This article was originally published on Startup Daily.

Cleantech agri-food accelerator SparkLabs Cultiv8 has announced the nine startups taking part in its annual accelerator program.

Founder Jonathon Quigley said the nine were chosen for their contributions towards creating a more sustainable and efficient global food production system.

“The interest in this sector has grown enormously over the past eight years, as well as the understanding from the investor and corporate communities about its importance in achieving both our emissions and food security ambitions,” he said.

“As we endeavour to support a resilient and profitable agricultural system, technologies that curtail emissions and increase productivity are not just vital today but will become indispensable in the future.”

The Orange-based SparkLabs Cultiv8 Cleantech Agri-Food Accelerator has been at the forefront of nurturing start-ups and scaleups since 2017

The 2024 cohort is:

Alkiira Therapeutics, which specialises in Australian grown, Australian made botanical extracts and nutraceutical ingredients for global markets, valorising untapped waste streams from local agriculture.

Bovotica, which is adding mass and reducing gas in cattle via a proprietary technology probiotic/prebiotic feed supplement that decreases methane production and increases weight gain.

Carbon Friendly, which provides end-to-end carbon technology solutions that enable the agricultural industry to develop and monetise large-scale carbon inset and offset projects.

Levur, a cutting-edge biotech company harnessing yeast and sustainable methods for customisable, high-quality oil substitutes for the cosmetic and food industries.

Nitronic, which is developing technology to produce on-site, zero-carbon fertilisers, mitigating price volatility and the dependence on imported fossil fuel-based products.

NonTox, which is developing non-toxic, natural herbicides to manage resistant weeds along with animal farm anti-pathogen.

Invenios is exploring the untapped potential of microbes to develop innovative biological solutions tailored to market needs.

Pyx Global, which is developing advanced digital architecture to ensure secure exchange of data and credentials along supply chains.

Unibaio, which has created a microparticle from natural origins to formulate more efficient pesticides and fertilisers, boosting active ingredient uptake by plants.

Packamama CEO Santiago Navarro, who took part in the 2023 accelerator, said it was invaluable in scaling their sustainable wine bottle business into Australia to become widely available.

“You get access to an unbeatable ecosystem for Australia as well as a wider ecosystem internationally,” he said.

“The SparkLabs brand is globally respected, from Silicon Valley into Asia.”

The accelerator runs for six months. The latest cohort brings the number of companies supported by SparkLabs Cultiv8 to more that 50, which have gone on to raise more than $750 million has been raised by their portfolio companies, creating 750 jobs and now worth $1.75 billion in total value.