“Grassroots Series” Cicada Innovations & AgriFutures Australia

Turning bright ideas into AgTech start-ups is the aim of the Grassroots Series, an AgriFutures Australia webinar and mentoring program coordinated by Cicada Innovations is set to kick off this February 2021.

The Grassroots Series will comprise of weekly webinars released through AgriFutures Australia’s EvokeAg website, with the first one available from 15 February. The free webinars require no registration. Melissa said that each webinar will feature a specific theme covering a foundational building block of AgTech entrepreneurship.

“You’ll find out what you need to launch a successful venture, gain exposure to industry experts and hear from like-minded founders who share your vision of changing the world,” she said. “All the while, you’ll learn tactical skills and perspectives that will help you gain an edge.”

Along with the webinars, The Grassroots Series will offer participants the opportunity to receive one-on-one mentoring from a highly-experienced industry expert.

“People need to register for the mentor hours, so we can match them with appropriate mentors,” Melissa said. “Our mentors are our brains trust and bring a wide range of expertise. Participants will book in for one free 45-minute session, but spots are limited.”

Brooke Sauer, Intellect Ag, is part of the ‘brains trust’. She will be presenting in two of the webinars and, like other mentors in the program, Brooke is offering her services as a mentor free of charge.

“I see it as part of my work to give back to the community,” Brooke said. “But to be honest, I get as much out of these sorts of interactions as the mentees do.”

As far as her presentations go, the one Brooke is most excited about is ‘Getting tight with farmers’, which goes through how best to engage with farmers and get feedback, how best to create some credibility and build your idea into a product that farmers will want to use. 

“AgTech differs only in context; agriculture by nature is such a dynamic industry,” Brooke said. “ The same level of agility and responsiveness to dynamic challenges are required to be a successful entrepreneur in AgTech.

Melissa said the level of R&D required and the complexity of regulations can also be challenging in AgTech, especially with producing food. “But the foundational learnings for any tech start-up are usually the same,” she said. “The venture capitalists they talk to may be different, but the core foundational things tend to be the same.

“We’re really excited to see who participates in the program,” Melissa said. “We’re hoping to connect these aspiring problem solvers with the support they need to get their ideas off the ground”

Brooke said. “If each participant learns just one piece of information that might direct them into addressing something they hadn’t thought about before, then that’s a highly worthwhile investment of their time.