Australia is rolling out the welcome mat for start-ups across the globe through the EvokeAg Landing Pad, helping founders set themselves up in the country and providing companies with access into the Asia-Pacific market, Paula Vaquero Regauer, principal trade and investment manager for Trade and Investment Queensland (TIQ), told AgTechNavigator.
Formerly named the Agventure Downunder, EvokeAg Landing Pad is a market-entry program that seeks startups from around the world to establish a presence in Australia, supported by AgriFutures Australia and delivered by Innovation Architects. The program consists of a pre-arrival workshop, a six-day Melbourne immersion (with option to extend), logistics support, access to investors, a membership program, and a booth at the EvokeAg event.
Founders outside of Australia are encouraged to apply to the program by Oct. 24 at 5.00 pm AEDT and will be notified on Nov. 14 if they have been accepted into the program. Last year, EvokeAg nominated ten global companies, including 4Ag Robotics, Airponix, BioPollen Solutions, TeOra, Fauna Tech, Ful Foods, Lytegro Limited, Mara Bio, Rhst Industries, and Via BioFuels.
Vaquero Regauer will also host a webinar for the Latin American founders on Oct. 15 about the market opportunity in Australia and how to apply for the Landing Pad programme.
TIQ prepares start-ups to succeed in Australia
Headquartered in TIQ’s Chile office, Vaquero Regauer has been tracking the Latin American start-up ecosystem and sees great opportunity for founders in the region to make the move to Australia. Beyond supporting the Landing Pad programme, TIQ is involved in a range of activities to support start-ups seeking to scale their businesses in Australia.
“We support companies by facilitating introductions to industry partners [and] providing tailored business case information. We identify site options and organize site visits, for example, or technical missions. We support visa nominations in some cases. So, our support is very broad,” she elaborated.
Australia is a natural fit for Latin American agritech innovation, since both regions hold expertise in different aspects of the value chain, Vaquero Regauer explained. For instance, Latin American start-ups have expertise in biological inputs, crop-reliance technologies, and water efficiency systems — including plasma technologies — where Australian start-ups might have more expertise in robotics, she explained.
Agritech companies exploring a potential expansion into Australia should do two things first – assess the competitive landscape, then apply for an Australian Business Number (ABN) if the market is a good fit, Vaquero Regauer said.
Startups need the ABN to access certain innovation and manufacturing hubs in Australia, like the one through the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, she said. Queensland alone supports nine innovation hubs, with five dedicated to food and agriculture, she added.
“The first thing you need to do is do your due diligence. We can support the due diligence. And once you are very positive that Queensland is a market for you, you need to start with an ABN,” Vaquero Regauer said.