Queensland’s agricultural industry will be placed on the global stage as AgTech startup pathway Farmers2Founders undertakes the third iteration of its Gateway to Australia program in collaboration with Innovate UK.
Dr Christine Pitt, the managing director of Farmers2Founders, said the initiative will bring together eight UK-based startups to explore market opportunities within Australia’s agricultural landscape and encourage international collaboration in agtech.
“We’re thrilled to continue implementing the Gateway to Australia program, which plays a pivotal role in connecting the Australian and UK agtech industries,” Pitt said.
“This collaboration is about more than just technology — it’s about building solutions that address today’s agricultural challenges while also setting us up for long-term success.
“Australia offers a welcoming environment for innovation, and we’re excited to see the impact these collaborations will have on our industry.”
The six-month program features two visits to Queensland to help the selected startups achieve market growth in Australia.
The first visit started in Brisbane at the Farmers2Founders Agtech Showcase Day on November 18.
The teams are now in Emerald in Central Queensland at AGTECH 24 and will finish the tour at the Institute for Future Farming Systems in Rockhampton on Saturday.
The second visit will coincide with evokeAG, a premier agrifood tech event in the Asia-Pacific, held in Brisbane in February 2025.
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Louise Cantillon, the British Consul-General for NSW and Deputy Trade Commissioner said the Australia-UK Free Trade Agreement (A-UKFTA) meant collaborations like the Gateway to Australia are promising gateways for economic development and scientific progress.
“The UK-Australia Free Trade Agreement helps the UK and Australia work together to meet the challenges of global food insecurity, decarbonise the agriculture industry and produce increasing quantities of nutritious, healthy food and other agricultural products more efficiently,” Cantillon said.
Visiting companies include:
- Dyneval, a portable digital semen analyser to help raise conception rates in beef and dairy cattle
- Farmscan AG, which provides engineering technology to integrate precision agriculture and robotics
- Fieldwork Robotics, selective and autonomous harvesting robots for soft fruits to reduce waste and increase productivity
- Flex Farming, an advanced controlled environment growing platform for high-quality, environmentally sustainable strawberries, all year round, which incorporates ‘Farm As a Battery’ technology to optimise renewable energy use
- Nium, clean ammonia production using novel nanocatalyst technology, for decarbonisation and decentralisation of fertiliser supply chains
- PES Technologies, a proprietary tool providing rapid in-field metrics relating to both biological and non-biological soil health indicators
- Residual Barrier Technology, Livestock (poultry) airborne disinfection and water conditioner technology to automatically improve animal health and enhance biosecurity, while reducing labour costs, water use, maintenance and environmental harm
- Stars UK R&D, plant-based burgers made using sustainable and regionally grown whole foods, matching the taste, texture and aroma of beef
