New Zealand Agritech represents a collaborative effort involving various agencies, including Callaghan Innovation, New Zealand Trade and Enterprise (NZTE), Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI), Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE), New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT), and industry organisations.
This initiative holds immense potential to increase the industry’s worth, facilitate expanded exports, and champion innovation and technology adoption across agriculture. Whether involved in apple cultivation or dairy farming, harnessing innovation within these sectors can offer substantial benefits and solutions to pressing challenges.
To enhance the growth of New Zealand agritech, comprehensive programmes have been developed in collaboration with industry, sector partners and the New Zealand Government. These targeted tools, advocacy and support, along with connection to local and international networks, are designed to empower agritech companies to create commercial collaborations, find capability and talent faster, and go global sooner.
Areas of focus
Agritech includes manufacturing, biotech and digital-based technology companies creating novel solutions for the agriculture, horticulture, aquaculture, apiculture and fishing sectors to improve yield, efficiency, profitability, sustainability, reliability, quality, or add value.
Agriculture has historically been the mainstay of the New Zealand economy and will continue to play a critical role. New Zealanders have innovated on the farm, in the orchard and across the primary sector, bringing world-first innovations to life to help produce better food. Some renowned examples include, mechanical innovations - the electric fence, biotech innovations - gold kiwifruit, or digital innovations - AI-enabled smart cow collars.
Agritech initiatives
Our unique offerings and initiatives.
Who we work with
Through the Agritech Activator, we support businesses of all sizes and business maturity stages that create products, services or solutions across the sector.
We also support the industry adoption of deep-tech R&D projects within universities and Crown Research Institutes that drive transformation within the agritech sector.
Despite COVID-related challenges, Bluelab’s pre-pandemic digital transformation, and their investment in R&D work alongside Callaghan Innovation, meant they could ride a direct to consumer growth wave.
In the fight against climate change, incentives such as carbon credits are a key part of encouraging reforestation efforts.
“There is a vast chemical language out there that nobody is using.”
Agritech innovator Halter has revolutionised dairy farming with its ‘smart collars’ and ‘cowgorithms’, using support from Callaghan Innovation to grow the business and its R&D talent pipeline.
Donaghys: At the forefront of sheep farming innovation With a real passion for agriculture and a desire to make farmers’ lives better, Donaghys set about creating a world-first spot-on treatment for sheep. With help from Callaghan Innovation, they’ve done just that.
Minimal environmental impact, maximal crop yields. Biotelliga’s natural agricultural crop protection technologies, developed with the help of Callaghan Innovation, are the answer to reducing the reliance on harmful chemicals.
Greentech Robotics has done away with manual weeding thanks to their fully autonomous robotic weeder. With Callaghan Innovation support the business rode out the pandemic and accelerated its R&D.
It’s a new industry but producing cannabis-derived medicines has been years in the making for Rua Bioscience. And it’s those former years where Callaghan Innovation has been crucial in helping them get production ready.
A ground-breaking trial has proved that a Kiwi cold sore treatment made from honey works just as well as the pharmaceutical alternative.
Tackling increases in global food demand will be no easy feat. However, BioLumic is leading the way with UV light technology that enhances plant production. The proof is in the lettuce, literally.
Using innovative design and technology, and with support from Callaghan Innovation, Wood Engineering Technology has been able to produce a sustainable, quality timber product from logs destined to be woodchip.
It’s a win-win solution, with egg producer Frenz developing a way to create dry feed for its hens from mussel byproduct. It adds essential nutrients to their diet, and eliminates waste products too.
A new type of research institute is collectively harnessing the power of AI in the Bay of Plenty’s key horticulture industries.
A Callaghan Innovation-developed process is set to boost global fruit and vegetable supply by producing clean carbon dioxide for greenhouses in a more readily available, cost-effective and environmentally friendly way.
Beekeepers can now more efficiently monitor their hives, and from afar, with innovative software and sensing technology from BuzzTech, developed alongside Callaghan Innovation.
Ready to transform your business?
Get started today!
Visit the New Zealand Agritech website for more info.
