more > 

Emissions pricing submission

We are preparing a submission to the Ministry for the Environment (MfE) and the MPI on the Government’s proposal to price agricultural greenhouse gas emissions in Aotearoa New Zealand from 2025. We believe the good use of digital tools and the inclusion of agritech service providers and their partners can address many of the issues raised by stakeholders in these discussions. If you’d like to express an opinion or join the conversation, please get in touch.

Contact Us > 

Join us at Fieldays 2022

Join us for our Solutions for Successful Digital Adoption event on Thursday 1 December beside the Pavillion. Following our panel discussion, during lunch, you’ll be able to meet the international community attending Fieldays, generously sponsored by the UK Department of International Trade.

Register Now >

Can we drop in and say hi?

If you’re a Member and exhibiting at Fieldays, please let us know! We’d love to visit and promote your presence through our social channels. Please update us on where you’ll be and we’ll swing by to say hello.

Get in Touch > 

Ngā manaakitanga me kei runga noa atu 
Go well and onwards and upwards

Brendan
Chief Executive on behalf of the Executive Council of AgriTech New Zealand

PS: We love to share member news and events. If you’re doing something cool, please let us know!

• Agri-EPI Centre concentrates on engineering and precision agriculture, 
• Agrimetrics develops data capabilities
• CHAP focuses on crop health and protection 
• CIEL is the centre for innovation excellence in livestock. 
  

These centres for agricultural innovation are a collaborative model between industry and government.  The aim is to help the UK commericalise innovation, encourage inward investment and improve farming practice.

During the last fortnight,  I’ve met with key people from each of these groups and continue to deepen our network of networks for agritech innovators. Many New Zealand companies are already establishing a  position in the UK and benefiting from access to the significant resources of these groups.

What I have found most interesting in the UK, is the relatively high level of technology capability, but low level of domestic technology adoption.  Within that dynamic lies great opportunity for collaboration between the UK and New Zealand agritech innovators both of whom work in different domestic environments and have shared global aspirations.

During my visit, local commentators described the factors contributing towards  a ‘decade of disruption’. In addition to the global challenge of food production in a climate crisis and the food system impacts from the war in Ukraine, UK farmers are also facing the phase out of a Basic Payment Scheme (BPS).  Until recently, this has subsidised their operations based on the area they farm. This is being replaced with supports for three areas of policy impact (productivity, environmental outcomes and landscape/air/water quality) but at lower levels than the BPS.

Interestingly, the devolution of agricultural policy to each country in the UK will see a divergence in how support is applied;.

• England will focus on public good – improving landscape, air and water quality improvements
• Scotland will focus on reduced emissions from agriculture
• Wales will focus on public good, with an agriculture focus
• Northern Ireland focus on sustainable productivity improvements

This is a notable period of change in the UK. Approximately 40 percent of farmers have only been profitable with the BPS and a further 15 percent who are not profitable even with the BPS. Farmers will require significant adjustments to their practices. Like many other countries, they will be searching for the optimal sweet spot combining  productivity and environmental improvements. Both will  require a new suite of tools and capabilities.

Earlier this year, the New Zealand Agritech Industry Transformation Plan (AITP) supported an Agritech Story campaign in the Farmers Guardian. I was delighted to receive positive feedback during several meetings in the UK and Ireland about how it  struck a chord in the market.  Later this year, New Zealand Trade and Enterprise (NZTE) and the AITP team will collaborate again on another campaign.  Yes, the primary audience is UK farmers, but it’s worth noting the whole ecosystem pays attention and the potential for technology collaborations is significant.

Certainly, local details may differ, but the common challenges of farming in a climate crisis are shared. This is truly the age of agritech as farmers and growers seek innovations necessary to navigate disruption. It’s also true that neither the UK nor New Zealand can justify substantial investments in agritech developments without taking those solutions to international markets. 

The connections strengthened on this visit will continue to be nurtured when the UK Department of International Trade (UK DIT) visit New Zealand with a cohort of UK agritech innovators for Fieldays 2022..

We look forward to continuing to develop and collaborate on successful projects  with all our UK partners.

And for our Members, we will continue to provide opportunities to connect, promote and advance our ecosystem. This type of engagement is just one example supporting our goal to connect our Members and participate in opportunities for economic growth.

Brendan O’Connell
CEO
AgriTechNZ

Globally, we are at one of the most important, exciting and challenging times in the history of agriculture. Strengthening the foundations of a smart agritech ecosystem in New Zealand will assure the role the world needs of us. As a small market we are limited in what we can achieve on our own, but as a smart ecosystem we can have a disproportionate impact on global food systems and climate action. 

During the last month we have made excellent progress promoting and advancing the agritech sector in and from New Zealand. We’ve published our Baseline of Digital Adoption research report and participated in the development of the Digital Boost for Ag series of videos.

A smart ecosystem thrives on collaboration across interconnected interests, effectively functioning as a unit. In New Zealand, our innovators, agribusinesses, researchers, investors, regulators, farmers and growers are easily connected. Less easy, but vital if we are to realise our global impact, is to find common ground on shared problems. For example, equitable food production in a climate crisis. We need to develop our collaborative fitness and shine our light out in the world.

This starts with strengthening our core and improving our use of innovative solutions locally. It includes building our international connections and promoting our capabilities globally. This month we’re highlighting the progress and opportunities for digital agriculture in New Zealand and connecting with global agritech interests at the World Agritech Innovation Summit.

2022 Baseline of Digital Adoption in Primary Industries

This new research report helps us understand the realities of digital adoption across New Zealand. It provides powerful insights to on-farm utilisation of digital agricultural practices and the strategies to enable increased benefit from the technologies. In case you missed it, the report is available to download for free.  On 19 October, we will also host a members-only webinar to explore the meaning and implications of this research. We will also be seeking input on next steps for this work.

Register Now

Digital Boost for agriculture

Backed by the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE), Digital Boost is an online platform designed to digitally upskill businesses across New Zealand, for free. Recognising that agriculture is at the heart of New Zealand’s economy, AgriTechNZ collaborated in the creation of  Digital Boost for Ag, a series of videos directly related to on-farm technology solutions. The series highlights farmers and growers from Auckland to Southland to help their peers get the best advice on digital tools and what farmers should think about when making technology decisions.  Watch my intro video on the importance of agritech here.

Learn More

World Agritech connections

Next week I’m travelling to London to fly the flag and deepen connections with the world’s agritech community. With over 800 top level agri-food professionals in attendance over two days, we’ll be meeting existing partners and developing valuable new connections. We’ll keep you updated!

Read More

Creating regional impact for a global crisis: Oceania 2025

We’re just one month away from the 2035 Oceania Summit in Auckland. If you haven’t already secured your ticket, now is the time. If you’re an AgriTechNZ member, please contact us for your discount code.

Read More

Agrifoodtech mission to Israel

AgriTechNZ member AgSorted is leading the Israel New Zealand Strategic Partnerships Project for Early Stage Agri Food Tech businesses  mission to Israel. The project is designed to help NZ agri food tech businesses accelerate their international growth through strategic partnerships with well-matched Israeli partners. The mission is scheduled before and after  Israel’s AgriFoods Week in Tel Aviv 6-10 November, to optimise its success.

Read More

Fieldays Innovation Awards

The final entry date for our sector’s premier innovation awards is 6 October. There is no better platform to celebrate innovation in our sector, with all the participants in our primary industries watching. If an innovation launches but no one sees it, did it really happen? Make sure your innovation is celebrated and enter the awards today.

Read More

KiwiNet Research Commercialisation Awards

We’ll be joining KiwiNet to honour Aotearoa’s research commercialisation heroes and their entrepreneurial spirit on 6 October. There are still some tickets left if you would like to join.

Read More

AgTech Breakthrough Awards

Congratulations to Hectre – Orchard Management Software who was named best Overall Post Harvest Company of the Year at the AgTech Breakthrough Awards. The award recognises the best companies, products and services in the agritech sector and it’s the second time they have won this award which is a wonderful achievement.

Read More

Ngā manaakitanga me kei runga noa atu 
Go well and onwards and upwards

Brendan
Chief Executive
on behalf of he Executive Council of AgriTech New Zealand

The latest AgritechNZ report just released today creates a baseline of digital adoption across the primary sector to better understand the motivations, pressures and barriers faced by farmers and growers in adopting new tools, AgritechNZ chief executive Brendan O’Connell says.

The research was designed to provide actionable insight for agritech businesses, industry groups and public agencies who seek to unleash the potential of digital agriculture and develop strategies to support farmers and growers.

“There is a deep richness in the findings and attitudes to digital adoption. A total of 59 percent of the surveyed population lean towards the adoption of digital technologies,” O’Connell says.

“But this is for very different reasons and with different pathways to participation depending on the mix of motivations, pressures, and barriers.

“A total of 41 percent of respondents sided with not seeing much value in using digital technology to run their business.

“This is a high proportion, though not unexpected considering knowledge levels are low, and the value of data sharing is still to be unlocked.

“While there is a healthy population of trailblazers across all sub-sectors and age groups, on the whole, the willingness to adopt early is lower than outside the primary sector.

“Proudly traditionalist farmers and growers are reluctant to change what has worked for their land for many years.

“They may accept technology in the office or will tap into the expertise of contractors for specific jobs, the key though is that someone else is doing it.

“With regards to data sharing, 64 percent of farmers and growers have confidence in the custodians of their data and 77 percent are happy to share data where the data provides direct benefits to them.

“This is a seemingly positive result but is balanced by data that shows only half of farmers and growers are data sharing.”

The biggest barriers to data sharing revealed by the survey included that farmers and growers did not believe their data would have value to anyone else.

There is a low recognition of the value in the data held on farm and a difficulty in unlocking the value of shared data. There is also a lack of clarity around who would want the information and why.

This is what can lead to confusion, mistrust and fear. Confidence comes from knowing who is using it and for what,” O’Connell says.

“Adoption on use of digital technology is highest in farm business management, such as accounts, payroll and health and safety solutions.

“This may be the entry point for digital technology on farms, with many tools having been around for a long time.

“Across the primary sector, the lower adoption areas are water, irrigation management, plant and crop management and effluent management.

“However, those with a higher need for precision in these areas are showing higher adoption rates. Operational areas with lower current adoption levels are also the areas with lower intended investment levels over the next two years.

“Tracking data over future survey points will provide valuable insights into how technology spend plans change with land use changes, policy changes and as the agritech market develops.”

The report was created as part of a study by AgriTechNZ and insights partner Research First, supported by Zespri, DairyNZ, FAR, the Fertiliser Association of New Zealand and the New Zealand Ministry for Primary Industries.

For further information contact Brendan O’Connell on 021 369740 or NZTech’s media specialist, Make Lemonade editor-in-chief Kip Brook on 0275 030188

Photo: Brendan O’Connell

Celebrating the work of others in our sector is good for all of us. It’s an act of good citizenship that recognises both our individual and shared work in building a smart ecosystem. Ecosystem citizenship behaviour encourages collaborative approaches, collective action for the sector and indirect social exchanges (such as the behaviour of paying it forward and supporting the development of others in the community). We’ve had some opportunities to recognise the good works of others in the last month and look forward to further opportunities.

Celebrating agritech at the Hi-Tech Awards
This year’s Hi-Tech awards highlighted the wonderfully disproportionate role agritech is playing for Aotearoa New Zealand. Agritech businesses were spread throughout many of the awards with entries from Halter, Marama Labs, Agrisea, M2X, Cropsy, Hectre, SmartMachine, Onside and UBCO. We celebrate the winners and know the whole sector is winning!

Read more >

Acknowledging agritech excellence
We were delighted to relaunch the Robin Davidson Memorial Award for Agritech Excellence at a recent event in Hamilton. Congratulations to Andrew Cooke from Rezare Systems for being the worthy recipient for 2022.

Read more >

Showcasing agritech innovations on a global platform
Fieldays Innovation Awards are open and deliver a global platform for agritech innovators to showcase their innovation.  Fieldays draws attention from around the globe and success at the awards has been a milestone achievement for many agritech businesses, especially over time as as they often progress through the categories. 

Read more >

Connecting early-stage agritech businesses in NZ and Israel
The Israeli Embassy in New Zealand is inviting early stage agritech businesses to consider building enduring commercial partnerships with like-minded Israeli businesses so both partners can deliver products and services to discerning world markets. AgSorted are coordinating a three month project from September to November 2022.

Read more >

Sharing ideas on data in the agrifood supply chain
The team at Rezare/Map of Ag are hosting their Pure Farming webinar series covering the importance of data in the agrifood supply chain. The series has sessions for developers, farmers and agrifood organisations.

Read more >

Creating regional impact for a global crisis
We’re looking forward to engaging with our Australian and Pacific region peers and visitors at the 2035 Oceania Summit in Auckland.  The October summit is hosting leaders of science, agritech, agrifood, agribusiness, farming and regulation. The list of attendees is growing rapidly and it is surely an event not to be missed.

Read more >

Ngā manaakitanga me kei runga noa atu 
Go well and onwards and upwards

Brendan
Chief Executive
on behalf of he Executive Council of AgriTech New Zealand

At our recent Annual General Meeting and subsequent Executive Council meeting we welcomed several new (but well known) faces and paid thanks to others. Congratulations to Bridgit Hawkins from CropX who was elected as AgriTechNZ’s new Chair. New Council members include Sarah Adams from Gallagher Animal Management, Mark Begbie from PlantTech Research and Matt Flowerday from GPS-it/Landkind. Special thanks to the significant work and ongoing support of Kenneth Irons from AgSorted, Peter Nation from the National Fieldays Society and Dan O’Brien from Amazon Web Services.

Read more  

Agritech sector vital to New Zealand’s economic growth

Earlier this month, the Technology Investment Network’s (TIN) 2022 Agritech Insights Report was launched. This year’s report continues to highlight  the growth of the sector, featuring greater levels of collaboration enabling  even higher growth rates in the coming years.

Read more   

Regional Partnerships with Australia

Earlier this month, the Technology Investment Network’s (TIN) 2022 Agritech Insights Report was launched. This year’s report continues to highlight  the growth of the sector, featuring greater levels of collaboration enabling  even higher growth rates in the coming years. 

Read more   

Join NZ Story’s next webinar on Australian perceptions

Would you like to know more about Australian perceptions of New Zealand in 2022? This research will help businesses and exporters understand how they can tailor their stories for our closest trading partner. Join NZ Story’s David Downs and One Picture’s Alex Jones on 27 July to learn more. 

Register here  

Agritech mission to the UK and Ireland in September

Callaghan Innovation, in partnership with AgriTechNZ, is leading a Market Immersion mission to the United Kingdom (UK) and Ireland for UK Dairy Day and the 2022 Irish National Ploughing Championships, 11 September to 23 September 2022. The mission is for 25 people from mid-to-late stage startups, mature businesses, and researchers. Participants will gain a deep insight into the UK and Ireland’s agri industries, research, innovation systems and channel partners. The mission also offers New Zealand companies and agencies the opportunity to showcase their abilities and technologies in a global setting.

Express interest   

Regional impact for a global crisis

Join the 2035 Oceania Summit in Auckland this October.  We’re looking forward to engaging with our Australian peers and visitors at this event.  The summit is hosting leaders of science, agritech, agrifood, agribusiness, farming and regulation. . We have secured a discount code for members of AgriTechNZ which will provide a further $100 off the early bird price (valid until 8 August). To claim your code, please contact us here.

Read more   

To innovate is human!

Our sector partners at Sprout Agritech are growing their team and continuing to share key learnings from working with our sector innovators. We love the work they do emphasising the need to nurture good teams, and focus on the human needs of mental health and wellbeing. Sprout is currently recruiting for new herd members, check out the available roles here. 

Read more   

Creating a smart green future together

Join B.linc Workshop on 16 August at Lincoln University and hear from Plant & Food Research’s Gavin Ross as he shares their vision, strategy, projects and how you can be involved.

Register now  

Interested in new proposed R&D funding schemes, but missed our webinar?

Recently we hosted a webinar to learn more about the Government’s two new research and development (R&D) grants to boost business innovation.  The grants aim to help with the high costs and steep learning curves associated with R&D.  They will also provide pathways to the existing R&D Tax Incentive (RDTI).

Watch now  

Growing great agritech businesses

If, in recent months, you’ve enjoyed reading our inspiring agritech stories, I’m pleased to say we have more to share.  In our latest Powered by Place storytelling feature we talk to local innovators about their growth journeys.  We feature three Kiwi entrepreneurs who have successfully navigated very different growth strategies to thrive on the global stage.

Read More  

Ngā manaakitanga me kei runga noa atu
Go well and onwards and upwards

Brendan
Chief Executive
on behalf of he Executive Council of AgriTech New Zealand

PS: The Innovotek team has made the tough decision to cancel the DigitalAg 2022 conference which was scheduled for September in Rotorua.

TIN’s third annual Agritech Insights Report offers significant analysis of New Zealand’s agricultural technology export sector.

AUCKLAND, 1 July 2022 – Technology Investment Network (TIN) has released its third annual New Zealand Agritech Insights Report, providing compelling analysis of the size and scope of the country’s leading Agritech export companies, along with a pipeline of promising Agritech companies.

Launched at an event at Waikato Innovation Park last night, the report provides a closer look into New Zealand’s agricultural technology sector based on data from TIN’s 2021 survey results, including size and significance, key export markets, investment opportunities, and a comprehensive directory of nearly 110 Pipeline Agritech companies — those from pre-revenue up to $3.5m revenue.

Agritech continues to be one of the biggest and most innovative sectors in the TIN200, New
Zealand’s 200 largest technology ‘exporters’. According to the 2021 TIN Report, it is a $1.6B industry, providing 11.4% of the TIN200 total revenue.

“The report celebrates the hard-won success and growth of the dynamic Agritech sector that plays to all the strengths of our historical reliance on farmers, horticulturalists, acquaculturalists and apiarists,” said Greg Shanahan, managing director of TIN.

“The Government’s multi-agency Agritech Industry Transformation Plan is focusing on growing the sector into a stronger economic contributor and increasing exports from the most innovative and forward-thinking Agritech companies,” Mr Shanahan added.

The industry is dominated by the Animal and Crop Health, Data Solutions and Post-Harvest sub-sectors, building on the international success of established New Zealand Agritech companies such as Gallagher Group, Livestock Improvement Corporation (LIC) and TOMRA Fresh Foods. Together, these three Waikato-based companies were responsible for just over 50% of the TIN200 Agritech revenue in 2021.

“This year’s TIN Agritech Insights Report is another marker in the growth of the sector, and importantly, the growing levels of collaboration that will enable still higher growth rates in coming years,” said Brendan O’Connell, Chief Executive of AgriTech New Zealand, the membership-funded organisation that promotes opportunities and challenges raised by Agritech.

Key statistics on the Agritech sector (taken from the TIN NZ Agritech Insights Report 2022, and based on 2021 TIN Report data)

• 11.0% of TIN200 companies are Agritech firms, and together they generated $1.6B in revenue in 2021; 11.4% of the total TIN200 revenue
• TIN200 Agritech companies generated $118m revenue growth; 8.2% of TIN200 growth
• Total Agritech exports: $814.9.m (51.1% of total revenue)
• Export growth: $49.0m (up 6.4% on 2020)
• North America is the largest export market for Agritech (19.6% of total export revenue)
• Average sector wage: $94,956 (TIN200 average wage: $88,005)
• Average revenue per employee: $296,197 (TIN200 average: $243,570)
• Investment in Sales and Marketing: $261.7m (up 7.1% on 2020)
• Investment in Wages and Salary: $511.7m (up 8.6% on 2020)
• Investment in R&D: $115.6.m (up 6.5% on 2020)
• Average company age: 25 years (TIN200 average: 28 years)
• 5-year CAGR: 14.6% (TIN200 5-year CAGR: 10.9%)
• More than 5,000 people employed globally with 72.5% of those in New Zealand (3,910 people)
• Auckland/Northland and Central North Island are the regions with the highest number of Agritech companies (29 each); followed by Hamilton/Waikato (24) and Canterbury/Upper South Island (21)

Key Agritech sector insights (taken from the TIN NZ Agritech Insights Report 2022, and based on 2021 TIN Report data)

• High-tech Manufacturing continues to dominate the sector

New Zealand’s Agritech sector is primarily dominated by High-tech Manufacturing companies, which make up 13 of the 22 Agritech firms in the TIN200. High-tech Manufacturing firms, such as Gallagher Group, TOMRA Fresh Food and NDA Group, account for more than 70% of the sector’s revenue.

• Opportunities for investment as global economy recovers

Investment in the Agritech sector followed the trend of investment levels across all sectors – a sharp spike in investment in 2021 as the global economy started to recover from the impact of COVID-19 in 2020. Agritech companies in this report (TIN200 and pipeline) received more than $15m of investment across 11 deals, which includes both seed and follow-on funding

• Labour shortages creates opportunities and innovation

Domestic labour shortages and border restrictions have forced Agritech companies to look at automation and data integration to improve productivity and drive growth. This has created opportunities for a range of technologies, such as cow wearables, crop health and harvesting. The disruption to regular supply chains has also led to Agritech companies re-evaluating and streamlining their approach to search for more cost-effective alternatives.

The New Zealand Agritech Insights Report was commissioned by the Agritech Industry Transformation Plan (ITP), a partnership involving the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment, Ministry for Primary Industries, New Zealand Trade & Enterprise, Callaghan Innovation and AgriTech NZ; with additional support from ASX, Hamilton City Council and NZ Growth Capital Partners.

About Technology Investment Network

Technology Investment Network (TIN) is a private company established in 1999 to facilitate the growth of the technology export sector in New Zealand. The company’s goal is to contribute to the New Zealand economy by supporting the growth of, large, sustainable, New Zealand based, global technology businesses.

THE NEW ZEALAND AGRITECH INSIGHTS REPORT IS SPONSORED BY:

THE TIN REPORT IS SPONSORED BY: