A new program is set to help Australian growers and industry leaders turn their ideas into commercially viable solutions that address some of the biggest challenges in horticulture.
Developed by Hort Frontiers in partnership with Startupbootcamp and Cluster Connect, the Australian-Grown Innovation program will provide structured mentorship and support over the next five years. The initiative aims to unlock transformative opportunities in areas such as climate resilience, artificial intelligence, value-added product innovation, and supply chain efficiency.
Bridging the gap between ideas and impact
Brett Fifield, CEO of Hort Innovation, said the program is designed to harness the knowledge and entrepreneurial spirit of Australian growers.
“Australian growers are the country’s most innovative entrepreneurs. They’re on the frontline of horticulture and know better than anyone the problems that need solving,” Fifield said.
“This program has been designed to tap into this knowledge and the entrepreneurial spirit of Australian growers to try and solve problems together for our horticulture sector.
“Our recent Australian Horticulture Statistics Handbook showed that the horticulture sector has now reached a total production value of $17 billion. With more growers being given the tools to bring farm-changing ideas to life, we know that we will see this number continue to grow.”
Anna Barlow, Food and Agriculture Innovation Partner at Startupbootcamp, said the program provides a unique opportunity for growers, entrepreneurs, and industry stakeholders to bring ideas to life.
“Australian-Grown Innovation is for growers, producers, entrepreneurs and businesses across the horticulture supply chain who want to develop new ideas and turn them into real-world products or services,” Barlow said.
“Helping new businesses in the food and agriculture space has been a big part of what Startupbootcamp has been focused on and we are thrilled to be able to work with Frontiers to bring this program to life to continue doing so.”
A program built for growers, by growers
The program will accelerate innovation through a three-stage mentorship model, ensuring participants receive guidance at every step – from concept development to commercialisation.
Australian nursery growers Matt Mansfield and Symone Brown, General Managers from Mansfield’s Nursery and Tissue Culture Australia, know firsthand the challenges of developing industry-driven solutions. Reflecting on their own innovation journey, they highlighted the potential impact of structured support.
“We found the innovation journey was a bit of a rollercoaster full of ups and downs. It felt like we were renovating a house at times – setting out to solve one problem, only to uncover more along the way, and seeing the costs escalate beyond what we had planned,” Mansfield said.
“A program like Australian-Grown Innovation would have helped us explore the ideas more thoroughly and figure out our end goal faster. We can see how it would have benefited our program creation, and we are sure it will help lots of other growers just like us to create their own innovations.”
Addressing horticulture’s biggest challenges
The Australian-Grown Innovation program is designed to deliver practical solutions that align with one of five key themes:
• Healthy living – Creating nutritious, high-value food solutions
• Adaptation and resilience – Building climate-smart and sustainable practices
• Market access – Strengthening domestic and global trade opportunities
• Disruptive technologies – Leveraging AI, robotics, and smart farming tech
• Capability building – Empowering growers with the skills and resources to innovate.
Unlocking the future of Australian horticulture
With Australian horticulture now valued at $17 billion, this initiative is a timely investment in the future of the sector. By equipping growers with the tools to develop and commercialise homegrown innovations, the industry is set for significant transformation.
Growers, innovators, and industry leaders are encouraged to participate.
To find out more or register for the program, visit Australian-Grown Innovation.