Food waste tech wins $20,000 at evokeAg

Automated technology that reduces industrial food processing waste by 40% was recently recognised at evokeAg, Australia’s largest agricultural technology event.

CEO of Christchurch start-up CertusBio Matthew Jones took home the top cash prize of $20,000 in the Investment Ready Pitch Tent competition at EvokeAg in Melbourne. Jones was one of five finalists from Australia, New Zealand and Israel who pitched their agricultural challenges, solutions and business ideas to a panel of expert venture capitalist judges.

With 2–3% of all processed milk disappearing down the drain, the dairy industry loses NZ$12.8 billion per year globally, Jones explained. Developed by Lincoln Agritech and commercialised by CertusBio, the technology minimises this type of waste.

“Our solution saves money for processors and helps them meet their social responsibility to safeguard the environment for future generations.”

The technology, which can be installed without interruption to existing processes, includes a biosensor device that provides real-time insights into when food is wasted, a dashboard giving company managers unprecedented visibility on losses and a dedicated consultant to optimise food production.

“Other companies have been in the market a long time but do not provide accurate enough information to prevent this type of food waste.”

Jones is now seeking an investment of $2 million to meet the demand of customers in the international dairy industry and grow the CertusBio team. “I’m looking for investors who care about reducing waste using validated technology in the food processing industry,” he said.

Top image: Matthew Jones, CertusBio CEO, wins the AgriFutures EvokeAg Investment Ready Pitch Tent prize in Melbourne.