The third cohort of the Australian-Grown Innovation (AGI) Incubate Program has today been announced, bringing together 12 Australian horticulture growers and innovators to explore new technologies, validate innovative ideas and develop solutions that strengthen the future of the industry.

The AGI Program, co-funded by Hort Innovation Frontiers and Startupbootcamp, supports growers, researchers, startups and industry innovators to transform early-stage ideas into commercially viable opportunities for Australian horticulture.

Over the coming weeks, participants will work alongside experienced coaches, entrepreneurs and industry experts to better understand customer needs, test assumptions, refine their value propositions and explore pathways towards commercialisation.

Anthony Kachenko, General Manager of Production and Sustainability Research & Development at Hort Innovation, explained why supporting emerging innovators is critical for the future of the industry: “Australian growers have always been innovative, but turning a promising idea into a viable business or industry solution takes the right support, networks and expertise. The AGI Incubate Program helps participants test assumptions, validate market needs and build the foundations required to take their ideas further."

“By supporting innovators at this early stage, we're helping accelerate the development of practical solutions that can improve productivity, sustainability and adaptability across Australian horticulture, ultimately delivering long-term benefits for growers and the wider industry.”

The 2026 cohort represents the diversity and breadth of Australia’s horticulture sector, with participants working across macadamias, potatoes, berries, dragon fruit, beekeeping, digital agriculture, crop nutrition, agricultural technology and sustainable food innovation.

The cohort includes:

• 2Bee.Farm: AI-powered hive monitoring technology that provides beekeepers with real-time colony health data to reduce losses and improve pollination outcomes.
• Chris Hannagan: A barbecue oil guide and application system helping home cooks select and use the right oils, including avocado and grapeseed oil, at different cooking stages to improve flavour, consistency and confidence.
• ExtensionAg: An AI-powered research translation platform that transforms horticulture R&D reports into searchable, personalised and easy-to-understand content for growers, agronomists and industry bodies.
• Gondwana Macadamias: Exploring innovative value-added products and markets to maximise the value of Australian-grown macadamias.
• Haskaps of Tas: Exploring new opportunities for haskap berry production following the sale of its haskap marketing licence, with a focus on identifying future pathways and tools for growth.
• InnoSeeds: A vegetable breeding company developing locally adapted tomato varieties for Australian growers, focused on yield, quality, shelf life and climate resilience.
• Plant Nutrition Australia: An AI-driven crop nutrition tool that analyses sap and tissue tests to provide precise fertiliser recommendations for growers, agronomists and plant breeders.
• Potatoes Tasmania: A proposal to establish an independent Generation Zero mini-tuber facility in Tasmania to strengthen local seed potato supply, biosecurity and genetic choice.
• Rare Dragon Fruit:  A mobile food resilience van helping growers transform surplus or rejected dragon fruit and tropical produce into shelf-stable products such as dried fruit, powders, jams and syrups.
• Rema: Developing a sustainable leather alternative made from discarded citrus peels, designed for fashion brands seeking durable, lower-emission alternatives to animal and synthetic leather.
• South Melbourne Market: Exploring sustainable alternatives to plastic fresh produce packaging that work for traders, suppliers and customers.
• The Van Rooyen Group:  Developing value-added lychee products such as pulp and freeze-dried fruit to extend consumer access to Australian lychees beyond the fresh seasonal window.

“The strength of this cohort lies in its diversity. From artificial intelligence and digital agriculture through to value-added food products, plant nutrition and sustainable packaging, these innovators are tackling some of the biggest opportunities and challenges facing Australian horticulture today,” said Mr Kachenko.  

Throughout the program, participants will focus on:

• Testing and refining problem–solution fit
• Understanding customer needs and market opportunities
• Exploring competitors, alternatives and barriers to adoption
• Strengthening value propositions and business models
• Building the foundations required for future commercialisation and potential progression into the AGI Build Program.

The AGI program forms part of Hort Innovation’s investment in building a stronger, more resilient and globally competitive Australian horticulture industry by connecting innovators with the expertise, networks and support required to turn promising ideas into real-world outcomes.

As the cohort progresses, participants will continue developing their concepts and will go on to pitch their ideas at a demonstration day later this year.

For more information about Australian-Grown Innovation, visit www.australiangrowninnovation.com.au