Darling Downs agronomist Millie Bach has benefitted from the knowledge of the F2F team to help her grow her idea and business through the Hone program. Photo: Millie Bach
THE GRAINS Research and Development Corporation and Farmers2Founders have partnered to launch TEKLAB Grains.
It has been designed as a pathway to support farmers, students, tech developers and aspiring entrepreneurs to accelerate the development of concepts that address challenges for the grains industry by learning the fundamentals of starting, launching and scaling a grains-focused agtech startup.
The TEKLAB Grains accelerator pathway supports entrepreneurs and start-ups from early-stage ideas and validation through to scale-up and commercialisation to help increase grain yields, efficiency, and profitability on farm.
Co-founder and executive director of F2F Skye Raward said the program will give grains start-up founders a helping hand.
“We see lots of great ideas with the potential to solve critical challenges in the grains industry, but sometimes founders just need a helping hand to get started,” Ms Rayward said.
“The TEKLAB Grains program pathway will de-risk the development of ideas and give the start-ups the tools and resources needed to start and save time and money in the process.
“We also have a later stage grains-focused program, Harvest, for high-potential agtech businesses looking to scale and fast-track their operations into national and international markets.”
GRDC business development manager Tim Spencer said the TEKLAB Grains program gives GRDC an opportunity to see and support ideas and opportunities from early stages through to nearing market entry, some of the most challenging periods for a start-up.
“The TEKLAB Grains program is part of a series of GRDC investments aimed to support novel and innovative technology and business concepts, particularly those arising directly from non-traditional sources such as innovative growers, and entrepreneurs,” Mr Spencer said.
The TEKLAB Grains programs include:
The Pre-Accelerator Pathway Program for early-stage agtech start-ups incorporates:
- The JourneyStarter: The first step in the program pathways is a self-paced online course that helps participants explore and refine their grains-focused agrifood tech concept;
- Hatch: A six-week program where ideas are hatched and validated with real customers to determine a problem-solution fit. Applications for Hatch are open now, and close February 23. At the end of the Hatch Program, participants will have the opportunity to pitch for a place in the next stage, Hone;
- Hone: A 10-week program where participants build and launch a product to test its fit with the market, and establish a viable business model.
The Accelerator Program for agtech scale-ups:
- Harvest: A four-month program designed to equip high-potential agtech businesses with the capabilities needed to scale into national and international markets.
Applications for TEKLAB Grains 2024 programs are now open.
Source: GRDC
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