New Zealand’s agritech sector is entering a new phase of growth and Agritech Unleashed Auckland (16 April 2026) brought that momentum into the room. Founders, investors and industry leaders gathered for an unvarnished conversation about what it really takes to build, fund, and scale agritech companies from Aotearoa to the world.
At the heart of the day was a clear signal: the sector is backing itself. Recent capital raises across companies including Halter, Hectre, Agovor, Scanabull and Scentian Bio reflect a maturing ecosystem, shifting from ‘promising’ to ‘proven’ and a stronger appetite to think bigger about global scale.
Building workhorses, not unicorns
“Startups don’t die of starvation, they die of indigestion,” says Michael Macolino (Recode Ventures). His keynote set the tone for the day with a clear diagnosis of the post-2021 capital market shift and why agritech has felt the shift so sharply.
His core argument was that in recent years, capital often moved faster than agriculture could absorb it. In 2022, “gravity returned,” and the distinction between raising to grow and raising to survive became unavoidable.
Michael also offered a practical lens for companies at any stage: default dead vs default alive, a reminder that ‘default dead’ can be a phase, but becomes increasingly risky the longer it persists in a market where patience and bridge rounds have shortened.
A final point landed strongly in the room: agritech failures don’t just impact a cap table, they impact sector trust. “Trust that took years to build disappears overnight,” and in a trust-based market, longevity itself becomes an advantage. “When you can prove to a farmer that you will be here next year… it’s a competitive advantage.”
Michael stayed on for discussion and Q&A, including reflections on AI and national strategy. He also highlighted the opportunity for Australia and New Zealand to position as a single region for agricultural innovation, enabling dual-market scale and year-round R&D cycles.
Raising capital without breaking the business
This standout session was hosted by Ruth Leary (AgriZeroNZ), focused on fresh, lived experience of raising capital and what it takes to do it without derailing momentum.
The panel featured:
- Matty Blomfield (Hectre) on tightening focus and getting metrics in line (including the hard calls)
- Richard Beaumont (Agovor) on stopping the raise, getting product into market, then returning to investors with evidence
- Ursula Haywood (Scanabull) on refining focus, strengthening capability, and proving demand
It was a candid discussion about the mechanics and psychology of raising. One recurring theme was timing and traction. Richard shared that an early attempt to raise stalled until they stopped pitching and focused on getting product properly into market: “we stopped talking and raising… [and] sold some units… learned a lot more and then picked back up raising.”
Matty described the turning point for Hectre as getting fundamentals back in line, especially retention and expansion. This shifted the raise from ‘survive’ territory toward a clearer runway and a controllable path to breakeven.
The panel also named something many local founders feel, but don’t always say out loud: the tension between Kiwi understatement and the confidence expected in venture pitching. Ursula captured it as “you do the thing before you talk about the thing” and how unnatural it can feel to deliver certainty when everyone knows the path will change.
Finally, this session underscored that the ‘right investor’ is about more than capital: sector understanding, trusted networks, and steady support through hard weeks can matter just as much as the cheque.
What makes agritech tick from the inside?
During this discussion, hosted by Sophie Stanley (Levno), the conversation moved on from capital mechanics into what happens inside the businesses once the announcements are over. Speakers included: Scott Townsend (Trev), Marie-Claire Andrews (Farm Focus) and Oscar Ellison (Levno).
The big thread was trust; how slow it can be to earn, how easy it is to lose, and how central it is to both adoption and retention. Scott spoke to the challenge of “assumed trust from day zero” not existing in practice, and how credibility is built through staying power, ecosystem partnerships, and proximity to customers. Marie-Claire reflected on the privilege and pressure of long-held trust, and the need to innovate responsibly. Oscar shared hard-won lessons from expansion: when you enter a new market, your New Zealand credibility doesn’t automatically travel. Building trust offshore requires local presence and disciplined execution.
Funding, partnerships and what’s changing
A later panel brought investors and capital providers into the mix, exploring what’s needed to grow an ecosystem where more companies can win, and where farmers, corporates and investors can all play a role. The themes echoed what founders had already raised:
- in agritech, execution and customer value beat narrative
- slower adoption can be an investment opportunity (because markets may be less saturated)
- farmer-linked investment models can strengthen diligence, credibility, and adoption, but they’re relationship-led work, built over time
What we’re taking forward
Agritech Unleashed Auckland reinforced that there isn’t one blueprint for agritech success, but there are shared lessons. The companies that endure are the ones that stay close to customers, protect trust, resist distraction, and match ambition with the patience and discipline scaling requires.
Agritech Unleashed continues in Tauranga on 25 August and Dunedin on 12 November, bringing the same spirit of open exchange and collective ambition to agritech communities across the country. Find out more here.