Skip to main content
Opportunities

GRDC: Grain Automate at Agritechnica

Enquire nowWebsite link

Opportunity for

  • Global innovators in machine autonomy, intelligent systems, and digital agriculture. GRDC are seeking partnerships that accelerate adoption of automation and autonomy for Australian grain growers.

This is not a live call. Rather, Agritechnica in Hanover, Germany provides an opportunity to connect, share ideas, and discuss potential areas for collaboration.

Opportunity description

Industry challenge

Grain Automate at a glance:

Global market growth projection: The global market for autonomy and intelligent systems is expected to experience significant growth, with projections estimating that it will reach a substantial $272 billion by 2027.

Grain Automate is an innovative, five-year initiative developed by GRDC to accelerate the adoption of machine automation, autonomy, and digital intelligence technologies by Australian grain growers.

Grain Automate reflects growers’ strong appetite for transformative automated and autonomous technologies and as such, will focus on three primary programs:

  • Program one: Paving the way for autonomy which aims to ensure growers have the training, knowledge, skills and infrastructure to integrate fully autonomous machine capabilities within their farming systems.
  • Program two: Targeted technology development which will optimise existing and emerging technology for machine automation and autonomy and adapt or improve them to meet the requirements of Australian grain growers and their cropping systems.
  • Program three: Building intelligent systems which will leverage machine automation and autonomy against other innovations - on-farm and pre- and post-farm gate - to extract the maximum possible long-term value for Australian grain growers.

Between 2023–2028, $35 million will be invested into Grain Automate for a portfolio of new Research, Development and Extension (RD&E) investments, enhancing GRDC’s existing precision agriculture, digital agronomy, and advanced analytics programs.

By the end of the initiative, the goal is for 80 per cent of Australian grain growers to be equipped with the knowledge, skills, data, infrastructure, and governance requirements to successfully integrate autonomous field-based agricultural machines within their farming systems and businesses.

Current opportunity

GRDC’s Grain Automate program is a national initiative to fast-track machine autonomy and intelligent systems in grains. It focuses on capability building, targeted technology development, and integration of intelligent systems to deliver value for growers.

Our interests:

  • Opportunities in autonomy and robotics
  • Interoperability and AI-driven solutions
  • Scalable, regionally adapted technologies

Meet us at Agritechnica, Hanover, Germany: Get in touch with Jacob Humpal; Jacob.Humpal@grdc.com.au and let’s explore collaboration opportunities that deliver real-world impact for growers.

Opportunity background

GRDC invests across the grains value chain - from crop protection and nutrition to digital agronomy, sustainability, and market access. While our focus at Agritechnica is autonomy and intelligent systems, we’re also open to conversations about broader innovation opportunities that deliver impact for Australian grain growers.

Share