Shows
Agtech - So What?Solving for Adoption and Channel in AgTech… So what? with Shane ThomasThere are a few topics in agtech (and in the tech startup world more broadly) that are truly perennial– problems that must be solved again and again in new and innovative ways as markets, customers, and businesses evolve. Adoption is one of those challenges, and go-to-market strategies are another. We’ve been thinking about the challenge of adoption a lot recently, and also what changes in the marketplace will mean for the retail channel and product distribution for agtech in particular. Today, Sarah sits down with Tenacious Ventures’ Matthew Pryor and Shane Thomas, author of Upstream Ag Insight...2025-03-0536 minAgtech - So What?2025 in AgTech… So what? with Shane ThomasAs the new year gets underway, we’ve been thinking about the likely ups and downs ahead for the agtech world. We’ve been searching for insights in the recent announcement that FMC’s corporate venture capital division is shutting its doors, and thinking about what a trend in CVC pullbacks might mean for the lay of the land in agtech. We’ve also been taking time to think about the agtech companies that currently stand out in today’s tough market conditions, and what it is that sets them apart from the pack. Today, Sarah sits down with T...2025-01-2233 minAgtech - So What?How Business Model Innovation Changed AgTech in 2024There’s nothing like the end of another year to have us reflecting on the recent successes in the world of agtech, and the many challenges still left to overcome. One thing that has continued to stand out to us in 2024 is the vital need for more business model innovation. There’s so much amazing technology that already exists, but for one reason or another, it is not getting adopted or utilized; it’s not delivering on the promised impact or commercial potential. Over the last twelve months we’ve talked to countless entrepreneurs and innovators who are findi...2024-12-1134 min
Future of AgricultureClimate, People and Agriculture With Sarah Nolet and Connie BowenTenacious Ventures: https://tenacious.ventures/Farmhand Ventures: https://www.farmhandventures.com/“Navigating a future of cross sectional forces” (AgriFutures Australia Report): https://agrifutures.com.au/product/navigating-a-future-of-cross-sectoral-forces/Ag’s Scifi (and Non-Fiction) Future: Horizon Scanning… so what? with Shane Thomas: https://tenacious.ventures/insights/ags-scifi-and-non-fiction-future-horizon-scanning-so-what-with-shane-thomasCitrus Moves North with Farmer and Orangepreneur Lindy Savelle: https://tenacious.ventures/insights/citrus-moves-north-with-farmer-and-orangepreneur-lindy-savelleFoA 348: Investing in the Future of Fertilizer with Sarah Nolet of Tenacious Ventures: https://futureofagriculture.com/episode/foa-348-investing-in-the-future-of-fertilizer-with-sarah-nolet-of-tenacious-ventures-agtech-so-what-crossoverFoA 112: Accelerating AgTech with Sarah Nolet of AgThentic: https://futureof...2024-11-2736 minAgtech - So What?Fractal Ag Pitch Breakdown with Ben Gordon and Shane ThomasFarmland has long been a popular asset among investors for its steady appreciation and resistance to economic downturns. At the same time, farmland is also a challenging asset at times, especially for farmers looking to expand, given farmland comes up for sale so infrequently and is so valuable. In the space between these two needs is where Fractal Agriculture has set up shop, connecting the dots between farmers seeking capital and investors looking to benefit from farmland investments. And for good measure, sprinkle in some regenerative ag practices for risk mitigation on both sides of the ledger. T...2024-10-1641 minAgtech - So What?Investing in Regenerative Agriculture Supply Chains with Calla Rose OstranderWhen it comes to leveraging capital to fund climate action in agriculture, few ideas get as much play as regenerative agriculture. The idea of production that can not only be sustained but that can actively help renew resources has captured imaginations within the sector and without, giving life to events like the Regenerative Food Systems Investment Forum, where the faithful share strategies to incentivize investors to sink their resources into these solutions. Sarah is headed to the RFSI Forum this year (October 9th and 10th in Denver, Colorado), and to get a jump on the valuable discussions, we’ve in...2024-10-0232 minAgtech - So What?Ag’s Scifi (and Non-Fiction) Future: Horizon Scanning… so what? with Shane ThomasWe’ve been thinking (and talking, and writing) a lot lately about the forces that are shaping the future of agriculture. There are the more obvious ones– artificial intelligence and mandatory climate disclosures– to the less obvious, like the ubiquity of remotely sensed data and geoengineering. All of these forces, and others like them, are not only acting on ag and the institutions the industry depends on, they’re also acting on one another, evolving and compounding all the time. We investigated these forces, and four critical scenarios that they might create, in our latest report, Navigating a Future o...2024-08-2136 minAgtech - So What?AgTech News …So What? July 2024 with Shane ThomasThis week, we’re breaking down the freshest announcements from the agribusiness, agtech, and broader policy and tech worlds to share insights and ask “so what?” Sarah and Matthew are joined this week by Shane Thomas, author of Upstream Ag Insights.For more information and resources, visit our website. The information in this post is not investment advice or a recommendation to invest. It is general information only and does not take into account your investment objectives, financial situation or needs. Before making an investment decision you should read the information memorandum and seek financial advice...2024-07-1038 minAgtech - So What?AgTech News …So What? May 2024 with Shane ThomasThis week, we’re breaking down the freshest announcements from the agribusiness, agtech, and broader policy and tech worlds to share insights and ask “so what?” Sarah is joined this week by Shane Thomas, author of Upstream Ag Insights.For more information and resources, visit our website. The information in this post is not investment advice or a recommendation to invest. It is general information only and does not take into account your investment objectives, financial situation or needs. Before making an investment decision you should read the information memorandum and seek financial advice f...2024-05-1529 minAgtech - So What?Landfill to Farm-fill: Rethinking Waste with Sam CoultonThe modern fashion industry creates a ton of waste. From the field to the cutting line, to the supply chain and consumers' closets, today’s ultra-cheap “fast fashion” obsession means everyday a lot of fiber gets carted off to landfills around the world. Some amount of that fiber however– especially cotton– is not only biodegradable, it can actually be a valuable addition to soils, especially in dry climates where fibers help hold water. This fact has spurred researchers and farmers in Australia, alongside the Cotton Research Development Corporation (CRDC), to begin experimenting with turning waste fiber into a soil amen...2024-04-1727 minAgtech - So What?Biosecurity Meets AgTech: Preparing for a hotter sicker world with Sarah BrittonAs the world continues to get more crowded and less climatically predictable, the risk of biosecurity issues– from pest and disease invasions to food security and environmental health concerns– is only growing. Science and technology have major roles to play in helping us prepare for possible risks, and deal with them when they arise. Today, we’re tackling these issues in one geography, Australia, in order to better understand the economic, environmental, and technological threats and opportunities that are in play related to biosecurity, and how they might be set to evolve in the future. Our guest is Sara...2024-04-0334 minAgtech - So What?AgTech News …So What? March 2024 with Shane ThomasThis week, we’re breaking down the freshest announcements from the agribusiness, agtech, and global ag policy worlds to share insights and ask “so what?” Sarah is joined this week by Tenacious Ventures Managing Partner J. Matthew Pryor and Shane Thomas, author of Upstream Ag Insights.For more information and resources, visit our website. The information in this post is not investment advice or a recommendation to invest. It is general information only and does not take into account your investment objectives, financial situation or needs. Before making an investment decision you should read the...2024-03-2029 minAgtech - So What?AgTech News …So What? January 2024 with Shane ThomasThis week, in a new experimental format, we’re breaking down the freshest announcements from leaders in the agribusiness, agtech, and ag production worlds to share insights and ask “so what?” Sarah is joined this week by Tenacious Ventures Managing Partner J. Matthew Pryor and Shane Thomas, author of Upstream Ag Insights. What John Deere’s announced partnership with Starlink means for farmers, ag retailers, and the future of connected agtechWhat Jigsaw Farm’s evolving status as a vanguard of climate-smart agriculture tells us about future trouble in carbon and methane emission-reducing plansHow ag software roll-ups might be evolving as...2024-01-2438 min
Radically Yours by RadhikaShe started Australia's First Agri-Food Tech VC Fund || Ft. Sarah Nolet“𝐈 𝐰𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐨𝐧 𝐚 𝐡𝐨𝐥𝐢𝐝𝐚𝐲 𝐭𝐨 𝐒𝐨𝐮𝐭𝐡 𝐀𝐦𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐚, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐚𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐬𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐝 𝐰𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐈 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐰𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐝𝐨 𝐢𝐧 𝐥𝐢𝐟𝐞. 𝐈 𝐥𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐝 𝐨𝐧 𝐚 𝐟𝐚𝐫𝐦 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐚𝐥𝐦𝐨𝐬𝐭 𝐚 𝐲𝐞𝐚𝐫 𝐭𝐨 𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐝 𝐰𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐈 𝐚𝐦 𝐩𝐚𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝐢𝐭 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐚𝐠𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐮𝐥𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐟𝐨𝐨𝐝 𝐬𝐲𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐦𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐡𝐨𝐰 𝐜𝐥𝐢𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐢𝐦𝐩𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐦.”Meet Sarah Nolet, Co-founder and General Partner of Tenacious Ventures, Australia’s first agri-food tech VC fund.In conversation with our founder Radhika Bajoria, Sarah shared about how she created an impact-based fund to fuel innovation and technological advancements that create an impact towards sustainability and climate change mitigation.She has invested in innovative agri-food tech startups like,1. azaneo - it has developed an appliance that uses pulsed electrification to manage weeds without any chemical inputs2. GOTERRA - an organic waste management solution that uses insects to process food waste3. Vow Food Co., ltd. - they are reinventing food by creating delicious meat from cultivated cells4. RapidAIM Pty Ltd - provides accurate region-to-farm pest detection and forecast in real-timeSarah also shared her journey of finding a co-founder, and how choosing the right co-founder helps to grow a business exponentially.“𝐖𝐞 𝐥𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐡𝐨𝐰 𝐫𝐞𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐧𝐬 𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐚𝐥𝐬𝐨 𝐞𝐧𝐬𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐞𝐧𝐯𝐢𝐫𝐨𝐧𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐥 𝐢𝐦𝐩𝐚𝐜𝐭 𝐰𝐞 𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞.” Sarah explained to us how they are managing to get returns from the impact-led businesses they invest in while also keeping in mind the foundational principles of sustainability.Sarah an2024-01-1950 min
Transparent Venture Capital by Tribe Global VenturesInvestor Focus Ep 3: Sarah Nolet of Tenacious VenturesSarah Nolet is a co-founder of Tenacious Ventures, a venture firm focused on agriculture’s role in addressing climate change. With her co-founder J Matthew Pryor, Tenacious Ventures backs early stage start-ups who are building tomorrow’s agri-food system.
We love their open and empathetic approach to sharing their journey of building Tenacious Ventures through their blogs and podcasts making Sarah a perfect guest for our Transparent VC podcast. Tribe has a co-investment with Tenacious in SwarmFarm, a Queensland headquarters autonomous farming robot that is scaling internationally, and we’ve very much enjoyed our interactions.
Sarah ho...2023-12-2657 minAgtech - So What?AgTech 2023… So What? A Wrap-upSomehow it’s December again, and another year has come and nearly gone. We've spent a lot of time reflecting on the highs and lows of a particularly unpredictable year for Tenacious Ventures, our portfolio companies, and agtech more broadly.In that spirit, we’re taking time to talk about what we've learned from a year of fundraising, advising, learning and podcasting. We’re joined today by our editor and producer, Sarah Mock, who facilitates a discussion between Tenacious General Partners Sarah Nolet and Matthew Pryor.For more information and resources, visit our website. The i...2023-12-0627 minAgtech - So What?Reflecting on Nowadays, a Tenacious Portfolio Company Wind DownHearing the stats about startup failure rates (70 - 90%), and how one - only one- investment drives returns for most VC funds, is one thing. Actually experiencing it, is another. In line with our learning out loud ethos, today we're talking about Nowadays, a Tenacious portfolio company that recently wound down operations. Nowadays was a manufacturing platform for whole cuts of clean label plant based meat, whose flagship product is a plant-based chicken nugget made with just a handful of simple, clean ingredients. We’re speaking with Founder and CEO Max Elder about what happened, where he is now...2023-11-2234 minAgtech - So What?On-Farm Food Loss and Beyond with Sarah Hulick and Olympia YargerFor the final installment in our three-part food waste series, we’re climbing all the way up to the top of the supply chain to gain a deeper understanding of on-farm food loss and waste. The challenges that farmers face getting food to the farm gate have ramifications that are felt all throughout the food system, so by understanding this vital link in the chain, we’ll gain insight into how we might begin to shift the way we understand waste overall. Today, you’ll hear from Sarah Hulick, food waste expert and a Horticulture Faculty Member at Cabr...2023-05-2439 min
Investing in Impact | Impact InvestingSarah Nolet /// Co-Founder & Managing Partner at Tenacious Ventures - Backing Early-Stage Agtech Companies to Tackle Climate ChangeThis content is for informational and entertainment purposes only, you should not construe any such information or other material as legal, tax, investment, financial, or other advice.----------------------------------------In Episode 56 of the Investing in Impact podcast, we speak with Sarah Nolet, Co-Founder & Managing Partner at Tenacious Ventures, on backing early-stage Agtech companies to tackle climate change.Sarah is the co-founder of Tenacious Ventures, a specialized agrifood tech venture firm that operates with a high-support, high conviction approach. Throughout her career, Sarah has played a pivotal role in cultivating the early-stage agtech...2023-05-1635 min
Boots Off Log On!™Episode 27: Unveiling the complex world of Agtech with Sarah NoletIn this podcast episode, Sarah Nolet sheds light on the topic of Agtech and its impact on the agricultural industry. She begins by discussing how Agtech has become a hot topic at farming events and in the farming media. However, she emphasizes that Agtech is not just limited to apps, IoT, and equipment for tractors, as it is a deep and complex field that is having an impact across the entire agricultural supply chain.
As the Co-Founder and General Partner of Tenacious Ventures, a Venture Capital and Private Equity firm focused on Agritech, and the CEO of...2023-04-2651 min
Agtech - So What?Future of Fertilizer... So What? with Tim Hammerich from Future of AgrcultureGlobal geopolitical disruptions first put fertilizer center stage as farmers around the world struggled with price and supply swings. But that was just the beginning of the conversation– as fertilizer tech begins to step into the spotlight, offering alternatives not only to traditional products, but to our whole way of thinking about the crop nutrients sector. Today, Tim Hammerich of the Future of Agriculture Podcast joins Sarah to dig into the “so what?” of the nitrogen tech we’ve discussed here on the podcast and the fertilizer innovations Tim has recently covered. Along the way, we discuss key quotes f...2023-02-0144 min
Future of AgricultureFoA 348: Investing in the Future of Fertilizer with Sarah Nolet of Tenacious Ventures [Agtech - So What? Crossover]Try Acres for free: https://www.acres.co/Agtech - So What? Podcast: https://www.agtechsowhat.com/Tenacious Ventures: https://tenacious.ventures/Today’s episode features a conversation on the future of fertilizer with Sarah Nolet. Both of us have been exploring the future of fertilizer on our respective podcasts, and we thought it would be fun to do a joint episode to talk about what we’ve learned. So you’re going to get not only Sarah and I’s thoughts, but also some highlights from episodes that provide insights into the future o...2023-02-0143 min
Agtech - So What?AgTech Headlines… So What? - Mineral Launch, Planet Labs Insurance, Deere Right-to-RepairBreaking news in the agtech world abounds here at the beginning of 2023, and as we've tracked the latest announcements, we've been thinking a lot about a few tech updates, especially from major brands, and what they might mean for the agtech landscape in the near future.Today, teammates Komal Patel and Matthew Pryor join Sarah to discuss a few pieces of news from the past few weeks that stood out. We dig into the details, read between the lines, and argue why we think they're worth paying attention to.For more information and resources, visit our...2023-01-2523 min
Connect to CapitalSarah Nolet and Matthew Pryor - Food systems and Agtech innovation with Tencious VenturesIt is an extra special episode this week with 2 great investors sharing their passion for agtech and the specialist fund they co-founded Tenacious Ventures. The first half of today’s duo is Sarah Nolet, an internationally recognized food systems innovation expert who has been instrumental in building the early stage agtech ecosystem in Australia - from advising dozens of startups, designing accelerator programs and consulting to established agribusinesses, all the way to helping industry, universities and government develop and implement forward-looking initiatives in food system innovation. Sarah is also the host of the AgTech...So What...2022-08-0647 min
Agtech - So What?Bonus Ep: Audience Responses to "The Three Fears of Farm Data"Back in May, we published an experimental bonus episode called “The Three Fears of Farm Data”. The conversation centered around the legitimacy of fears held by farmers about sharing their farm data, and kicked off with a particularly hot take:“We in agtech have completely f*****d farmers by making them afraid of sharing their data.”The episode got a huge reaction from around the industry - both positive and critical. It’s clear that the conversation around farm data is one that everyone in agtech, from farmers and startups to analysts and operators in agribusinesses, seem interested...2022-08-0334 min
Agtech - So What?Ag Insurance...So What?This week we're bringing you the final episode in our three-part series on the future of ag insurance.Our journey started with learning the ins and outs of how the sector currently operates (check out the ag insurance 101 episode here) and then talking to key players about new products and technologies entering the industry (check out Damon Johnson on parametric insurance here).Today, Sarah is joined by Matthew Pryor to talk through their learnings in a live attempt to develop an investment thesis for ag insurance. They cover:Technologies and business models shifting the CAC/LTV equation in ag...2022-06-2936 min
Agtech - So What?Bonus Ep: The Three Fears of Farm DataOur latest bonus podcast episode is an experiment.Rather than organize the contributions that usually make up an episode, we decided to hit record on one of the conversations that are always happening internally at Tenacious Ventures.It’s a snapshot into how we think, form and test our assumptions, and decide on what might be next.It also captured the team taking on a pretty hot topic on the mind of everyone in agtech battling with adoption and scaling digitally-native solutions:Have we in agtech completely f*****d farmers by making them afraid of sh...2022-05-1129 min
evokeᴬᴳ⋅COLLAB Food Futurists: 'Becoming makers, not takers of agritech' with Sarah NoletToday we launch our evokeAG. x Food Futurists collaboration series with Professor Andy Lowe, a highly acclaimed and innovative research leader at the University of Adelaide exploring solutions today that will help drive sustainable food systems tomorrow. Andy's first conversation with Sarah Nolet, Co-Founder and Managing partner of Tenacious Ventures explores the rise of digital agriculture, breaking down industrial era mindsets, and why 'becoming makers, not just takers of agritech' is so important for Australia's blossoming agritech industry and early adopter farmers. Working at the frontier of agrifood tech innovation, Andy draws upon a wealth of...2022-04-2832 min
Agtech - So What?Bonus Ep: The State of Fundraising in AgtechLife is moving pretty fast for founders and investors working in agtech.Recent years have seen record flows of capital into agrifood, driven in part by agriculture potential to provide climate solutions. And the massive disruptions of COVID-19 meant developed markets received a historic taste of what changes will be needed in a world impacted by climate change and further uncertainty.So, how have the last few years impacted agtech founders looking to raise capital, and investors on the lookout for opportunities with impact?For this bonus episode, Tenacious Ventures’ Partners Sarah Nolet and Matthew Pryor as...2022-03-3049 min
Humans of AgricultureAustralia's Agtech Boom with Sarah NoletFrom the Silicon Valley to South America, Sarah Nolet has never seen anything more exciting than the boom of the Australian agtech industry in the past half decade.
She’s only been in the country for six years, but in that time Sarah Nolet has managed to transform Australia’s footing in the international ag-tech industry.
Sarah has been recognised as a 2020 Syngenta Growth Award Winner in the Innovator Category. It's not surprising given the mark she's made on the industry in the past six years. We cannot wait to see where Sarah is headed and...2021-11-2645 min
Agtech - So What?Bonus: Investing in tech to enable regen agVenture investment into technology companies that have the potential to scale regenerative agriculture is accelerating. However, it is a relatively new domain for venture capital, and it comes with its own unique set of challenges.So what role can VCs play in the regen ag landscape? And what technologies and trends are VCs looking at to guide their investments?This bonus episode features a discussion from a live panel conversation at the Regenerative Food Systems Investment Forum (RFSIF), in California, with:Renee Vassilos - Director of Agriculture Innovation at The Nature Conservancy.Mark Lewis - Managing...2021-10-2831 min
Head ShepherdHow is "AgTech" going to change your business? with Sarah Nolet.Welcome back to Season 5 of the Head Shepherd podcast. We have a fantastic season lined up for you, and we're starting with a bang!Sarah Nolet is an internationally recognised food systems innovation expert, the CEO and Founder of AgThentic, a global food and agriculture strategy firm, and co-founder of Tenacious Ventures, Australia’s first dedicated agrifood tech VC firm AND podcast host of "Ag Tech So What?".But, before all that, Sarah grew up in California, quite literally in the centre of the tech world. After studying computer science at University, Sarah then ended up...2021-09-2723 min