Events

Come meet the Judges, Sponsors, and Finalists. Guest Speaker will be Queensland’s Chief Entrepreneur Leanne Kemp

Where: Mt Uncle Distillery, 1819 Chewko Rd, Walkamin
When: Fri 1st Nov, 5 – 7 pm
Tickets: Buy tickets on Eventbrite

Come meet the AusFAC 2019 Judges, Sponsors, Organisers and Finalists. Guest Speaker will be Queensland’s Chief Entrepreneur Leanne Kemp who is a mine of knowledge on developing start-up enterprises, from a hands-on practical, and industry support, viewpoints.

Leanne is CEO and founder of Everledger, which uses blockchain technology to track high-value assets such as diamonds, art and wine to guarantee end-consumers an understanding of where their purchases originated.

Sat am – Network with Leanne Kemp, Queensland’s Chief Entrepreneur

Where: Destiny Cafe, 49-57 Loder St, Atherton, 4883
When: Sat 2nd Nov, 9 – 11 am
Tickets: Buy tickets on Eventbrite

Leanne’s Saturday morning event “A Morning with Leanne Kemp”- is pitched at local entrepreneurs and business owners but all are welcome. Networking from 8.30 am. Leanne will speak on “Being Able to Refine your Goals and Business Model” and this will be followed by a Q&A session.

Leanne Kemp is a mine of knowledge on developing start-up enterprises, from a hands-on practical, as well as an industry support, viewpoint. Leanne is CEO and founder of Everledger, which uses blockchain technology to track high-value assets such as diamonds, art and wine to guarantee end-consumers an understanding of where their purchases originated.

This event has been brought to you by Startup Tablelands and the Tablelands Regional Council.

• Target audience of local Tablelands businesses
• Hear from Queensland Chief Entrepreneur Leanne Kemp
  • Leanne’s first visit to the Tablelands
• Leanne has an impressive history of innovation
• She is internationally recognised as an innovator and business leader
• She is Founder and CEO of Everledger, which uses Blockchain technology to track high-value assets such as diamonds, art and wine to guarantee end consumers an understanding of where their purchases have come from – addressing issues such as sustainability of sourcing, ethical sourcing (blood diamonds), forgery in art , etc
• Her role as Chief Entrepreneur is , to develop the state’s startup ecosystem, attract investment and support job creation
• She is the first woman entrepreneur to hold this position
• CEO and Founder, Everledger
• Queensland Chief Entrepreneur
• Co-Chair, Global Future Council on the Future of Manufacturing, World Economic Forum
• Member, Global Future Council on Blockchain, Circular Economy and Global Battery Alliance with the World Economic Forum
• Co-Chair, Sustainable Trade Action Group, World Trade Board
• Advisor, IBM Blockchain Platform Board of Advisors
• Adjunct Professor at the Institute for Future Environment, Queensland University of Technology

Leanne is a two times Patent Inventor as well as holding the following prominent awards include:

• Advancing Identification Matter (AIM) Global Allan Gilligan Award 2019
• Advance Technology Innovation Award 2018 
• Innovator of the Year 2018 (Women in IT Awards, London)
• Innovator of the Year 2016 (Women in IT Awards, London)
• Top 26 Coolest Women in UK Tech, 2016 (Business Insider)
• Top 30 Female Innovators (Brummell Magazine)

Where: Skybury Cafe 136 Ivicevic Rd, Paddys Green, Mareeba, 4880
When: Sat 2nd Nov, 1.30 – 8.30 pm
Tickets: Buy tickets on Eventbrite

The Australian Future Agro Challenge, now in its fourth year, is the Australian arm of the largest global initiative to discover fundable food, agtech and agriculture innovators from around the world.

Six agriculture entrepreneurs from across Australia will present their innovative ideas in an exciting pitch competition on Saturday afternoon, 2nd of November at Skybury’s stunning venue outside of Mareeba, as they compete to represent Australia for the title of Global Agripreneur of the Year.

We also have a fantastic lineup of speakers throughout the afternoon including Guest Speaker: KPMG’s national Head of AgriTech – Ben van Delden; Rachel Cliffe, Regional General Manager Northern Queensland, Telstra; and Australia’s representative at last year’s Global FAC, Jess Fealy.

After a networking session, where you can mix with our judges, sponsors, organisers and finalists, we will all gather to hear from our Guest Speaker: KPMG’s national Head of AgriTech – Ben van Delden who is one of Australia’s leaders in researching and understanding agriculture trends.

Coming from a family business background in aquaculture, livestock and horticulture, Ben has a passion for the agribusiness sector. He has experience at every level of farm and food innovation – developing regional plans to increase farm output, working with the agriculture industry through groups like the Meat & Livestock Association and grower groups to identify solutions for farmers, and being involved with agtech incubators and startups to assess market opportunities and accelerate commercialisation.

Dinner will follow Ben’s presentation and then the winner of AusFAC 2019 will be announced! This is going to be a huge weekend of amazing agtech, innovation and discussion around the future of food and farming – we can’t wait to see you there!

Our simply wonderful sponsors: AusIndustry, Telstra, Tablelands Regional Council, FIAL, Elders Malanda, Growcom, Rotary Atherton, Mareeba Shire Council, Farm Doctors, Startup Tablelands and Boldacious Digital. Please do not hesitate to support them in the future.

AusFAC Dinner speaker – Ben van Delden:

• AusFAC Winner announced!
• Held on-farm at Skybury Coffee, with dinner and a complimentary drink included
• Guest speaker Ben van Delden – KPMG Melbourne Partner and Head of AgriTech division
  • Ben will discuss the opportunities of agtech for farmers
  • He will also speak to his findings from touring countries leading in agriculture productivity such as the Netherlands – which is 185 times smaller than Australia, yet produce three times more value in agriculture exports. Ben has toured and studied why this is the case and will speak about what Australian farmers can learn from the Netherlands
  • Ben has a history of identifying and assessing market and investment opportunities, commercial insights and analysis to accelerate commercialisation of research and adoption of agtech and food tech
  • He has a special interest in the fields of technology and of circular economies, using both to optimise value from waste in business operations
  • Ben works in agriculture across accelerators, government, research, VC, corporates and startups to identify and assess market and investment opportunities, to bring commercial insights and analysis and accelerate commercialisation of research and technology.
  • Ben is leading engagements for Agriculture Victoria in the fields of AgTech and Internet of Things, and works with several of Australia’s Rural Research & Development Corporations and global agribusinesses.
  • He designed and led the KPMG AgriFood Traction Tours to the Netherlands to help connect agrifood leaders in both nations to advance developments in agrifood technology and circularity opportunities.
  • Ben co-leads KPMG’s involvement and investment in the project to develop the Agtech Finder platform that will connect Australian growers and producers with agtech solutions fit for their needs.
  • He is the client lead partner for Meat & Livestock Australia, Horticulture Innovation and Cottons RDC.
  • Ben is a Non-Executive Director on the newly established $210m Food Agility CRC Ltd, that aims to transform and digitalise the food production systems and drive new value and business models for the Australian food and agriculture sector.
  • Ben led the project to set the aspirational growth target for the Gippsland region‘s $7bn food and fibre sector and industry engagement program that identified six core enabling growth platforms for the region, culminating in the paper Accelerating growth for the Gippsland food and fibre industry.
  • He led the project to develop the DigitalAg pilot program – providing IoT and AgTech solutions to up to 600 farmers in the Diary, Horticulture, Cropping and Sheep sectors