Podcasts about tenacious ventures

There are a few topics in agtech (and in the tech startup world more broadly) that are truly perennial– problems that must be solved again and again in new and innovative ways as markets, customers, and businesses evolve. Adoption is one of those challenges, and go-to-market strategies are another. We've been thinking about the challenge of adoption a lot recently, and also what changes in the marketplace will mean for the retail channel and product distribution for agtech in particular. Today, Sarah sits down with Tenacious Ventures' Matthew Pryor and Shane Thomas, author of Upstream Ag Insights, to do a deep dive on these topics. For more information and resources, visit our website. The information in this post is not investment advice or a recommendation to invest. It is general information only and does not take into account your investment objectives, financial situation or needs. Before making an investment decision you should read the information memorandum and seek financial advice from a professional financial adviser. Whilst we believe Information is correct, no warranty of accuracy, reliability or completeness.

Nick chats with Mike Lazelle and Dr Rob Turner, co-founders of Kwetta, to discuss their groundbreaking approach to electrifying heavy vehicles. Kwetta has just raised ~$17 million AUD in Series A funding from the likes of Blackbird and Virescent Ventures to address the “grid issue” for EV charging. And they've given us a podcast exclusive!Their innovative chargers connect directly to the high-voltage grid, providing up to 10 times more power, cutting installation times by up to 70%, and avoiding costly grid upgrades.We dive into:Why electrification is the key to near term emissions reductionWhy the hardest part of electrification is no longer the vehicles or batteries - it's getting power from the grid.How Kwetta's technology solves grid bottlenecks while being a “good grid citizen.”How a small, world class team from Napier New Zealand (founded with CEO Dustin Murdock) is competing with global giantsHow much Canterbury Beer was consumed at Rob and Mike's first meetingKwetta is about to announce their first sites in Australia so it's great timing to bring them on!Find out more at: www.kwetta.com**If you like the show, please subscribe/review/rate or comment. We really appreciate your support!You can sign up to our mailing list at www.apositiveclimate.com, say hello@apositiveclimate.com or follow us on https://au.linkedin.com/company/a-positive-climate or www.instagram.com/apositiveclimatepodcast. **About the podcastA Positive Climate is an uplifting podcast about tackling climate change. An entertaining look at the products, people and technologies making a real difference. Hosted by Australian climate technology investors and experts Nick Zeltzer and Alex McIntosh. We cover it all on the show while keeping things optimistic and accessible: electric planes, waste eating maggots, plant-based meats, hydrogen made from beer, the solar revolution, the coolest new sustainable products and much much more.The podcast charted in 2022, 2023 and 2024 as the top Australian made podcast in Apple's Technology podcast charts.Previous guests have included innovators and technologists from JET Charge, 5B, Amazon, Zoomo, V2Food, Vow, Sea Forest, Great Wrap, Infravision, Zero Co, Hysata, Sicona, OneSmallStep, Tenacious Ventures, CarsGuide, AMSL Aero, Nori, EnergyLab, MicroTau and many more.Music by the late, great Nick WeaverProduction by our hero Mark Spencer from Here.Media

As the new year gets underway, we've been thinking about the likely ups and downs ahead for the agtech world. We've been searching for insights in the recent announcement that FMC's corporate venture capital division is shutting its doors, and thinking about what a trend in CVC pullbacks might mean for the lay of the land in agtech. We've also been taking time to think about the agtech companies that currently stand out in today's tough market conditions, and what it is that sets them apart from the pack. Today, Sarah sits down with Tenacious Ventures Managing Partner Matthew Pryor and Shane Thomas, author of Upstream Ag Insights, to discuss the news and expectations for agtech in 2025.For more information and resources, visit our website. The information in this post is not investment advice or a recommendation to invest. It is general information only and does not take into account your investment objectives, financial situation or needs. Before making an investment decision you should read the information memorandum and seek financial advice from a professional financial adviser. Whilst we believe Information is correct, no warranty of accuracy, reliability or completeness.

In this episode of the AgCulture Podcast, Matthew Pryor, co-founder of Tenacious Ventures, shares powerful insights into how agtech is shaping the future of sustainable agriculture. He highlights the differences in tech startups around the world, the hurdles of scaling new innovations, and smart approaches to early-stage investments. Tune in to hear from a trailblazer in agriculture technology and climate solutions. Don't miss this opportunity to discover how innovation can boost profitability in farming—now streaming on all major platforms! This episode was sponsored by: Bankbarn Meet the guest: Matthew Pryor, co-founder of Tenacious Ventures, is a leader in fostering agri-food innovation. With a background in computer science from RMIT University, Matthew previously co-founded Observant, an agtech pioneer transforming resource management. Now, he guides startups toward sustainable success through strategic investments and innovation at Tenacious Ventures. Connect with our guest on Social Media: LinkedIn (00:00) Introduction (04:10) Global agtech (08:45) Early-stage investment (14:20) Business models (20:35) Agricultural innovations (28:10) Farming risks (36:50) Final Questions Discover the world of agriculture with the "Ag Culture Podcast". This podcast will be a gateway for those passionate about agriculture to explore its global perspectives and innovative practices. Join Paul as he shares his experiences in the agricultural industry, his travels and encounters with important figures around the world. Available on YouTube, Spotify and Apple Podcasts. Subscribe at http://www.agculturepodcast.com and keep an eye out for future episodes, bringing insights and stories from the vibrant world of agriculture.

Tenacious Ventures: https://tenacious.ventures/Farmhand Ventures: https://www.farmhandventures.com/“Navigating a future of cross sectional forces” (AgriFutures Australia Report): https://agrifutures.com.au/product/navigating-a-future-of-cross-sectoral-forces/Ag's Scifi (and Non-Fiction) Future: Horizon Scanning… so what? with Shane Thomas: https://tenacious.ventures/insights/ags-scifi-and-non-fiction-future-horizon-scanning-so-what-with-shane-thomasCitrus Moves North with Farmer and Orangepreneur Lindy Savelle: https://tenacious.ventures/insights/citrus-moves-north-with-farmer-and-orangepreneur-lindy-savelleFoA 348: Investing in the Future of Fertilizer with Sarah Nolet of Tenacious Ventures: https://futureofagriculture.com/episode/foa-348-investing-in-the-future-of-fertilizer-with-sarah-nolet-of-tenacious-ventures-agtech-so-what-crossoverFoA 112: Accelerating AgTech with Sarah Nolet of AgThentic: https://futureofagriculture.com/episode/future-of-agriculture-112-accelerating-agtech-with-sarah-nolet-of-agthenticFoA 127: Expanding the Global AgTech Ecosystem with Connie Bowen of The Yield Lab: https://futureofagriculture.com/episode/future-of-agriculture-127-expanding-the-global-agtech-ecosystem-with-connie-bowen-of-the-yield-labFOA 220: Agricultural Solutions for Hunger and Poverty with Paul Winters of IFAD: https://futureofagriculture.com/episode/foa-220-agricultural-solutions-for-hunger-and-poverty-with-paul-winters-of-ifadFoA 260: The Lentil Underground with Dave Oien of Timeless Seeds: https://futureofagriculture.com/episode/foa-260-the-lentil-underground-with-dave-oien-of-timeless-seedsThere are few topics that seem to get people more riled up than climate change. Most of the episodes I've done that focus on climate as a theme receive comments from people that seem to think I'm being an alarmist and others thinking that I am drastically underestimating its impacts. I could take this as a sign to avoid the topic altogether, but that's not really how I roll. I instead take it as a sign that we need to ask more questions and gather more data and context to understand what has everyone so fired up. And the concept for this episode came to my mind while I was listening to the Agtech, So what? podcast with Sarah Nolet. Specifically, their August episodes which are titled: “Citrus Moves North with Farmer and Orangepreneur

Nick chats to Simon Holmes à Court about nuclear energy in Australia.“When are you covering nuclear?” is one of the most common questions we've received from APC listeners.So we finally went there. And it was great to have Simon on to explore it all before we go back to our startup roots next episode with our THIRD pitch fest. (00:00) Intro(03:55) What people get wrong about nuclear (05:38) Simon's background(07:27) Global Nuclear Energy Landscape(15:03) Safety Concerns(20:23) Waste (26:10) Construction Time (32:39) Cost and Generation Profile (39:21) Flexibility (40:48) Economics (50:02) Political and Regulatory Challenges (01:00:42) Uncomfortable QuestionsTo ultimately answer the question: does Australia need nuclear energy?There was so much to cover we didn't have time to explore all the questions, including the role of AI and covering the next 15 of the transition in more detail. Excuses for new episodes! **If you like the show, please subscribe/review/rate or comment. We really appreciate your support!You can sign up to our mailing list at www.apositiveclimate.com, say hello@apositiveclimate.com or follow us on https://au.linkedin.com/company/a-positive-climate or www.instagram.com/apositiveclimatepodcast. **About the podcastA Positive Climate is an uplifting podcast about tackling climate change. An entertaining look at the products, people and technologies making a real difference. Hosted by Australian climate technology investors and experts Nick Zeltzer and Alex McIntosh. We cover it all on the show while keeping things optimistic and accessible: electric planes, waste eating maggots, plant-based meats, hydrogen made from beer, the solar revolution, the coolest new sustainable products and much much more.The podcast rated in 2022 and 2023 as the top Australian made podcast in Apple's Technology podcast charts.Previous guests have included innovators and technologists from JET Charge, Goterra, 5B, Amazon, Zoomo, V2Food, Vow, Sea Forest, Great Wrap, Infravision, Zero Co, Hysata, Sicona, OneSmallStep, Tenacious Ventures, CarsGuide, AMSL Aero, Nori, EnergyLab, MicroTau and many more.Music by the late, great Nick WeaverProduction by our hero Mark Spencer from Here.Media

Nick chats to Tim Washington from JET Charge about using electric vehicles as batteries for our homes.Vehicle to grid technology could transform not one but *two* trillion dollar industries in energy and transport. All while paving the way to materially reduce carbon emissions and costs.It is simple enough but does it work? When will consumers have it? What impacts will it have? And what is it like running a startup with your wife? Thanks to Ellen Liang who also hopped on the mic!You can enjoy this episode here or in full HD on Youtube. (00:00) Teaser(00:38) Introduction(05:23) Australian EV Uptake Check-in(11:00) Australian EV Charging Check-in(13:46) How does Vehicle to Grid work?(23:46) Consumer Perspectives(29:54) Economics(38:31) Challenges for Energy Retailers(54:15) When Your Co-founder Is Your Spouse(59:23) Uncomfortable Questions**If you like the show, please subscribe/review/rate or comment. We really appreciate your support!You can sign up to our mailing list at www.apositiveclimate.com, say hello@apositiveclimate.com or follow us on https://au.linkedin.com/company/a-positive-climate or www.instagram.com/apositiveclimatepodcast. **About the podcastA Positive Climate is an uplifting podcast about tackling climate change. An entertaining look at the products, people and technologies making a real difference. Hosted by Australian climate technology investors and experts Nick Zeltzer and Alex McIntosh. We cover it all on the show while keeping things optimistic and accessible: electric planes, waste eating maggots, plant-based meats, hydrogen made from beer, the solar revolution, the coolest new sustainable products and much much more.The podcast rated in 2022 and 2023 as the top Australian made podcast in Apple's Technology podcast charts.Previous guests have included innovators and technologists from JET Charge, 5B, Amazon, Zoomo, V2Food, Vow, Sea Forest, Great Wrap, Infravision, Zero Co, Hysata, Sicona, OneSmallStep, Tenacious Ventures, CarsGuide, AMSL Aero, Nori, EnergyLab, MicroTau and many more.Music by the late, great Nick WeaverProduction by our hero Mark Spencer from Here.MediaAlex is taking a podcast break so if you miss everyone's favourite host, let her know via our website!

Sarah is the co-founder and Managing Partner of Tenacious Ventures - Australia's first AgTech venture firm. Their $35M first fund was backed by Grok Ventures, the Clean Energy Finance Corporation (CEFC) with investors including primary producers, and agribusiness executives. Tenacious Ventures has so far backed 14 startups building a more sustainable and resilient agri-food system.  To confirm her incredible talents, Sarah has engineering degrees from MIT and Tufts University. She was a three-sport varsity athlete (soccer, basketball, and track & field), recognized as an All-American (soccer).Sarah was born in San Diego, California in the US and now lives in Sydney, Australia.Hosted by Vidit Agarwal, Founder of Curiosity Center and The High Flyers Podcast.It's now time to explore your curiosity. If you're keen to discuss sponsorship and partnering with us, email us at vidit@thehighflyerspodcast.com today! ***CLICK HERE to read show notes from this conversation. Please enjoy!***Follow us on Instagram, LinkedIn or TwitterGet in touch with our Founder and Host, Vidit Agarwal directly hereContact us via our website to discuss sponsorship opportunities, recommend future guests or share feedback, we love hearing how to improve! Thank you for rating / reviewing this podcast on Apple Podcasts and Spotify, it helps others find us and convince guests to come on the show! ***The High Flyers Podcast re-imagines the traditional notion of a "high flyer" and is a premier product of the Curiosity Center. The podcast showcases the journeys of relatable role models from their sunrise (childhood) to today. Listeners love the unique and direct inside access to these relatable role models, companies and industries in every walk of life to help us all be 1% better everyday, together.170+ guests have joined Vidit Agarwal on the show from around the world including Heads of state, Olympians, Business and cultural leaders, Social Advocates, Investors, Entrepreneurs and more. Past guests include: Anil Sabharwal, Mark Suster, Ahmed Fahour, Holly Ransom, Daniel Petre, Paul Bassat, Simon Holmes a Court, Michael Traill, Osher Gunsberg, Ed Cowan, Carol Schwartz, Wyatt Roy, Jack Zhang, Martijn Wilder, Holly Kramer and more.The Curiosity Center is your on-demand intelligence hub for knowledge, connections and growth to achieve your potential, everyday. Join 200,000+ Investors, Founders, Decision Makers and Emerging Leaders. Learn with the world's best at www.curiositycenter.xyz***

This week, we're breaking down the freshest announcements from the agribusiness, agtech, and broader policy and tech worlds to share insights and ask “so what?” Sarah and Matthew are joined this week by Shane Thomas, author of Upstream Ag Insights.For more information and resources, visit our website. The information in this post is not investment advice or a recommendation to invest. It is general information only and does not take into account your investment objectives, financial situation or needs. Before making an investment decision you should read the information memorandum and seek financial advice from a professional financial adviser. Whilst we believe Information is correct, no warranty of accuracy, reliability or completeness.

The RetroLatest news and $100 million deal in Australian startupsInterview: Kim Hansen on ESOP clawback clausesMajor headlines: Future Made in Australia legislationTelstra rebrands venture fund to TitaniumNotable venture raises: Tenacious Ventures, Aquila, Samsara EcoRampersand insights on startup investmentsSummaryIn this episode of Startup Retro, hosts Will and Gemma discuss the latest news and funding events in the Australian startup ecosystem, including the significant $100 million deal and an in-depth interview with Kim Hansen from Cake Equity about ESOP clawback clauses. Hosts, Will & Gemma cover major headlines such as the Future Made in Australia legislation, Telstra rebranding its venture fund to Titanium, and several notable venture raises. They also highlight Tenacious Ventures' latest funding and delve into the week's interesting startup raises, with a focus on Aquila and Samsara Eco. The episode concludes with a knowledge-sharing segment featuring insights from Rampersand on how they invest in startups.Time Stamps00:00 Welcome to the Startup Retro00:41 Top Startup News Headlines of the Week03:23 New Venture Funds and Rebranding05:55 Adelaide's Space Machines Company07:37 Weekly Startup Raises15:13 Interview with Kim Hansen on ESOP Clawback Clauses25:33 Knowledge as a Service: Rampersand's Investment Insights29:29 Wrapping Up and FeedbackLinksTo get all the links to the stories we mentioned in this episode, you can read this week's Overnight Success newsletterStartup RaisesAquilaSamsara EcoKleanDiraqAffindaNational Renewable Network InterviewKim Hansen (Cake Equity) LinkedInKaaS - Knowledge as a ServiceOur favourite startup-relevant read, listen or watch of the weekRampersand articleSend feedback to the hostsGemma on LinkedInWill on LinkedInSponsorsThanks to our sponsors for helping to make this episode of The Startup Retro possible.RipplingAre you a founder overwhelmed by HR, payroll, onboarding, and IT tasks? Simplify with Rippling: an all-in-one platform for your global workforce.Get 3 Months Free Google for StartupsGoogle for Startups Cloud Program Get up to US$350,000 of Google Cloud and Firebase credits for two years for your startup plus technical, business and financial support through the Google for Startups Cloud Program. Apply nowGoogle for Startups AI First Accelerator The Google for Startups AI First Accelerator is a 10-week equity-free accelerator program for Seed and Series A stage Australian startups building AI&ML-driven platforms and products.Apply now TeamifiedBuild a top-notch team fast with Teamified. Teamified offers fractional CTOs, contractors, and remote team members from the Philippines, India, or Sri Lanka. Cut hiring times by 50%.Get started The Day One NetworkThe Startup Retro is part of Day One, the podcast network dedicated to founders, operators & investors.To learn more, join the Day One newsletter to be notified of new and upcoming shows. The only content we create is content that will help Australian founders.If you want to learn about upcoming guests and when a new episode from The Startup Retro is available, join the Overnight Success Newsletter.Sponsor the showWant to become a sponsor? Send us an email.Follow Day One on the socialsTwitterLinkedIn

In this weeks episode:  Telstra Ventures rebrands to Titanium.  Skalata the most active investor in Australia.  GYG goes public.  Founder ownership at IPO.  Cettire CFO likely tax bill after stock drops 50%.  Canva claw back of share rights if you publicly criticise the company.  But is this uncommon?  Time from seed to Series A lengthening. Employment Hero's Series F raise my be its last. Employment Hero's CEO suggests Superfunds should invest 1% of capital in startups.  Pitchbook report into the Australian and New Zealand ecosystem.  Tenacious Ventures lives up to its name with $18M raise.  Brighte locks in $195m via green debt facility.  Camms acquired by Riskonnect. Roger Federer's commencement speak has lessons for founders.  What VCs actually mean.  Sharts https://psycnet.apa.org/doiLanding?doi=10.1037%2Fpspp0000501 hello@tribeglobal.vc 

Sarah Nolet, Co-Founder and Managing Partner, Tenacious Ventures on leading through influence and inclusion rather than authority and hierarchical structures. Sarah is a change maker, backing women founders who are creating more environmentally and ecologically sustainable ways of producing food and what we eat.   Key Insights (02:05) How Sarah found leadership as an athlete and how it transferred to business (07:31) Finding alignment between action for impact and commercial outcomes (22:43) Sarah's addition to your Leadership Toolbox   Important Resources and Links If you'd like to learn more about how CommBank is supporting the growth of women in business visit www.womeninfocus.com.au If you'd like to keep up to date about Tenacious Ventures and their events visit www.linkedin.com/company/tenacious-vc Host of the Leading Women podcast, Shivani Gopal is an expert in unlocking inclusion and participation in finance and leadership for women. She is the Founder and CEO of Elladex, Australia's first digital mentor marketplace and daily learning platform – a global ‘rolodex' with over 25,000 women, designed to elevate personal, professional and financial success. She is the author of the 2023 Inclusion Report: The Perspex Ceiling and the Illusion of Inclusion, a landmark national research paper spanning over 2,000 participants that assesses the challenges and opportunities of inclusion and diversity across Australian corporations. Shivani co-headed the official 2023 Australian G20 Startup group in India and Inclusion taskforce, contributing her experience and expertise in startups to better equip the global ecosystem for success. Shivani has won the 2022 NSW Excellence in Women's Leadership Award, was a finalist for the Women in Tech Awards, and Sydney's Young Entrepreneur Awards for 2022. She holds an MBA and a Masters in Commerce, majoring in Financial Planning, and her work has seen her covered in some of Australian media outlets, including the AFR, the SMH, The Today Show, Channel 7 and more. The Leading Women podcast is proudly brought to you by Commonwealth Bank. The series is produced by Nicole Hatherly, recorded at RadioHub Studios with post-production by Cooper Silk and Iain Wilson.   Things you should know: Guests featured in the podcast are speaking from their personal experiences only. As this podcast has been prepared without considering your objectives, financial situation or needs, you should, before acting on the content consider its appropriateness to your circumstances. CommBank does not necessarily endorse the views of a particular individual or guarantee the accuracy of the information provided.

 "Married to the Land" host, Angie Nisbet, engages in a candid conversation with Kirsten Diprose and Jackie Elliott from "Ducks on the Pod." Together, they explore the dynamics of community committees, shedding light on their functionality, popular trends in their respective regions, and the less glamorous aspects.From maintaining good committee etiquette to strategies for increasing community involvement, they delve into the nuances of fostering active participation. Discover what draws people to engage in committees and the challenges they face in sustaining community engagement.Kirsten Diprose co- host of Duck on the PondKirsten is the founder of Rural Podcasting Co, a coaching and agency service tailored for individuals in rural communities seeking to launch podcasts. With a background in media, marketing, and knowledge-brokering within agriculture, agtech, and agricultural science, she brings valuable expertise to the table. Kirsten has previously held positions at Deakin University and the agrifood venture capital firm, Tenacious Ventures. Additionally, she is the co-host of 'Ducks on the Pond,' a podcast created specifically for rural women, which she also co-founded.Jackie Elliot Co-Host of Ducks on the Pond Jackie Elliott is the visionary behind Rural Women's Day (IG: @ruralwomensday), a non-profit endeavor aimed at fostering connections among rural and regional women. Founded in 2019 with its inaugural event, Rural Women's Day has evolved into a platform that supports and promotes events in regional communities across Australia, celebrating the strength and achievements of rural women.Based in Byaduk, Western District of Victoria, Jackie conceptualized Rural Women's Day to address the need for community, collaboration, and celebration among women in rural areas. The initiative exceeded expectations, drawing significant interest with its inaugural event in the Southern Grampians on October 15, 2019.In response to the challenges posed by the pandemic in 2020, Rural Women's Day ventured into publishing a collaborative keepsake magazine, distributing 700 copies across Australia & New Zealand. The initiative's social media presence has flourished organically, amassing over 12,000 followers.Recognized for her outstanding contributions, Jackie Elliott was honored as the recipient of the 2023 Rural Community Leader of the Year award at the Farmer of the Year awards. Her dedication and leadership have left an indelible mark on rural communities, empowering and uplifting women across the country.Join us for an insightful discussion on the intricacies of community committees and the strategies for nurturing vibrant and inclusive country communities.Follow Ducks on the Pond on Instagram:@ducksonthepond.podcastEnjoyed the episode-  producing these podcast are a blast and take time, I would love it if you could show me some love and support,  by liking, rating and sharing this episode or you can do so by - Buying  me a coffee Please make sure you leave a review or rate this episode. @married_tothe_landICPA is the educational voice for rural and remote families and their students. We are committed to ensuring equitable access to education, opportunities, and support for every step of a student's learning journey from early childhood through to tertiary, trade or training. Membership is for everyone who have a connection to rural and remote education. Head to www.icpa.com.au to join and become a member.

Sarah Nolet is a co-founder of Tenacious Ventures, a venture firm focused on agriculture's role in addressing climate change. With her co-founder J Matthew Pryor, Tenacious Ventures backs early stage start-ups who are building tomorrow's agri-food system.  We love their open and empathetic approach to sharing their journey of building Tenacious Ventures through their blogs and podcasts making Sarah a perfect guest for our Transparent VC podcast. Tribe has a co-investment with Tenacious in SwarmFarm, a Queensland headquarters autonomous farming robot that is scaling internationally, and we've very much enjoyed our interactions.  Sarah holds a Masters in System Design and Management from MIT, and a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science and Human Factors Engineering from Tufts University. Sarah is also the host of the AgTech...So What? podcast, telling the stories of the innovators building the food system of the future.  On the back of their successful raising and deployment of their first fund, Tenacious are currently raising their second fund with a $70 Millon target and we think are well worth a chat for sophisticated investors looking for agtech exposure. In this episode you'll hear Sarah's deep passion and expertise for the sector and we hope you enjoy this episode as much as we enjoyed the discussion. 

Somehow it's December again, and another year has come and nearly gone. We've spent a lot of time reflecting on the highs and lows of a particularly unpredictable year for Tenacious Ventures, our portfolio companies, and agtech more broadly.In that spirit, we're taking time to talk about what we've learned from a year of fundraising, advising, learning and podcasting. We're joined today by our editor and producer, Sarah Mock, who facilitates a discussion between Tenacious General Partners Sarah Nolet and Matthew Pryor.For more information and resources, visit our website. The information in this post is not investment advice or a recommendation to invest. It is general information only and does not take into account your investment objectives, financial situation or needs. Before making an investment decision you should read the information memorandum and seek financial advice from a professional financial adviser. Whilst we believe Information is correct, no warranty of accuracy, reliability or completeness.

That's a wrap! It's our annual review episode, with Alex and Nick covering all the climate technology news from 2023. The hottest year on record brings a reminder that we need to be doubling down on the right solutions, so we hope you enjoy our reflections about what we think matters. Thanks again to all you listening out there! It's been a big year for us - where we hit the Top 5 in tech podcasts (in Malawi) -  and we've loved hearing from many of you throughout the season.  Chapters (00:00) Intro (01:20) We announce the Pitch Fest Winner! (02:23) Our Years Reviewed (05:32) Large Scale Solar, Batteries and Global Developments (including Alex's strange love of steel mills) (21:32) Nuclear Energy (!) (27:55) APC Season Portfolio Review (38:41) BIG PREDICTIONS Companies mentioned: Microtau, All G Foods, Samsara, Uluu, Novalith, SunDrive, Jolt Charge, Infravision, Nourish Ingredients, Goterra, Antora Energy, ahem Positive Ventures, JET Charge, Sicona, AMSL Aero, Renewable Metals, SeaForest, GridMo, Hysata, MGA Thermal, Eku Energy, Akaysha Energy, Zenobe, Raygen, Vast Solar, ThyssenKrupp, NuScale, and the EV company formerly known as “Build Your Dreams”  See you next year! *** As always if you don't want to miss any eps, hit that follow button! We'd also love it if you gave us a review / rating on Apple or Spotify! It helps other listeners find us. You can sign up to our mailing list, say hello@apositiveclimate.com or follow us at www.instagram.com/apositiveclimatepodcast and https://au.linkedin.com/company/a-positive-climate.  ** About the podcast A Positive Climate is an uplifting podcast about tackling climate change. An entertaining look at the products, people and technologies making a real difference.  Hosted by Australian climate technology experts Alex McIntosh and Nick Zeltzer, two friends on a mission to find the solutions to keep our existential crises at bay. Previous guests have included innovators from JET Charge, 5B, Amazon, Zoomo, V2Food, All G Foods, Vow, Sea Forest, Great Wrap, Infravision, Zero Co, Hysata, Sicona, OneSmallStep, Tenacious Ventures, CarsGuide, AMSL Aero, Nori, EnergyLab, MicroTau and many more. Music by the late, great Nick Weaver Production by our hero Mark Spencer from Here.Media Social Media, Comms and PR by Alistair PerkinsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

2023 has been a year of both investing and fundraising for us here at Tenacious Ventures. And sitting on both sides of the table has highlighted to us just how much of the investing world is stuck in a black box. In general, we've found that this opacity can be a huge barrier, especially in an industry like agri-food– where venture funding hasn't been a long-standing part of the ecosystem.  So we've decided to shine a little more light in the investment box by asking two of our favorite LPs– or limited partners, who invest in venture capital funds– to join us for a conversation about how their job works. Today we're joined by Eliza Jackson from Macdoch Ventures and Sara Balawajder from Builders Initiative to discuss how their vision for building investment portfolios is evolving and how it's been informed by their experiences beyond the agtech sector. For more information and resources, visit our website. The information in this post is not investment advice or a recommendation to invest. It is general information only and does not take into account your investment objectives, financial situation or needs. Before making an investment decision you should read the information memorandum and seek financial advice from a professional financial adviser. Whilst we believe Information is correct, no warranty of accuracy, reliability or completeness.

Nick and Alex hear pitches from ten up and coming Australian startups working on climate solutions! *Vote HERE* We're back with our second pitchfest episode! And again teaming up with EnergyLab's accelerator program, but this time it's different - there will be a winner decided by YOU!  We've secured some awesome prizes that will go to the People's Choice startup.  G+T Ventures, the startup arm Australian law firm Gilbert + Tobin has donated a full day legal workshop to prepare a startup for their next fundraising round. Cake Equity - an Australian software platform that helps startups manage their equity and stock options in minutes - has donated free access, premium support and mentoring. And there's more prizes! Each startup gets a 60 second free pitch then there's some Q&A from us to better understand their unique solution and opportunity. All the startups are listed below and don't forget to vote for the People's Choice! Voting will close on Friday October 27. The lineup (00:00) Intro Alex and Nick (04:09) Renewable Metals - Turning Battery Waste into Battery Metals (Luan Atkinson) (10:09) Pyrochar - Biochar for Green Steelmaking (Cameron Bell) (17:06) Dovetail -  Zero emission electric aviation (David Doral) (23:37) Orkestra - Energy project feasibility just got easy, accurate and fast (James Allston) (31:42) Tasmanion - Developing new aluminium-ion battery technologies (Shalini Divya) (36:21) Elecsome - Solar panel recycling, reusing and upcycling (Neeraj Das) (43:54) Savic -  Australia's premium high-performance electric motorcycle company (Dennis Savic) (53:16) Emmi - The platform to help investors assess the carbon impact of their portfolio (Michael Lebbon) (61:13) Bygen - Low cost production of activated carbon from waste (Lewis Dunnigan) (66:34) Perl Street - Enables distributed infrastructure companies to sell more, raise more and manage more  (Tooraj Arvajeh) We are proudly supported by Bank Australia (www.bankaust.com.au). You can hear last year's episode here. *** As always if you don't want to miss any eps, hit that follow button! We'd also love it if you gave us a review / rating on Apple or Spotify! It helps other listeners find us. You can sign up to our mailing list, say hello@apositiveclimate.com or follow us at www.instagram.com/apositiveclimatepodcast and https://au.linkedin.com/company/a-positive-climate.  ** About the podcast A Positive Climate is an uplifting podcast about tackling climate change. An entertaining look at the products, people and technologies making a real difference.  Hosted by Australian climate technology experts Alex McIntosh and Nick Zeltzer, two friends on a mission to find the solutions to keep our existential crises at bay. Previous guests have included innovators from JET Charge, 5B, Amazon, Zoomo, V2Food, All G Foods, Vow, Sea Forest, Great Wrap, Infravision, Zero Co, Hysata, Sicona, OneSmallStep, Tenacious Ventures, CarsGuide, AMSL Aero, Nori, EnergyLab, MicroTau and many more. Music by the late, great Nick Weaver Production by our hero Mark Spencer from Here.Media Social Media, Comms and PR by Alistair PerkinsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week Alex is away so Nick is let loose on the podcast! Nick chats to Christiaan Jordaan, CEO and founder of Sicona.  Sound familiar? We interviewed Christiaan in back November 2021 in one of our all-time listener favourite episodes: "Australia's Role in the Battery Revolution". Since then Sicona has come a long way! Fresh off their recent $22m funding round for their battery technology we thought we'd cover the big issues since our previous chat: How the US Inflation Reduction Act has changed the game for climate startups (2:05) How Australia should respond (9:11) How the rise of Artificial Intelligence has affected climate startups like Sicona (12:29) Christiaan's HOTTEST TAKES on venture capital and funding climate solutions (15:38); and The inside scoop on Christiaan's recent funding round (21:28) In case you missed our last episode with Christiaan, here's a quick recap on Christiaan and his business (or you can have a a listen here) Sicona aims to revolutionise the battery world by improving battery efficiency with their unique anode materials, a technology that can be used with existing lithium ion batteries. Christiaan is also the co-founder of Novalith, a company that uses carbon dioxide as a reagent in extracting lithium. We have an episode featuring Novalith where we spoke to his Co-founder Steven Vassiloudis. We are proudly supported by Bank Australia (www.bankaust.com.au). *** As always if you don't want to miss any eps, hit that follow button! We'd also love it if you gave us a review / rating on Apple or Spotify! It helps other listeners find us. You can sign up to our mailing list, say hello@apositiveclimate.com or follow us at www.instagram.com/apositiveclimatepodcast and https://au.linkedin.com/company/a-positive-climate.  ** About the podcast A Positive Climate is an uplifting podcast about tackling climate change. An entertaining look at the products, people and technologies making a real difference.  Hosted by Australian climate technology experts Alex McIntosh and Nick Zeltzer, two friends on a mission to find the solutions to keep our existential crises at bay. Previous guests have included innovators from JET Charge, 5B, Amazon, Zoomo, V2Food, All G Foods, Vow, Sea Forest, Great Wrap, Infravision, Zero Co, Hysata, Sicona, OneSmallStep, Tenacious Ventures, CarsGuide, AMSL Aero, Nori, EnergyLab, MicroTau and many more. Music by the late, great Nick Weaver Production by our hero Mark Spencer from Here.Media Social Media, Comms and PR by Alistair PerkinsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We chat to Doug Mcnamee from Jolt Charge, an Australian electric vehicle charging business that has raised $100million from Blackrock (the world's largest money manager). EV uptake in Australia is on a charge! When we recorded our first EV episode in 2021, they comprised less than 0.5% of total sales. In the first half of 2023 this number was up to 8%. So while EVs are just one part of decarbonising how we move, the signs are promising. We enjoyed chatting with Doug about the future of transportation, whether Australia is out of the EV doldrums and what makes Jolt Charge different. We are proudly supported by Bank Australia (www.bankaust.com.au). *** As always if you don't want to miss any eps, hit that follow button! We'd also love it if you gave us a review / rating on Apple or Spotify! It helps other listeners find us. You can sign up to our mailing list, say hello@apositiveclimate.com or follow us at www.instagram.com/apositiveclimatepodcast and https://au.linkedin.com/company/a-positive-climate.  ** About the podcast A Positive Climate is an uplifting podcast about tackling climate change. An entertaining look at the products, people and technologies making a real difference.  Hosted by Australian climate technology experts Alex McIntosh and Nick Zeltzer, two friends on a mission to find the solutions to keep our existential crises at bay. Previous guests have included innovators from JET Charge, 5B, Amazon, Zoomo, V2Food, All G Foods, Vow, Sea Forest, Great Wrap, Infravision, Zero Co, Hysata, Sicona, OneSmallStep, Tenacious Ventures, CarsGuide, AMSL Aero, Nori, EnergyLab, MicroTau and many more. Music by the late, great Nick Weaver Production by our hero Mark Spencer from Here.Media Social Media, Comms and PR by Alistair PerkinsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We chat with Vince Allen from SunDrive, a Sydney-based startup on a mission to transform Australia into a solar manufacturing powerhouse. In 2021, SunDrive made headlines by developing the world's most efficient commercial-sized solar cell. Not only that - by swapping silver with copper as the conductive material their products could be lower cost too. With over $30 million in funding from high-profile investors like Blackbird, Mike Cannon-Brookes, Main Sequence Ventures, Malcolm Turnbull, and CEFC/Virescent Ventures, they're a force to be reckoned with. We loved this chat and especially Vince's love of solar, passion for Australia's great opportunity and also his toast analogy to explain how a solar panel actually works.  We are proudly supported by Bank Australia (www.bankaust.com.au). ** Don't miss out on future episodes—hit that follow button! Your reviews and ratings on Apple and Spotify really help us reach more listeners, so we'd love your support.  You can sign up to our mailing list, say hello@apositiveclimate.com or follow us at www.instagram.com/apositiveclimatepodcast and https://au.linkedin.com/company/a-positive-climate.  ** Chapters Intro: Nick and Alex set the scene (Bonus: Nick's Rant) (6:17): The Unstoppable March of Solar Energy (10:34): The SunDrive Origin Story, Vince's Love Affair with Solar (14:27): The Toast Analogy: Where SunDrive Fits in the Solar Ecosystem (23:49): What's Next for SunDrive (25:49): Making the Case for Australian Solar Manufacturing (31:39): Australia's Competitive Edge in Solar (39:01): The Transformative Potential of Low-Cost Solar *** About the podcast A Positive Climate is an uplifting podcast about tackling climate change. An entertaining look at the products, people and technologies making a real difference.  Hosted by Australian climate technology experts Alex McIntosh and Nick Zeltzer, two friends on a mission to find the solutions to keep our existential crises at bay. Previous guests have included innovators from JET Charge, 5B, Amazon, Zoomo, V2Food, All G Foods, Vow, Sea Forest, Great Wrap, Infravision, Zero Co, Hysata, Sicona, OneSmallStep, Tenacious Ventures, CarsGuide, AMSL Aero, Nori, EnergyLab, MicroTau and many more. Music by the late, great Nick Weaver Production by our hero Mark Spencer from Here.Media Social Media, Comms and PR by Alistair Perkins  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Do we have enough lithium for all the batteries we'll need for a low carbon future? What is the impact of lithium extraction on the planet? And can we do it in a more sustainable way?  Nick and Alex chat with Steven Vassiloudis of Novalith, a Sydney startup that can extract lithium in a way that not only reduces emissions but also the amount of chemicals used in the process. We are proudly supported by Bank Australia (www.bankaust.com).  ** As always if you don't want to miss any episodes, hit that follow button! We'd also love it if you gave us a review / rating on Apple or Spotify! It helps other listeners find us. You can sign up to our mailing list, say hello@apositiveclimate.com or follow us at www.instagram.com/apositiveclimatepodcast and https://au.linkedin.com/company/a-positive-climate.  ** About the podcast A Positive Climate is an uplifting podcast about tackling climate change. An entertaining look at the products, people and technologies making a real difference.  Hosted by Australian climate technology experts Alex McIntosh and Nick Zeltzer, two friends on a mission to find the solutions to keep our existential crises at bay. Previous guests have included innovators from JET Charge, 5B, Amazon, Zoomo, V2Food, All G Foods, Vow, Sea Forest, Great Wrap, Infravision, Zero Co, Hysata, Sicona, OneSmallStep, Tenacious Ventures, CarsGuide, AMSL Aero, Nori, EnergyLab, MicroTau and many more. Music by the late, great Nick Weaver Production by our hero Mark Spencer from Here.Media Social Media, Comms and PR by Alistair PerkinsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Nick and Alex chat with Julia Reisser of Uluu, a startup based in Western Australia creating biodegradable plastic made from seaweed.  This is episode two of our PLASTIC DOUBLE HEADER, this time tackling the plastic problem from the very source - the production!  Plastic is a very real problem we need to address and unfortunately, given the way we currently live our lives it's not going anywhere fast.   ** If you enjoyed this episode, remember to check out the first in our plastic DOUBLE HEADER with Samsara Eco - a Canberra based startup with unique technology that can allow plastic to become infinitely recyclable. As always if you don't want to miss any eps, hit that subscribe button! We'd also love it if you gave us a rating on Apple or Spotify! It helps other listeners find us. You can sign up to our mailing list, say hello@apositiveclimate.com  or follow us at www.instagram.com/apositiveclimatepodcast and https://au.linkedin.com/company/a-positive-climate.  We are proudly supported by Bank Australia (www.bankaust.com). ** About the podcast A Positive Climate is an uplifting podcast about tackling climate change. An entertaining look at the products, people and technologies making a real difference.  Hosted by Australian climate technology experts Alex McIntosh and Nick Zeltzer, two friends on a mission to find the solutions to keep our existential crises at bay. Previous guests have included innovators from JET Charge, 5B, Samsara Eco, Amazon, Zoomo, V2Food, All G Foods, Vow, Sea Forest, Great Wrap, Infravision, Zero Co, Hysata, Sicona, OneSmallStep, Tenacious Ventures, CarsGuide, AMSL Aero, Nori, EnergyLab, MicroTau and many more. Music by the late, great Nick Weaver Production by our hero Mark Spencer from Here.Media Social Media, Comms and PR by Alistair PerkinsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Is Samsara Eco Australia's most exciting climate startup? With enzymes that literally eat plastic, it's hard to disagree! Nick and Alex chat with Paul Riley of Samsara Eco, a Canberra based company that has raised ~$60 million to tackle one of the biggest problems of all: plastic recycling. It's a tangible, challenging and very current problem in Australia, so we loved diving into all the issues with Paul, understanding more about how the technology works and how Samsara Eco is positioned to be a global leader.  ** This is our plastic DOUBLE HEADER and in two weeks time will have another hugely exciting Aussie startup tacking the problem in a very different way! So if you don't want to miss it, subscribe away! We'd also love it if you gave us a rating on Apple or Spotify! It helps other listeners find us. You can sign up to our mailing list, say hello@apositiveclimate.com  or follow us at www.instagram.com/apositiveclimatepodcast and https://au.linkedin.com/company/a-positive-climate.  We are proudly supported by Bank Australia (www.bankaust.com). ** About the podcast A Positive Climate is an uplifting podcast about tackling climate change. An entertaining look at the products, people and technologies making a real difference.  Hosted by Australian climate technology experts Alex McIntosh and Nick Zeltzer, two friends on a mission to find the solutions to keep our existential crises at bay. Previous guests have included innovators from JET Charge, 5B, Amazon, Zoomo, V2Food, All G Foods, Vow, Sea Forest, Great Wrap, Infravision, Zero Co, Hysata, Sicona, OneSmallStep, Tenacious Ventures, CarsGuide, AMSL Aero, Nori, EnergyLab, MicroTau and many more. Music by the late, great Nick Weaver Production by our hero Mark Spencer from Here.Media Social Media, Comms and PR by Alistair PerkinsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In recent years, the vertical farming startup space has been characterized by ecstatic highs and disappointing lows. More than a billion dollars worth of funding has flowed into a relatively small number of investments, but despite this resourcing and years of runway, we've started to see frequent, high profile collapses. So, is there a value proposition with vertical farming? Or was it all hype, and time is running out? Today, we're joined by Sebastien Eckersley-Maslin, Founder at Phyllome (a Tenacious Ventures portfolio company), to help us tackle these tricky questions.  For more information and resources, visit our website. The information in this post is not investment advice or a recommendation to invest. It is general information only and does not take into account your investment objectives, financial situation or needs. Before making an investment decision you should read the information memorandum and seek financial advice from a professional financial adviser. Whilst we believe Information is correct, no warranty of accuracy, reliability or completeness is given, except for liability under statue which cannot be excluded.

Stop The Burps! Nick and Alex have a chat about using less dairy. We then interview Jan Pacas of All G Foods - a Sydney-based company which has raised A$50 million to spearhead a global revolution to create real dairy, without the cows or the emissions (8:00) The technology is called precision fermentation and it could soon enough upend the $1 trillion dairy industry.  ** If you enjoy the show, we'd love it if you subscribed and/or gave us a review on Apple or Spotify! It really helps other listeners find us.  Sign up to our mailing list via our website, say hello@apositiveclimate.com or follow us on Instagram and LinkedIn.  We are proudly supported by Bank Australia (www.bankaust.com). About the podcast A Positive Climate is an uplifting podcast about tackling climate change. An entertaining look at the products, people and technologies making a real difference.  Hosted by Australian climate technology experts Alex McIntosh and Nick Zeltzer, two friends on a mission to find the solutions to keep our existential crises at bay. We cover it all on the show while keeping things optimistic and accessible: electric planes, waste eating maggots, plant-based meats, hydrogen made from beer, the solar revolution, the coolest new sustainable products and much much more. If you're passionate about the latest sustainable technology, the environment, or are just keen to know more about what's going on in Australia to tackle climate change, this podcast is for you. Previous guests have included legends from JET Charge, 5B, Amazon, Zoomo, V2Food, Vow, Sea Forest, Great Wrap, Infravision, Zero Co, Hysata, Sicona, OneSmallStep, Tenacious Ventures, CarsGuide, AMSL Aero, Nori, EnergyLab, MicroTau and many more. Music by the late, great Nick Weaver Production by our hero Mark Spencer from Here.Media Social Media, Comms and PR by Alistair PerkinsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We speak to Henry Bilinsky from MicroTau. The Sydney-based startup's shark skin technology applied to planes has the potential to improve the efficiency of aviation by up to 10%, meanwhile saving airlines up to $61 billion a year on fuel. ** If you enjoy the show, subscribe and give us a rating on Apple or Spotify! You can sign up to our mailing list, say hello@apositiveclimate.com  or follow us at www.instagram.com/apositiveclimatepodcast and https://au.linkedin.com/company/a-positive-climate.  We are proudly supported by Bank Australia (www.bankaust.com.au). ** In Australia we love flying and given our vast and isolated land, we often NEED to fly. While there are a number of options to get to zero carbon transport, many of these solutions may take decades for mass adoption. This includes technologies like battery or hydrogen powered planes (which we covered on our episode with AMSL Aero) or even sustainable aviation fuel. But in the meantime, we have to pursue anything and everything that can increase the efficiency of aviation. This is where MicroTau's shark-skin comes in.  In this episode we cover: The challenges of decarbonising long haul transport; How Henry came up with the idea; How the US Airforce got involved with the idea;  Sharks on a plane you say? How does this actually work; and How the technology could be applied to other forms of transport About the podcast A Positive Climate is an uplifting podcast about tackling climate change. An inspiring look at the products, people and technologies making a real difference.  Hosted by Australian climate technology experts Alex McIntosh and Nick Zeltzer, two friends on a mission to find the solutions to keep our existential crises at bay. We cover it all on the show while keeping things optimistic and accessible: electric planes, waste eating maggots, plant-based meats, hydrogen made from beer, the solar revolution, the coolest new sustainable products and much much more. If you're passionate about the latest sustainable technology, the environment, or are just keen to know more about what's going on in Australia to tackle climate change, this podcast is for you. Previous guests have included innovators and technologists from JET Charge, 5B, Amazon, Zoomo, V2Food, Vow, Sea Forest, Great Wrap, Infravision, Zero Co, Hysata, Sicona, OneSmallStep, Tenacious Ventures, CarsGuide, AMSL Aero, Nori and many more. Music by the late, great Nick Weaver Production by our hero Mark Spencer from Here.Media Social Media, Comms and PR by Alistair PerkinsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We're BACK with our best season yet! Launching fortnightly from 27 June we'll interview Australia's very best startups in the global climate transition.  They've got game changing sustainable technology. They've raised hundreds of millions of dollars. And they're ready to turn the world's biggest problem into Australia's great opportunity.  Low carbon aviation. Cow free dairy. Sustainable lithium mining. Plastic recycling. Next generation solar. The future of EV charging. And much more. Join us to learn more from leaders building what could be billion dollar businesses. Press “Follow” or “Subscribe” in your podcast app of choice, share with your friends and follow along with us on LinkedIn, Instagram or via our mailing list at www.apositiveclimate.com If you're a long time fan of the show we'd love it if you spread the word About the podcast A Positive Climate is an uplifting podcast about tackling climate change. An inspiring look at the products, people and technologies making a real difference.  Hosted by Australian climate technology experts Alex McIntosh and Nick Zeltzer, two friends on a mission to find the solutions to keep our existential crises at bay. We cover it all on the show while keeping things optimistic and accessible: electric planes, waste eating maggots, plant-based meats, hydrogen made from beer, the solar revolution, the coolest new sustainable products and much much more. Previous guests have included innovators and technologists from JET Charge, 5B, Amazon, Zoomo, V2Food, Vow, Sea Forest, Great Wrap, Infravision, Zero Co, Hysata, Sicona, OneSmallStep, Tenacious Ventures, CarsGuide, AMSL Aero, Nori and many more. If you're passionate about the latest sustainable technology, the environment, or are just keen to know more about what's going on in Australia to tackle climate change, this podcast is for you! Music by the late, great Nick Weaver Production by our hero Mark Spencer from Here.MediaSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

For the final installment in our three-part food waste series, we're climbing all the way up to the top of the supply chain to gain a deeper understanding of on-farm food loss and waste. The challenges that farmers face getting food to the farm gate have ramifications that are felt all throughout the food system, so by understanding this vital link in the chain, we'll gain insight into how we might begin to shift the way we understand waste overall. Today, you'll hear from Sarah Hulick, food waste expert and a Horticulture Faculty Member at Cabrillo College, and then we turn to Olympia Yarger, CEO of  Goterra (a Tenacious Ventures portfolio company), for some closing remarks on what shifting the food waste narrative will truly require.For more information and resources, visit our website. 

Sign up here for updates on impactinvestor.ioThanks to all the Causeartist Partners - Check them out here.Subscribe to our Causeartist newsletter here.This content is for informational purposes only, you should not construe any such information or other material as legal, tax, investment, financial, or other advice.----------------------------------------In Episode 56 of the Investing in Impact podcast, we speak with Sarah Nolet, Co-Founder & Managing Partner at Tenacious Ventures, on backing early-stage Agtech companies to tackle climate change.Sarah is the co-founder of Tenacious Ventures, a specialized agrifood tech venture firm that operates with a high-support, high conviction approach. Throughout her career, Sarah has played a pivotal role in cultivating the early-stage agtech ecosystem.Her contributions range from advising numerous startups and designing accelerator programs to consulting established agribusinesses. Additionally, Sarah has worked closely with industry, universities, and government bodies to develop and implement forward-thinking initiatives that drive food system innovation.Beyond her entrepreneurial pursuits, Sarah also hosts the highly acclaimed AgTech...So What? podcast. Through this platform, she shares captivating stories of innovators who are actively shaping the future of the food system, offering insights and inspiration to her audience.She holds a Masters in System Design and Management from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), where she gained a deep understanding of complex systems and their management. Prior to that, she completed her Bachelor of Science degree in Computer Science and Human Factors Engineering at Tufts University, equipping her with a strong foundation in technology and its human-centered applications.Sarah Nolet's multifaceted expertise, combined with her extensive experience and academic qualifications, position her as a prominent figure in the realm of food systems innovation. Her contributions to the agtech ecosystem and her commitment to driving positive change have established her as a respected leader in the industry.In an era of increasing environmental challenges and the urgent need for sustainable solutions, Tenacious Ventures has emerged as a leading force in supporting early-stage companies that are revolutionizing the food and agriculture industry.With a strong commitment to driving carbon neutrality and resilience in the face of climate change, Tenacious Ventures is actively investing in innovative startups that are transforming the way we produce, distribute, and consume food.In 2019, Tenacious Ventures embarked on its journey and successfully raised A$35 million for its inaugural fund in 2021. This achievement was made possible through significant cornerstone commitments of A$8 million each from two influential entities: the Clean Energy Finance Corporation and Grok Ventures, the private investment firm owned by Mike and Annie Cannon-Brookes.Since then, Tenacious Ventures has been actively deploying its funds and supporting a diverse range of innovative companies that are driving positive change in the food and agriculture sector.The firm has recently initiated the fundraising process for its second fund. The firm aims to raise a total of A$70 million ($47 million; €47 million) for this fund, demonstrating its commitment to supporting innovative startups in the agricultural technology sector.Among the notable investments made by Tenacious Ventures from its first fund, Fund I, are: Cecil: An innovative natural capital platform that enables sustainable management and restoration of ecosystems. Cecil's unique approach aligns economic incentives with environmental outcomes, promoting the conservation and enhancement of natural resources. Goterra: A pioneering waste management start-up that revolutionizes the processing and conversion of organic waste. Goterra's innovative technology provides sustainable solutions for waste management while simultaneously creating valuable outputs such as nutrient-rich compost and livestock feed. SwarmFarm Robotics: A cutting-edge autonomous agricultural vehicle platform that streamlines and optimizes farming operations. By harnessing advanced robotics and artificial intelligence, SwarmFarm Robotics enhances efficiency, productivity, and sustainability in the agriculture industry. Nori: A US-based carbon marketplace that offers a unique platform for the exchange and monetization of carbon credits. Nori empowers farmers and landowners to earn revenue by implementing sustainable land management practices that sequester carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. Vow: A pioneering cellular agriculture company that focuses on producing high-quality, sustainable, and cruelty-free animal products without the need for traditional farming. Vow's innovative approach leverages cellular technology to cultivate meat, dairy, and other animal products, minimizing the environmental impact of conventional livestock farming. RapidAIM: A digital crop protection platform that employs advanced technologies, including sensors and data analytics, to enable early detection and monitoring of pest infestations in crops. By providing real-time insights, RapidAIM empowers farmers to make informed decisions and implement targeted pest control strategies, reducing the reliance on chemical pesticides. Nowadays: A forward-thinking sustainable protein company that leverages plant-based sources to create delicious and nutritious alternatives to traditional animal products. Nowadays focuses on developing sustainable protein options that are both environmentally friendly and meet the growing demand for plant-based food choices. These investments reflect Tenacious Ventures' commitment to driving innovation, sustainability, and positive environmental impact within the food and agriculture industry. Through strategic partnerships and financial support, Tenacious Ventures is playing a vital role in shaping a more sustainable and resilient future for the sector. ----------------------------------------Sign up here for updates on impactinvestor.ioThanks to all the Causeartist Partners - Check them out here.Subscribe to our Causeartist newsletter here.

Waste in the food system is an incredibly big challenge. Whether the aim is to reduce food loss, to curb packaging that ends up in landfills, or even to ensure food that's grown makes it out of the field, there is waste at every link in the chain that continues to contribute to food and ag's outsized climate impact. The good news is, there are plenty of startups, and many investors, that are tackling these thorny problems. But the problem is, it's really complex.Our internal grappling with why waste is such a hard nut to crack has taken us on a journey to better understand the barriers in the food system waste space. Today, we're talking with Aly Bryan and Anne-Marie Kaluz from Closed Loop Partners about what they think is holding us back in addressing our waste problems, and then we turn to Olympia Yarger from Goterra (a Tenacious Ventures portfolio company) for more from an entrepreneur's perspective.For more information and resources, visit our website. The information in this post is not investment advice or a recommendation to invest. It is general information only and does not take into account your investment objectives, financial situation or needs. Before making an investment decision you should read the information memorandum and seek financial advice from a professional financial adviser. Whilst we believe Information is correct, no warranty of accuracy, reliability or completeness is given, except for liability under statue which cannot be excluded.

Try Acres for free: https://www.acres.co/Agtech - So What? Podcast: https://www.agtechsowhat.com/Tenacious Ventures: https://tenacious.ventures/Today's episode features a conversation on the future of fertilizer with Sarah Nolet. Both of us have been exploring the future of fertilizer on our respective podcasts, and we thought it would be fun to do a joint episode to talk about what we've learned. So you're going to get not only Sarah and I's thoughts, but also some highlights from episodes that provide insights into the future of fertilizer.Sarah Nolet is an internationally recognized food systems innovation expert and co-founder of Tenacious Ventures, a high-support, high conviction, sector-specific agrifood tech venture firm. Sarah has been instrumental in building the early stage agtech ecosystem - from advising dozens of startups, designing accelerator programs and consulting to established agribusinesses, to helping industry, universities and government develop and implement forward-looking initiatives in food system innovation. Sarah is also the host of the AgTech...So What? podcast, telling stories of innovators building the food system of the future.Sarah holds a Masters in System Design and Management from MIT, and a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science and Human Factors Engineering from Tufts University.

2022 was a wild year– both in the world of agtech broadly, and for us here at Tenacious Ventures. We've covered a lot of ground, spanning everything from scaling soil tech, to the future of ag marketing, to alternative protein, novel investing tactics, and most recently, the next generation of farm inputs.Today, we're taking some time to reflect on the most important lessons we've learned on the podcast this year– and for us, it all came back to the question of how tech can help mitigate risk in agriculture. You'll hear snippets from five episodes that we found particularly thought-provoking in relation to the risk question.For more information and resources, visit our website.

In der Rubrik “Investments & Exits” begrüßen wir heute Otto Birnbaum, General Partner von Revent. Otto hat die Runde von BeZero Carbon und Vow analysiert: Das ClimateTech BeZero Carbon hat in einer Series-B-Investition 50 Millionen US-Dollar (42,4 Millionen Pfund) für seine Bewertungsplattform für freiwillige Kohlenstoffmärkte erhalten. Auf freiwilligen Kohlenstoffmärkten können Unternehmen oder Privatpersonen Kohlenstoffzertifikate kaufen, um ihre Emissionen auszugleichen. Die Series B von BeZero Carbon wurde von Quantum Energy Partners geleitet, mit Unterstützung von EDF Pulse Ventures, Hitachi Ventures, Intercontinental Exchange, Molten Ventures, Norrsken VC, Illuminate Financial, Qima und Contrarian Ventures.Das australische Unternehmen Vow hat eine Series-A-Finanzierung in Höhe von 49,2 Mio. USD erhalten, um gezüchtete Wachteleier nach Singapur zu bringen. PeakBridge beteiligte sich neben Blackbird, Prosperity7 Ventures, Toyota Ventures, Square Peg, Grok Ventures, Cavallo Ventures, Tenacious Ventures, HostPlus Super LP, NGS Super und Pavilion Capital an der Finanzierungsrunde. Anstatt einfach nur Rind-, Hühner- und Schweinefleischprodukte zu replizieren, konzentriert sich Vow auf "exotischere" Optionen. 

It is an extra special episode this week with 2 great investors sharing their passion for agtech and the specialist fund they co-founded Tenacious Ventures. The first half of today's duo is Sarah Nolet, an internationally recognized food systems innovation expert who has been instrumental in building the early stage agtech ecosystem in Australia - from advising dozens of startups, designing accelerator programs and consulting to established agribusinesses, all the way to helping industry, universities and government develop and implement forward-looking initiatives in food system innovation. Sarah is also the host of the AgTech...So What? podcast, telling stories of innovators building the food systems of the future. Sarah holds a Masters in System Design and Management from MIT, and a Bachelor of Computer Science and Human Factors Engineering from Tufts University in the US. Matthew Pryor is the other half of the co-founder team at Tenacious Ventures and a Partner at AgThentic. He was previously co-founder of Observant, an Australian agtech pioneer acquired by Jain in 2017. He was the founding chair of Rocket Seeder, a food & agriculture innovation accelerator, and having achieved multiple significant exits himself, Matthew is dedicated to promoting Australian agri-food innovation globally. Both Sarah and Matthew are passionate about helping Australia take its rightful place as a leader in the technologies which will solve global food and environmental challenges. Its such an important mission. Companies Geora - https://www.geora.io/ Simple and secure technology for farmer networks to track and finance global agri-supply chains. Founder Bridie Ohlsson Rapid Aim - https://rapidaim.io/ A precision pest management tool for today's farmer. Founder Nancy Schellhorn, PhD Goterra - https://goterra.com.au/ Modular, autonomous waste management units using insects to consume food waste, directly where waste is produced or at a central site. Founder Olympia Yarger Resources Never Split the Difference: Negotiating as if Your Life Depended on It by Chris Voss & Tahl Raz Thinking in Bets: Making Smarter Decisions When You Don't Have All the Facts by Annie Duke Angel: How to Invest in Technology Startups-Timeless Advice from an Angel Investor Who Turned $100,000 into $100,000,000 by Jason Calacanis Triggers: Creating Behavior That Lasts--Becoming the Person You Want to Be by Dr Marshall Goldsmith & Mark Reiter Other 20 minute VC podcast Heavyweight podcast

Climate change will mean more frequent, extreme weather and more risk exposure for farmers around the world. This increased risk should be a driver for the business of agricultural insurers. But, it's not easy to predict how climate change and digital-disruption might transform one of the world's oldest industries.Actually, we've come to realize it isn't easy to understand how agricultural insurance works at all.So, in the spirit of learning out loud, we're releasing TWO episodes this week. This first one dives into the mysterious world of ag insurance with a 101-style conversation with Matt Coutts, Chief Investment Officer of Coutts Capita, and Tenacious Ventures General Partner Matthew Pryor.We talk about:How farmers think about risk and forms of insuranceWhat ag insurance products actually do, how they work, who is involved, and what the dynamics are between different players from brokers to master agentsWhy ag insurance, as it is structured today, is a zero-sum game played out between insurers and farmersWhat the different forces are that will shape the industry into the futureFor more information and resources, visit our website.

Recently the whole team here at Tenacious Ventures had the chance to get out of town and on to the farm. And not just any farm – we visited Jigsaw Farms, home to sheep farmer and long-time friend of the show Mark Wooton and his wife Eve. While out at Jigsaw, Mark and Eve gave us an update on their vision for “sustainable intensification” and their ethos for farm management.In that spirit we wanted to revisit our original conversation with Mark that was published nearly two years ago. After the recent visit to Jigsaw, it's clear there are insights from this first discussion that are still valuable and relevant today, as Mark talks about:Balancing the social imperative to farm ethically with production methods that can keep businesses profitable,Keeping an eye on emerging trends like ecosystem services markets, and being open to the possibility of accessing premiums where they might emergeThe growing regenerative agriculture movement, and the need for farmers to think critically about guidelines and principles that are often put forward as dogmaThe primacy of data in every decision that gets made on the farmFor more information and resources, visit our website.

Our latest bonus podcast episode is an experiment.Rather than organize the contributions that usually make up an episode, we decided to hit record on one of the conversations that are always happening internally at Tenacious Ventures.It's a snapshot into how we think, form and test our assumptions, and decide on what might be next.It also captured the team taking on a pretty hot topic on the mind of everyone in agtech battling with adoption and scaling digitally-native solutions:Have we in agtech completely f*****d farmers by making them afraid of sharing their data?Listen in to Matthew Pryor and Sarah Nolet from Tenacious Ventures, and Shane Thomas, agronomist and author at Upstream Ag Insights, work through an emerging theory that uncertainty and fear about farm data is a largely unfounded barrier to adoption.Throughout this recorded conversation, the team explores questions like:Which barriers to adoption are actually grounded in reality when it comes to farmers and farm data?How did the agtech industry create such fear around farm data, and who has the greatest leverage to change the conversation?Why could improvements in data migration unlock greater adoption of digitally-native solutions by farmers?For more information and resources, visit our website.

Sarah Nolet wants farmers to become ag-tech entreprenurs. As co-founder of Australia's first specialist agrifood tech venture capital firm, Tenacious Ventures, she's raised $NZ38 million to work with 15 start-ups that make production more efficient, focus on climate solutions and create new business models that enable rapid response to changing consumer demands. As well as the fund, Sarah Nolet is the host of the AgTech...So What? podcast, and co-founder of Farmers2Founders, a national innovation program for primary producers. Sarah Nolet is speaking at at E Tipu: The Boma Agri Summit, being held 21-22 June in Christchurch and virtually.

Today we launch our evokeAG. x Food Futurists collaboration series with Professor Andy Lowe, a highly acclaimed and innovative research leader at the University of Adelaide exploring solutions today that will help drive sustainable food systems tomorrow.  Andy's first conversation with Sarah Nolet, Co-Founder and Managing partner of Tenacious Ventures explores the rise of digital agriculture, breaking down industrial era mindsets, and why 'becoming makers, not just takers of agritech' is so important for Australia's blossoming agritech industry and early adopter farmers. Working at the frontier of agrifood tech innovation, Andy draws upon a wealth of knowledge throughout the series ­– speaking with industry heavyweights like Sarah about the future of food – from new-age seawater greenhouses to soil microbe technologies and everything in between. We hope you enjoy their conversation. Listen to more Food Futurists podcasts here. 

Sarah Nolet, Co-Founder and General Partner at Sydney, Australia-based VC firm Tenacious Ventures, focuses on investing in early-stage agtech startups with an eye towards how they will help provide innovations to assist with the ramifications of climate change. "Ag can actually be a solution for a lot of the challenges we're facing," Nolet says in this episode of Voices of the Valley, noting that growers are in a unique position where they can simultaneously work to reduce emissions and be proactive to prevent additional climate disruption. While advocating for biodiversity, water quality improvement and carbon capture technologies, Nolet says it is important to not let perfection be the enemy of progress - and to also acknowledge that there is no silver bullet because "nature will be ahead of us no matter what."

Mick Liubinskas is one of Australia's leading climate tech investors. He has invested in and advised hundreds of startups and is a Co-Founder of @Climate Salad which is helping to build climate-focused startups and get the world beyond net-zero carbon emissions by 2050. He is well placed to give us investor insights into the energy transition and climate tech investments. We cover a lot of ground including companies and investors in this space who Micks work with @Startmate, @Energy Lab, @Tenacious Ventures, @Floodmap, @Cecil, @BCG Ventures, @Australian Investment Commission, @Fable, @Goterra, @Ripe Robotics, @Village Energy, @Beyond Zero Emissions, @Alan Jones, @Rachel Neumann @Phil Morle --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/watt-pod/message

This season, each episode is a mash up of different conversations centred around a theme. This week's subject is Diversity. It's something we've been thinking about and discussing on the podcast for a while. Not just integrating diversity at a "high" level in a company, but actually looking at practicalities and some real issues faced by current and new staff. All these conversations were recorded live at SouthStart.In this episode I speak with Sally-Ann Williams - CEO at Cicada Innovations, Lauren Capelin - Principal at Starmate, Katrina Dunn - Global MD Impact Capital - Catalize, Sarah Nolet - General Partner at Tenacious Ventures

This is the first episode of our new format! This season, each episode is a mash up of a few different conversations centred around a theme. All these conversations were recorded live at SouthStart.This week's topic is The Future of Work. It's something I've been thinking about for a while.With Covid and its huge impact on all of our lives, changes to the working world really were fast tracked. As expected, we spoke a lot about pandemic and how work-life has changed, but we also got into how this can and should can be personalised - something that works really well for one person could not be right for another.In this episode I speak with Emma Weston - Founder / CEO at Agridigital, Flavia Tata Nardini Co-Founder & CEO at Fleet Space, Lauren Capelin - Principal at Startmate, Julie Trell - Chief Play Officer at Playful Purpose, Katherine Boiciuc - Associate Director at Maximus, Sarah Nolet - General Partner at Tenacious Ventures and Nicole Dyson - Founder at Future Anything.

In this episode of "Let's Talk Farm to Fork", we're joined by Sarah Nolet from Tenacious Ventures, who we will be talking to about how her industry knowledge of the food value chain and expertise in AgTech commercialisation has led to a position in the industry consulting startups that have gone on to help reduce the amount of annual food loss within the food value chain. https://tenacious.ventures/

Who pays for new technology to track and manage farm-level carbon sequestration?

Tooling and infrastructure is needed for farmers to get paid for carbon sequestration.

Omnivore: https://www.omnivore.vc/  Tenacious Ventures: https://tenacious.ventures/ SP Ventures: https://www.spventures.com.br/  Merck Animal Health Ventures: https://www.merck-animal-health.com/animal-health-ventures/  Last month I gathered four agtech venture capitalists who all happen to be very popular previous guests of this show to talk about what they're seeing in agtech investment, and to speculate about where things might go from here. What resulted was a great conversation talking about how areas of technology are making their way into agriculture, and how that's made them feel suddenly like part of the “popular kids” of the venture community.  The four voices you're going to hear from today are Mark Kahn from Omnivore in India, Sarah Nolet from Tenacious Ventures in Australia, Janette Barnard with Merck Animal Health Ventures here in the U.S., and Francisco Jardim of SP Ventures in Brazil. I'll link to each of their websites and the previous episodes where you can hear them in the show notes. Francisco Jardim LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/franciscojardim/  Sarah Nolet LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/svnolet/  Janette Barnard LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/janettebarnard/  Mark Kahn LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-kahn-20490a/  Sarah Nolet Twitter: https://twitter.com/svnoles Janette Barnard Twitter: https://twitter.com/JanetteJoyB  Mark Kahn Twitter: https://twitter.com/agri_technology   

Where are all the women founders in agtech, especially at later-stage startups? What does an acquisition really feel like, and when does it make sense? In this Bonus episode, we answer both these questions, as well as build on the key insights from our latest series: “Later-Stage Agtech Startup Lessons”.This episode features:Anastasia Volkova - co-founder and CEO of Regrow*, an independent measurement reporting and verification platform. Regrow, (formerly Flurosat), recently acquired US agtech company, Dagan, and raised $17 million in Series A funding.Matthew Pryor - co-founder of Tenacious Ventures, and partner at the Agthentic Group. He previously co-founded Observant, a precision ag water management company, which was acquired by Jain Irrigation. Our guests also examine some of the key lessons from the entrepreneurs featured in this series: Michael Gilbert of Semios, Paul Lightfoot of BrightFarms and Charles Baron of Farmers Business Network. For more information visit our website.*Disclaimer: Tenacious Ventures is an investor in Regrow.

Venture investment into technology companies that have the potential to scale regenerative agriculture is accelerating. However, it is a relatively new domain for venture capital, and it comes with its own unique set of challenges.So what role can VCs play in the regen ag landscape? And what technologies and trends are VCs looking at to guide their investments?This bonus episode features a discussion from a live panel conversation at the Regenerative Food Systems Investment Forum (RFSIF), in California, with:Renee Vassilos - Director of Agriculture Innovation at The Nature Conservancy.Mark Lewis - Managing Partner at Trailhead Capital, and owner at Lewis Family Farm.Sarah Nolet - co-founder of Tenacious Ventures and the Agthentic Group.Paul Lightfoot (moderator), President of BrightFarms and author, Negative Foods NewsletterThank you to RFSI for the recording- this episode is a lightly edited version of the live event. For more information and resources from this episode visit our website. You might also like to catch up on our regen ag series.

This week we spoke with Sarah Nolet the CEO and Founder of AgThentic, a food and agriculture strategy firm, as well as the co-founder of Tenacious Ventures, Australia's first dedicated agrifood tech VC firm focused on building the early stage agtech ecosystem in Australia. We spoke about Nolet's recent article co-written with Matthew Pryor that puts in perspective how the Silicon Valley investment model set AgTech back a decade. Nolet gives insight into how Silicon Valley investors and agriculture startups operate as well as how cultures clash when these high-tech investors meet Midwestern-based Ag Tech startups.

Welcome back to Season 5 of the Head Shepherd podcast. We have a fantastic season lined up for you, and we're starting with a bang!Sarah Nolet is an internationally recognised food systems innovation expert, the CEO and Founder of AgThentic, a global food and agriculture strategy firm, and co-founder of Tenacious Ventures, Australia's first dedicated agrifood tech VC firm AND podcast host of "Ag Tech So What?".But, before all that, Sarah grew up in California, quite literally in the centre of the tech world. After studying computer science at University, Sarah then ended up in the defence industry. She enjoyed the tech, but felt like her heart wasn't into it. Roll forward a year and her experiences in Agriculture in South America, Sarah was inspired to go down the rabbit hole of Ag Tech. Ten years later, Sarah now lives in Australia and is fully immersed in a whole different world.  Sarah challenges the usual way of finding investments. In contrast to starting at the research end, focusing on building the device and hoping people purchase and invest, she flips that on its head by focusing on the team strategy, what the product will do, and who's going to pay for it at the end of it all.Sarah then discusses the exciting upcoming innovations in the Australasian Agtech space. Learn more about the future of the tech space, the work Sarah and her companies are doing, and how you can help!Find out more below.https://tenacious.ventures/https://www.agtechsowhat.com/https://agthentic.com/Check out The Hubthehub.nextgenagri.comOur community where our members have the opportunity to keep up to date with everything we are working on.  Thank you yet again to Allflex and now MSD for sponsoring the fifth season of Head Shepherd. Allflex Livestock Intelligence is the leader in the design, development, manufacturing, and delivery of animal monitoring, identification, and traceability solutions. Their data-driven solutions are used by farmers to manage animals. By putting intelligent, actionable information into farmers' hands, their solutions empower them to act in a timely manner for optimal outcomes.A big thank you to our sponsors, Allflex Livestock Intelligencewww.allflex.global/nz/

The Silicon Valley model for innovation has worked famously for many software based companies, such as Facebook and PayPal. However, when it comes to agtech, the Silicon Valley template for startup success hasn't translated very well. This template, of either “user is the customer” or “user is the product” is rather limited in agriculture, where the farming population is small (restricting scale) and the stakes are high.This episode features Rob Trice, the founding partner of Better Food Ventures and The Mixing Bowl, along with Sarah Nolet and Matthew Pryor, who both lead the Agthentic Group and Tenacious Ventures. All three guests have a solid tech and business history in Silicon Valley and discuss why the business models typically used by venture-backed software companies, can't just be copy-pasted to agriculture.They also dig into:The early days of Silicon Valley, the dot-com boom and bust and where Agtech 1.0 went wrong.How understanding the whole supply chain and embedded incentives , will be critical to success.How financing models from venture capital to SPACs can better fit with the agtech revolution (or evolution), as well as the positive signs for the future growth of the industry.For more information visit our website. You might also like our recent article: “How Silicon Valley Set Agtech Back a Decade”

Just because something can be done, doesn't mean it should be. In agtech, this is a reminder that no matter how cutting edge the science or technology, when it comes to commercialization, functionality and novelty are simply not enough. This is especially true in the complex area of chemistry and the emerging industry of biologicals.This episode features two scientists who, instead of viewing the publication of their research as an end point, have made it the beginning of a venture-backed startup journey. Dr. Jacqueline Heard, CEO of Enko Chem, a US agtech startup that has raised over $50M to develop novel crop protection solutions, and Dr. Nancy Schellhorn, CEO of RapidAIM, a Tenacious Ventures portfolio company that spun out of Australia's CSIRO, join us to discuss:The journey from researcher to founder within the deeply technical landscape of ag inputsThe challenges of transitioning from scientist to venture-backed startup founderTwo business models that, as mentioned in Part 1 of this series, are helping overcome some of the challenges in bringing new inputs to marketFor more resources, please visit our website.

Sarah Nolet is the CEO and a founding partner of Tenacious Ventures, Australia's first and only dedicated agrifood venture capital firm. Sarah chats to us about all the innovative and exciting agricultural technologies or as they say in the industry “agtech”. We cover the current sources of emissions within our food supply chain and some fantastic solutions including farming robotics, improved pest management and alternative proteins (hello, plant based nuggets). Follow us on twitter and instagram. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Welcome to another edition of the OTPBD News Special, our fortnightly series which analyses the news that matters for Australian and Kiwi startups.Meet this week's panel...Cheryl Mack, Stone & ChalkRichard Lin, AirTreeThis week our panel talks about some of the massive acquisitions and rounds recently raised in the Australian ecosystem, including the $2b acquisition of A Cloud Guru, the $1.7b acquisition of MessageMedia, and new funds from Tenacious Ventures and Investible.

Billionaires, taxpayers and farmers have stumped up $35 million to be spent on agricultural technology in Australia after a venture capital fund was oversubscribed.

This week we talk to Matthew Pryor, co-founder of Tenacious Ventures, Australia's first dedicated agrifood venture capital firm and Olympia Yarger, founder and CEO of Goterra, a biotech waste management startup.Tenacious Ventures recently announced its first co-led investment – worth $8-million – into Goterra that is set to transform the robot-managed modular insect farms, which convert waste into a valuable commodity for livestock.Olympia and Matthew share their journey and the importance of building fruitful relationships geared to drive positive change and profitability.

Some of the biggest startups have come in the wake of crises — and they're definitely not all in the city.