Australian farmers, innovators, agribusiness and scientists are invited to pitch ideas to “drought-proof Australian agriculture”, as part of the $10 million Beanstalk Drought Venture Studio initiative.

Funded by the Federal Government’s Future Drought Fund and launched by Beanstalk AgTech,, the “drought resilience commercialisation initiative” aims to take eight start-ups to market and providing hands-on commercialisation support for nearly 100 others.

Beanstalk Drought Venture Studio will open expressions of interest to innovators from March 2024.

Beanstalk Drought Venture Studio will “work closely with Australian producers and agribusinesses to ensure a focus on the most pressing challenges, while playing a hands-on role connecting farmers with innovators and early stage agrifood startup investors.“

“We want to build business that deliver solutions for Australian farmers, have the potential to be scaled globally and deliver long term returns for investors,” stated Cal Archibald, Director at Beanstalk AgTech.

“Imagine if we could perfectly predict the micro-climate of each paddock or utilise winter rain in the summer months or even increase our soil water holding capacity tenfold.”

“Perhaps you are a scientist working on new technology to better capture and store water on farms, or an investor that wants to back local farmers and local innovations,” he said.

“We want to hear from anyone with a drought related challenge that needs solving or a drought-resilience solution.”