The Noongar Land Enterprise Group (NLE) is a delivery partner for the new Australian-Grown Innovation Program, a national initiative launched this month to drive innovation across the horticulture sector.
The program is run by Hort Innovation, in partnership with Startupbootcamp and Cluster Connect (of which NLE is a partner), and is designed to help growers and supply chain participants turn ideas into commercially viable products and services.
Over the course of the program, multiple cohorts of growers will take part in structured mentoring programs, moving through three stages - Engage, Incubate and Build - to develop practical solutions to some of the industry’s most pressing challenges.
NLE chief executive officer Alan Beattie said the program offers a unique opportunity for growers and agribusinesses to contribute to national innovation.
“This program is about turning ideas into real outcomes. It provides a pathway for growers to take a concept, refine it with expert guidance, and then test it in the market."
Focus areas for the program include intergenerational farm transfer, climate resilience, value-added product development, AI-driven technologies and supply chain improvements.
Every solution developed must align with one of Hort Frontiers’ five themes: healthy living, adaptation and resilience, market access, disruptive technologies and capability building.
Mr Beattie said the structured mentoring was a key strength of the program.
“It’s not just about ideas - it’s about testing and refining those ideas so they can work in practice. The three stages mean participants can move from early thinking through to incubation and then into building and trialling a real-world product or service.”
As part of the Build stage, selected participants will also have the chance to take part in a global immersion experience, exploring partnerships, site visits and international best practice.
As a delivery partner in the Australian-Grown Innovation Program, NLE is working alongside growers and businesses across the country to unlock opportunities, develop stronger business models and contribute to a more resilient, competitive and innovative horticulture sector.
“This program is about building an industry that is ready for the challenges ahead, for NLE, it’s also about making sure Noongar people and Aboriginal growers are part of that journey.”
