The WA government is strengthening its support for agrifood-tech innovation ahead of AgriFutures evokeAG 2024, to be held 20-21 February, by providing funding to host trade shows, forums and other activities scheduled around the event. The evokeAG project team is also undertaking an extensive international outreach, which aims to attract delegates to Perth during the event week.
The Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development's (DPIRD) "evokeAG 2024 WA Side Event Funding Program" will provide up to $10,000 in funding to support a range of complementary side events, including trade shows, investment forums, workshops, roundtables and site toursm that align with the agritech industry.
The funding aims to showcase WA products, services, innovations and regional strengths, as well as explore opportunities and solutions to global agrifood and beverage supply chain challenges.
A diverse range of groups are being encouraged to apply, including businesses, food and beverage processors and manufacturers, universities, consultants, researchers, start-ups, grower groups, and industry associations.
A Registration of Interest (ROI) is currently open for potential participants of inbound delegations visiting WA specifically to attend evokeAG, as part of the government's international outreach efforts.
More than 10 organised delegations are expected to visit for the event, beyond many other smaller groups that will arrange their own travel, according DPIRD, which is also managing the international ROI.
DPIRD business development manager for evokeAG 2024, Simon Tarmo, said they are expecting strong delegations representing multiple sub-sectors of the ag-tech ecosystem from the likes of the United Kingdom, New Zealand, Israel, Singapore and the EU, while several smaller, more targeted groups are also finalising visit programs.
"There is a particular focus on attracting major players in the global agrifood-tech investment space, to not only take full advantage of the strong line-up of startup and scale-up companies that will be at the event, but to also look at wider opportunities within the WA agriculture sector," Tarmo said.
Beyond the WA government initiatives, AgriFutures Australia has also recently opened applications for Startup Alley, which will serve as a launchpad for both local and international startups to present their ground-breaking innovations at the event.
Startup Alley will feature 40 innovative businesses that will engage with the diverse audience of evokeAG delegates over the course of the two-day event.
MORE INFORMATION
For more information about evokeAg side event funding and to complete an ROI, visit the WA government's evokeAG side event funding page.
For more information about the international ROI and outreach efforts, visit the ROI registration form.
The application page for Startup Alley is available here.
