Five sessions not to be missed at evokeAG

AgriFutures evokeAG 2024 will see local and global agrifood tech talent descend on Perth, Western Australia to engage in conversations that will disrupt the food chain and change the earth as we know it (literally).

Over two days, on 20 and 21 February 2024, evokeAG. 2024 will showcase the thought leaders and relentless change makers on the cutting edge of global agrifood tech, highlighting the entrepreneurs driving the local ecosystem; keeping Australia ahead of the curve.

High-profile Australian speakers include Olympia Yarger, the formidable CEO and founder of Goterra; Justin Webb, Co-Founder and Executive Chairman of Agriwebb; and Sally-Ann Williams, CEO of Cicada Innovation. 

The line-up also features a roster of celebrated experts, thought leaders and investors travelling from all over the world. They include Robyn O’Brien, Founder of US-based Sirona Ventures; Dr Lewis Akenji, Managing Director of the Hot or Cool Institute in Germany; and keynote speaker Nina Schick, Founder of Tamang Ventures in the UK. 

Craig Reucassel, host of the ABC’s War on Waste, will take to the stage as MC throughout the event.

In a jam-packed program, here are five sessions you really don’t want to miss:

1. The great balancing act: AI, the opportunities and the responsibilities

It’s not a tech event if we’re not talking about artificial intelligence (AI). Across the whole agrifood supply chain, AI is presenting opportunities for improved efficiency, faster production and more resilience.

This panel discussion will be facilitated by Nina Schick, a global leader in generative AI, who will set the scene in her keynote, Mind-bending AI: The Edge of Possibility, earlier in the day.

Nina will be joined by expert speakers Ponsi Trivisvavet, CEO of AI-powered seed design company Anari; and impact-focused food systems entrepreneur Abi Ramanen, among others. 

They’re tasked with exploring how the agrifood industry can harness the full power of AI, as responsibly as possible, to drive positive change and steer clear of unintended consequences.

2. provokeAG. – evokeAG.’s take on the game show Jeopardy

In a break from panel sessions and keynote speakers, evokeAG.‘s take on Jeopardy challenges experts with quick-fire questions about agri-food tech trends, challenges and opportunities – think biosecurity, renewable energy, carbon farming, alternative proteins, and more. 

Competing for bragging rights under the watchful eye of evokeAG. friend turned-game-show-host Bryce Ives, contestants will include Sally-Ann Williams, CEO, Cicada Innovations, Devon Long, APAC General Manager, Regrow Ag, Luke Chaplain, Founder SkyKelpie and Bill Hyem, 2020 AgriFutures Horizon Scholarship recipient.

3. Mining in agriculture: Shared challenges, shared knowledge, shared bounty

Mining and agriculture are two major contributors to the Australian economy, and both rely on the land, access to water, and labour. 

In this fireside chat, Adam Anders, Co-Founder and Managing Partner of global food-focused VC firm Anterra Capital will sit down with Rebecca Tomkinson, CEO of the Chamber of Minerals and Energy of Western Australia, to unpack some of the shared challenges facing these industries – as well as the trends shaping the future, and the opportunities that lie ahead.

Tackling some of the more controversial conversations around climate change, industry and tech, this promises to be a thought-provoking deep-dive into how two industries can co-exist, and thrive.

4. The convergence of cultural IP and Western innovation

In this panel discussion, we will hear from investors, business leaders and First Nations entrepreneurs, who will explore how western and Aboriginal-led businesses can work together to share knowledge and networks in a way that is culturally safe, respectful and mutually beneficial.

Speakers include Wonnarua woman and serial entrepreneur Amanda Healy, who has a history leading mining and engineering businesses and now heads up Warrikal, an Indigenous-owned mechanical services business, and Kirrikin, a social enterprise helping support First Nations artists through luxury clothing.

Healy will be joined by Maiawali entrepreneur Darryl Lyons, founder of Rainstick, a startup designed to integrate Indigenous sustainability practice with modern technology; as well as John Gibbs of Spinifex Brewing Co, a Western Australian producer of craft beers infused with native botanicals. 

5. Innovating for good: How agrifood tech can digitise food supply chains and reduce food waste

The environment and sustainability remain front-of-mind in agri-food innovation, and there is no shortage of sessions focused on this. They include: a panel on circularity in the food system; a talk on the leaders and laggards of sustainability; a deep dive into the future of biofuels; and Professor Richard Eckard’s keynote on quantifying your emissions.

But if you have to pick one (and to be clear, you don’t), make time for Abi Ramanan’s keynote.

Having already founded a food-based social enterprise supporting Sri Lankan migrants and refugees in the UK, Ramanan created her second startup, ImpactVision, in 2016.

ImpactVision uses hyperspectral imaging and machine learning to assess produce quality at harvest, allowing for more efficient distribution, and helping address the $1 trillion food-waste challenge. It was acquired by Apeel Sciences in 2020, for an undisclosed sum.

In her keynote, Ramanan will talk about how tech can help reduce waste and deliver high-quality products to consumers – and share her own epic story of food tech-for-good.

See the full program of events here. For more information about evokeAG. 2024, and to purchase tickets visit evokeag.com/2024. AgriFutures Australia is encouraging attendees to secure their tickets, flights, and accommodation early to avoid disappointment.