Farmers2Founders Initiative

Summary

Farmers2Founders (F2F) is designed to attract and develop proactive, innovative Australian primary producers looking to grow and transform their businesses through cutting edge innovation and adoption of new technologies. F2F will develop producer entrepreneurship and technology capabilities so they can solve critical industry challenges and successfully bring new agtech, foodtech, and food ventures to market.

Program

National Rural Issues

Research Organisation

Farmers2Founders

Objective Summary

The overall objectives of the F2F Initiative are to: ● Deliver a new and unique program that attracts and supports proactive, innovative producers looking to grow and transform their farming businesses through the development and adoption of cutting edge agtech, foodtech and/or food innovation ● Develop producer entrepreneurship and technology capabilities so they can solve critical industry challenges and successfully bring new agtech, foodtech and food ventures to market ● Accelerate the delivery and adoption of new technologies and innovation concepts more broadly across the industry that will make producers more efficient, profitable and resilient ● Increase collaboration between producers and the global ag and food tech ecosystem ● Build and nurture a community of likeminded producers ● Address consumer demands for greater transparency, traceability and provenance while helping producers to directly capture increased value, and ● Attract new talent and retain young producers. Service Delivery for AgriFutures: ● An AgriFutures Australia member on the Partner Reference Group ● One workshop for AgriFutures Australia’s industries (with a focus on young leaders) and participation in the other crosssector workshops ● Sponsorship of three AgriFutures Australia growers in the preaccelerator or tech trials programs Year 1 Pilot Program Components: The 20182019 roll out of the ​Farmers2Founders pilot will comprise: ● Program administration and customization ● Inperson delivery of up to seven producer ideation workshops around Australia ● Hybrid digital and inperson delivery of 2 cohorts of a preaccelerator program ● Hybrid digital and inperson delivery of 1 cohort of an accelerator program ● Hybrid digital and inperson delivery of 1 cohort of a technology trials, and ● Support for program communications.