As we prepare to start promoting Techweek18’s headline agritech event ’10 Billion Mouths’, it’s great to be able to announce our first major sponsor. I’m also delighted that the event has attracted one of Silicon Valley’s most active investors in the agritech, robotics and automotive space to New Zealand. Yamaha Motor Ventures & Laboratory Silicon Valley (YMVSV) has, roll of [...]
Whilst most Kiwis remain focused on a wonderful summer vacation, I am writing this first Wharf42 2018 post from the UK. The festive break has provided a fascinating perspective on some of the challenges facing farmers and growers in a very different economic and political environment to that currently being experienced in New Zealand. With Brexit’s trade talks looming and [...]
I’m delighted to be able to finally talk about what is shaping up to be a premier New Zealand Agritech event in 2018. It's the first headline event for Techweek’18 to be announced and tickets are now on sale. More details about 10 Billion Mouths can be viewed at the event web page at https://techweek.co.nz/whats-on/2018/10-billion-mouths-39/. 10 Billion Mouths will showcase [...]
One of the benefits of partnering with some of Silicon Valley’s key agritech ecosystem players is the access it provides to some ‘big’ strategic thinking. Right now, one active topic of conversation revolves around the opportunity for a Dual Hemisphere R&D Agritech initiative. Essentially, the ‘Dual Hemisphere Strategy’ would see US-based agritech companies conduct R&D in New Zealand during the [...]
Whilst Wharf42 is probably best known for its connectivity with Silicon Valley’s rapidly growing AgriTech ecosystem, our global connections go a little further. During Fieldays in June, many farmers and agribusinesses will have visited the different UK exhibitors taking part in the Great Britain Pavilion. The Pavilion was funded by the UK Department of International Trade (UKDIT), its first such [...]
Getting early stage New Zealand AgriTech businesses connected to the global market is an important goal for Sprout, New Zealand’s leading AgriTech accelerator. This week, that task has become a whole lot easier. Wharf42 & Sprout have signed a partnership agreement which will provide Sprout alumni businesses with access to Wharf42’s extensive Silicon Valley AgriTech network. Additionally, Wharf42 will become [...]
Supporting the commercialisation of New Zealand AgTech is at the heart of much of what Wharf42 does. That task is being much easier by the increasing collaboration we are witnessing between New Zealand government agencies and the wider agribusiness sector. One clear example of this is the intensification of the sector's focus on the massive opportunities being offered in the [...]
Overnight, AgFunder released its 2017 Mid-Year Investing Report. You can download a free copy from here. It identified that early stage investment in agrifood tech startups reached $4.4 billion in the first half of 2017, posting a 6% year-over-year increase reversing the downward trend of 2016 when agrifood tech investing dropped 17% to $6.9 billion from $8.3 billion in 2015. [...]
WNT Ventures is looking to hire a newly created Investment Manager role to be based in New Zealand’s most amazing city, (a little bias perhaps!), Tauranga. WNT Ventures has recently secured commitments from existing and new investors nationally for its Second Fund. With the new fund up and running, and following the completion of the initial investment phase of its first fund (www.wntventures.co.nz/portfolio), [...]
I’m delighted to announce that Wharf42 has signed a Strategic Alliance Agreement with the New Zealand Technology Industry Association (NZTech) to work together to deliver the major Food & AgTech ‘Hero Event’ for Techweek 2018. In May this year, Wharf42 organised Techweek 2017's Farming2020 3-day event. If you want to view some of the 28 amazing presentations that took place [...]