P.PSH.1486 - Clean Agri-Food Tech Accelerator Program
SparkLabs Cultiv8 and Meat & Livestock Australia (MLA) partnered to drive innovation in Australia's red meat industry through a six-month accelerator program.
| Project start date: | 20 November 2023 |
| Project end date: | 10 June 2025 |
| Publication date: | 13 August 2025 |
| Project status: | Completed |
| Livestock species: | Grain-fed Cattle, Grass-fed Cattle, Sheep, Goat, Lamb |
| Relevant regions: | National |
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Summary
SparkLabs Cultiv8, in partnership with Meat & Livestock Australia (MLA), has collaborated on an accelerator program aimed at driving innovation within the agricultural sector, particularly in the red meat industry. This collaboration seeks to nurture practical, adoptable solutions with clear commercial outcomes to enhance producer profitability, sustainability, and global competitiveness in Australia's red meat and livestock industry.
The accelerator program offers a differentiated approach to conventional research and development (R&D), spanning six months and providing participants with mentorship, funding opportunities, networking, business support, and expertise in commercialisation. Operating from the Global Ag-Tech Ecosystem (GATE) in Orange, NSW, the program is supported by the NSW Government, prominent research and development corporations, universities, and corporate entities.
Objectives
The primary objectives of this project were to:
• identify and select two red meat-relevant technologies to participate in the annual accelerator program
• provide comprehensive support to the selected companies, including industry networking, investor relations, product refinement, and strategic partnerships
• drive innovation and unlock substantial potential throughout the agriculture and food supply chain
• enhance long-term profitability, sustainability and international competitiveness within Australia's red meat and livestock industry.
Key findings
The accelerator program effectively identified innovative technologies addressing key challenges in the red meat industry, such as methane emissions and pasture resilience.
Strategic partnerships and industry networking played a crucial role in advancing the selected companies' development and market potential.
The program's support in areas such as investor relations and intellectual property management has been instrumental in positioning the companies for future growth.
Benefits to industry
- potential for significant reduction in methane emissions from cattle through Bovotica's feed supplement technology
- enhanced pasture crop resilience and potential for reduced methane emissions through NanoSoils Bio's nanoparticle technology
- accelerated development and commercialisation of innovative solutions addressing key industry challenges
- strengthened connections between startups, industry bodies and potential investors in the ag-tech sector.
MLA action
MLA will continue investing and supporting areas of the entrepreneurship ecosystem where innovation can be catalysed and accelerated for the benefit of the Australian red meat industry.
Future research
MLA has continued supporting and monitoring the progress of Bovotica and NanoSoils Bio, particularly in their efforts to scale their technologies and conduct real-world trials in the Australian red meat industry.
More information
| Project manager: | Joshua Whelan |
| Contact email: | Reports@mla.com.au |
| Primary researcher: | SparkLabs Cultiv8 Pty Ltd |
