SA AgTech Growth Fund winners announced

Seven South Australian companies supporting primary production and agribusiness have been awarded approximately $600,000 in grants from the second round of the state government’s AgTech Growth Fund, designed to accelerate development and commercialisation.

Grants of up to $100,000 are offered through the program to technologies addressing industry challenges regarding drought resilience and climate adaptation; carbon management, sustainability credentials or natural capital on farm to measure and monitor performance to consumers and the supply chain; and improving market access and maximise value for primary producers through traceability and credentialling.

The successful companies were

• Bio-Optics Australia – trials and data collection to certify a new version of their optical, hand-held testing device for wool producers to know fleece quality in real-time;
• Athena Irrigation Technologies – further development of an irrigation scheduling system;
• Eldridge Fresh Organics – development of AI system to integrate greenhouse monitoring of temperature, water control and carbon emission reporting to inform future tech upgrades;
• AirborneLogic – implementing technology and reporting systems for winegrape growers to share carbon stock data through the industry’s sustainability program;
• Mobishear – development of a cordless shearing handpiece;
• COtL – software development for real time data and decision-support on the Mesonet (SA automated weather station network) for climate related crop disease and pest models; and
• Datahash – adding a consumer engagement capability to verify dairy industry retail compliance data.

Picture: irrigation scheduling system (credit PIRSA)