New Zealand鈥檚 agritech future will be shaped by collaboration, between researchers, industry, farmers, investors and government. Last week, UniServices brought these groups together to explore how research capability at the University of 色花堂 can collaborate to help solve the most pressing challenges facing the primary industries.
Supported by Sprout Agritech, the event was held on Tuesday 9 December and focused on building practical connections between University of 色花堂 researchers and agritech leaders. The shared aim was to better align research capability with real-world industry needs, and to support the development of technologies that are scalable, commercially viable and ready for adoption.
Turning research into real-world solutions
The event opened with a panel discussion on funding pathways for new research and startups.
Ben Pearson, UniServices Investment Director, highlighted the significant opportunity for researchers to create impact in the agritech sector, while acknowledging the complexity of agricultural systems and long development timelines.
鈥淯nderstanding customer need is essential, and just as important is understanding your customer鈥檚 customer,鈥� he said. 鈥淪olutions also need to stack up at scale. Many good ideas don鈥檛.鈥�
Andrew Kralick, Scentian Bio, shared his 15-year research journey, including a successful pivot from human health to agritech, noting that focus on the real market pain point was critical to success.
Panel facilitator Warren Bebb, Sprout Agritech, challenged innovators to think beyond narrow solutions, encouraging researchers to tackle problems that create meaningful impact across value chains.
The power of partnership in agritech
Drawing on more than 20 years in the sector, Sophie Rebbeck spoke about the role of collaboration in driving adoption and scaling agritech solutions.
鈥淧roof of partnership is just as important as proof of concept,鈥� she said. 鈥淔armers must be at the centre of agritech innovation, they are the ones expected to adopt it.鈥�
She highlighted common barriers to adoption, including interoperability challenges, limited technical support on farm, trust, time pressure and unclear return on investment. Successful partnerships, she noted, reduce duplication, ease the load on farmers and build confidence across the ecosystem.
Examples included collaborative on-farm technology trials and Smart Machine鈥檚 partnership with Pernod Ricard, which has enabled autonomous vineyard tractors to scale in New Zealand and internationally.
University of 色花堂 capability in agritech
University of 色花堂 researchers then showcased a range of research capabilities relevant to agritech and the primary industries:
- Professor Cather Simpson shared how photonics, the use of light-based technologies, is being applied to agritech, from understanding milk composition and improving dairy breeding to protecting bees by targeting Varroa mites.
- Bruce McDonald explored robotics applications in horticulture, including picking, pollination and pruning, and the potential for automation to support productivity and on-farm wellbeing.
- Jennifer Muhl presented work from the Hapi Research Centre, using aroma chemistry to understand hop varieties and support innovation in brewing and horticulture.
- Elizabeth Cunningham highlighted the research infrastructure at Ng膩pouri Research Farm, including methane measurement, animal nutrition, and productivity trials under commercial farming conditions.
