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growᴬᴳ shines a spotlight on Australia’s RDCs – helping innovators connect to a world-leading research model

Annabel Rodgers, Manager, Customer Relationships for AgriFutures growAG. platform works closely with all 15 of Australia’s rural Research and Development Corporations (RDCs). She says that they drive innovation across our country’s food and fibre industries – but for many startups and scaleups, it’s not always obvious how to engage. But now, growAG.’s new dedicated RDC pages provide a pathway: showcasing each corporation, explaining their priorities, and highlighting opportunities to connect. From funding pathways to current research projects, the pages help innovators navigate the unique Australian RDC system, while giving RDCs a platform to share their priorities, opportunities and success stories.

For more than 30 years, Australia’s rural Research and Development Corporations (RDCs) have been the quiet engine room of agricultural innovation in this country. Funded through a unique partnership of producers and the Australian Government, they invest in research, development, extension, adoption and commercialisation to advance the sustainability and productivity of Australia’s agriculture, fisheries and forestry sectors.

growAG. itself is a partnership between the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry and all 15 RDCs, created to showcase Australia’s agrifood innovation system and accelerate the commercialisation of solutions to industry challenges. As growAG.’s audience has expanded, especially internationally, so too has curiosity about how the RDC system works, what makes each RDC distinct, and where opportunities for collaboration could be found. Founders entering the Australian market, and even local scaleups, are asking the same questions: Which RDC is relevant to me? How do I engage? Where do I start? 

 

A digital front door for discovery and connection

We were buoyed by the success of the RDC Impact Hub at evokeAG. 2025, where delegates valued being able to connect with several RDCs in one place. Our solution was to create a dedicated space on the growAG platform. We have worked closely with all 15 RDCs to deliver a single online place that provides relevant information about each RDC and opens the door to  our startup and scaleup stakeholders both domestically and internationally. 

Each page explains what the RDC does,  its strategic priorities, and how it engages with startups, scaleups, corporates, researchers, and international organisations.

AMPC in focus: Driving innovation for red meat processors

Take the Australian Meat Processor Corporation (AMPC), they support red meat processors through research and extension to solve industry challenges, unlock new products or processes, and to improve efficiency. AMPC’s page sets out their investment focus, steps through their approach to procuring innovation and provides links to innovation challenges currently open for applications. For an entrepreneur looking to bring new technology into red meat processing, it’s a direct pathway to the right team, framed with context and clarity.

Every RDC page follows the same structure, designed to make discovery simple:

  • Overview of the RDC – who they are, their role, and the industry they represent.
  • Funding – the RDCs’ unique funding structure for the receipt of levy payments and matching government funding for eligible R&D activities
  • Strategic priorities – the key areas they’re investing in now and for the future – and for clarity, what’s out of scope
  • Industry statistics – a snapshot of the industry in question: scale, value etc
  • Procurement processes – what innovators need to know to work with each RDC.
  • Live opportunities – directly linked listings on growAG.
  • Downloadable resources – quick reference points for deeper engagement.

Fit for a modern innovation ecosystem

The brief to create these pages was two-fold: build a resource that simplifies a large and complicated innovation system, so that the best and brightest can engage and contribute to driving our agricultural industries forward, while also adding value back to the RDCs themselves. By giving each RDC visibility across growAG’s agrifood innovation platform, our stakeholders’ understanding of their function and priorities grows deeper. This enables better conversations with potential collaborators – saving time, building confidence, and sparking more productive partnerships.

This new visibility also reflects a broader shift in how RDCs are engaging with innovation. Beyond traditional R&D procurement through research providers like universities, several RDCs have established venture funds to invest directly in startups that can bring new solutions to Australian producers faster. It’s a signal that the system isn’t static: RDCs are always evolving and experimenting with new models of partnership, making it easier for entrepreneurs to connect with rural industries and validate their solutions on the ground. 

Those startups and scaleups were top of mind when designing these pages, and the benefit to them is clear: RDCs can be powerful partners, offering deep industry knowledge, established producer networks, and a mandate to deliver value and invest back into their respective industries. 

What’s next?

The launch of our dedicated RDC space is just step one. Over time, we’ll be adding more information to support stakeholders within Australia and globally, but that is for a future post! 

Now it’s over to you. Explore the RDC pages, see what opportunities are open and relevant to you and take the next step toward collaboration that can help shape agriculture’s future.