Sowing the Seeds of Farming Innovation Fund

Our commitment to innovation

Innovation is central to driving the long-term productivity, profitability and sustainability of Queensland’s primary industries.

This fund aims to support innovation that can:

• lift productivity and reduce costs
• accelerate commercialisation and adoption
• strengthen sector resilience and sustainability
• attract additional investment into innovation that benefits Queensland’s primary industries.

The fund complements the broader Queensland Government Primary Industries Prosper 2050 blueprint by:

• supporting commercially focused innovation
• encouraging collaboration across industry, research and investment partners
• contributing to the long-term growth and competitiveness needed to boost Queensland’s primary production output to $30 billion by 2030.

How the fund will work

• The fund will operate as an investment fund, not a grants program.
• It will make investments in the form of equity interests in eligible businesses.
• It will invest across the capital pathway, from the funding stages and selective later-stage opportunities.
• It will also support innovative businesses that are developing, commercialising or deploying products, technologies or services for Queensland’s primary industries.

We will continue to engage with industry, universities and other stakeholders across the sector to support a strong pipeline of investment-ready businesses and to help achieve the fund’s objectives.

How the fund will be managed

Queensland Investment Corporation will manage the fund. It will leverage commercial investment expertise to identify and support businesses that are developing cutting-edge solutions for Queensland’s primary industries.

It will manage engagement with prospective investee companies through direct enquiries, market engagement and its broader networks.

Areas of focus

The fund will support investments in businesses and solutions directed towards 1 or more of the following areas:

• agri-automation, robotics and geospatial and sensing systems that support on-farm operations, processing efficiency or labour productivity
• digital primary industries, including
  • production management software
  • decision-support tools
  • traceability systems
  • data analytics
  • remote monitoring technologies
• biomanufacturing, ag-biotech and advanced biological platforms where the primary impact materially benefits Queensland producers, processors or supply chains
• adoption enablers and value-chain infrastructure, including
  • logistics innovation
  • supply-chain optimisation
  • advanced processing technologies
  • interoperability standards
• sustainability and natural capital solutions that support market access, such as
  • water-use efficiency systems
  • soil and biodiversity measurement tools.

Eligible investments

The fund will support investment in innovative businesses that deliver measurable benefits for Queensland’s primary industries.

In considering investments, the fund will focus on businesses that demonstrate:

• innovation and commercial merit
• productivity benefits for Queensland’s primary industries
• clear Queensland benefit
• alignment with the fund’s areas of focus.

Why this matters for Queensland

Queensland’s producers, innovators and AgTech businesses continue to demonstrate strong capability and ambition.

Strengthening the pathway from idea to implementation will help the sector:

• respond to weather and market pressures
• manage emerging and existing biosecurity risks
• expand production efficiency and operational performance
• grow regional skills and technological capability.

By supporting scalable and industry-focused innovation, the fund aims to contribute to a productive, profitable and sustainable future for Queensland’s primary industries.

Delivering real outcomes

• The fund will help scale practical, commercial-ready technologies across Queensland.
• It will support transitions from trials to broader deployment.
• It will strengthen innovation capability and regional workforce skills.
• It will also encourage participation from private investors, enterprises and partners.

More information

Learn more about the fund, including how it will operate and how businesses can engage.