TNQ Drought Hub
James Cook University Australia
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Innovation Acceleration

We are looking for big ideas to solve challenges within the TNQ agricultural industries.

Building resilience through innovation

Farmers, producers and growers in the TNQ region often face tough problems that need new solutions. But these solutions are not always easy to find. This means farmers sometimes have to make do with temporary fixes or just live with the issues. To help solve these problem, the TNQ Drought Hub has teamed up with Farmers2Founders (F2F) to deliver a series of agriculture accelerator programs that support new ideas and resilience in the agricultural sector.

Hatch

The Hatch Program is the first step. Over 6 weeks, participants join a virtual course to test their agrifood ideas with real users. They get help from a startup coach to refine their ideas, talk to potential customers, and create a 3-month plan. This program helps ensure new ideas are practical and ready for further development, supporting sustainable farming practices.

Hone

Next is the Hone Program. Selected participants from the Hatch Program move on to this stage. Here, they learn the basics of starting a new business, including legal details, business structure, and marketing plans. They attend masterclasses with industry experts, get coaching, and meet in person. This program helps turn ideas into sustainable businesses that support long-term farming resilience.

Harvest

The Harvest Program is for agrifood businesses ready to grow bigger. Over 3 months, participants get tailored support and access to a wide network of industry experts, mentors, investors, and advisors. They receive feedback on their business growth plans and learn how to expand into national and international markets. This program helps businesses grow sustainably

Impact and Regional Priorities

Through the Hatch, Hone, and Harvest Programs, the TNQ Drought Hub has helped 32 participants develop their innovative solutions to address important regional issues. These priorities include:

  • Managing pastures and feed during changing weather and drought
  • Creating value-added products to diversify income and reduce risks
  • Reducing inputs through better precision applications and lowering costs
  • Automating repetitive tasks to reduce reliance on labor

By encouraging innovation and sustainability, the TNQ Drought Hub’s programs are creating a more sustainable, resilient, and prosperous future for farming in the TNQ region.

Hatch Program

Hatch participants attend online sessions weekly, participate in coaching calls, complete a program workbook and interview their target customer segmentation. A key intention of the Hatch Program was to build participant confidence in themselves and their ability to pursue their idea to turn it into a successful venture.

Hatch Program #1: 15 May 2022 - 30 June 2022 (I&C Program)

The pilot program was successfully delivered to seven participants so they could gain validation of their idea and approach. Some of these ideas included;

  • Support mechanism to invest in improved water management practices
  • Data collection to help manage and improve drought conditions
  • Develop an integrated ‘paddock to plate’ brand
Hatch Program #2: 24 October – 5 December 2022 (1st AIH)

Eight participants were selected to go through the second Hatch Program. This cohort’s ideas included:

  • Biodegradable packaging materials from agricultural waste
  • Converting dead trees into biochar
  • Utilising insects for crop pollination
Hatch Program #3: 7 February – 11 April 2023 (2nd AIH)

Eight participants were selected to go through the third Hatch Program. This cohort’s ideas included:

  • GPS trapping system for pest
  • Regenerating and rehydrating landscapes through water runoff
  • Processing fruit and vegetable waste to make it more digestible 

Hone Program

Hone participants took part in a 12 week online masterclass, attend a three day face-to-face bootcamp, received regular weekly coaching and peer sessions and are matched with startup founders. The key outcome from the Hone Program is for participants to launch their MVP/prototype and acquire their first customer.

Hone Program #1: 2 May 2023 – August 2023 (AIH)

Participants were recruited from previous Hatch Programs with eight selected for the TNQ Drought Hub cohort.

Part of the Hone Program was a face-to-face bootcamp in Cairns where participants got the opportunity to work together as a group and with their coaches and on their business models, customer personas and revenue streams.

Participants shared that the bootcamp “was a fantastic way to engage in some deep thinking about our startup idea and learn with other founders” and “it gave me more confidence in discussing my ideas and assistance in developing realistic action steps to achieve my goals.”

This group’s ideas included:

  • overcome the daily challenges from soil contamination through nature-based formulars
  • non-intrusive and cost-effective methods for aquaculture animal monitoring
  • mobile plant for high quality biochar production

Harvest Program

Harvest participants took part in a 3-month program that supports companies who have an existing solution that is commercially ready but are looking for assistance in scaling that solution and business across national and international markets.

Participants learnt through tailored support and access to industry experts, mentors and investors. There were several milestones for the participants to meet including developing a Go-To-Market strategy, refining their business models, presenting financial models and pitching future growth plans.

Harvest Program #1: February – May 2023 (AIH)

Through extensive recruitment and selection processes, two out of nine companies were chosen to complete the Harvest Program.

Spades is a compliance management software system that allows farms to select which compliance requirements apply to them and streamline their record management.

Jennifer has developed a platform for producers to easily access, manage and complete compliance documents according to Australian standards.

The subscription based model allows farms to select which compliance requirements apply to them (i.e. food safety and quality, livestock production assurance standards, farm safety, biosecurity etc), and the pre-built forms/checklists are provided in the app.

Through the Harvest Program, Jennifer is aiming to upskill her general knowledge of running a business as well as honing in on the direction of Spades.

Four Daughters is a paddock to plate grazing enterprise that supplies Premium Black Angus through a pre-order, delivery system.

Together Karen and her husband built a business that grew big enough to export to China. Unfortunately, due to COVID-19, the team had to look for alternative routes to continue their business. This sparked the inspiration for the family to offer Four Daughters Pink Beef Box.

Four Daughters have continued to market their branded burger, Four Daughters Premium Black Angus, however they realised they had shifted their focus from this to the delivery service.

Through the Harvest Program the business is currently looking for ways to venture out its branded burger into the Australian market.