March 25, 2025
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Hort Frontiers, in partnership with Startupbootcamp and Cluster Connect, has announced the launch of a new program designed to drive innovation that will tackle the most pressing challenges in horticulture. The Australian-Grown Innovation program, which is for Australian growers and those across the horticulture supply chain, will accelerate grower-led innovation through three stages of mentorship. The aim is to turn great ideas into commercially viable products and services that make a real difference on the ground.  

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Over the next five years, the program will run a number of cohorts through three stages of mentorship to unlock transformative opportunities and deliver practical solutions to real industry challenges such as: climate resilience strategies, value-added product innovation, technology-driven solutions harnessing AI, and supply chain improvements to improve productivity.

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All solutions created will deliver on solving these challenges through a requirement to meet one of the five overarching Frontiers themes: healthy living, adaptation and resilience, market access, disruptive technologies and capability building.

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The three stages of mentoring include: 

  • Engage: Local workshops for growers and supply chain participants where they will learn about innovation in horticulture, gain insights and a practical toolkit from real people in the industry with lived experience of innovating. This is open to all growers in the horticulture sector.
  • Incubate: Following the engagement session, a cohort of 10 are selected based on an expression of interest. This cohort will participate in a six-week incubation program which offers hands-on support via workshops and mentoring to refine, test and create market viable opportunities. Participants will also learn about global best practice in their areas of innovation.
  • Build: A 12-week program offering participants an opportunity to develop a test version of their idea and trial it in a real-world market environment. Selected participants may also take part in a global immersion experience, where they explore partnership opportunities, participate in site visits, learn international best practices, connect with global experts, and learn from leading innovators to help scale their idea.

Who Can Apply:

The program is open to all growers, producers, entrepreneurs, and businesses across the horticulture supply chain who want to develop or refine problem-solving ideas and turn them into real-world products or services.

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Why Apply:

Innovation is often seen as discretionary. This program will help growers, and the supply chain, learn how to bring innovation into their day-to-day businesses and de-risk the associated investment.

For more information or to register your interest, please visit www.frontiers.au/agi

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