Foodtech startups in Melbourne

Phoebe Gardner & Alex Arnold - **venue:** Melbourne (north-west industrial) - **la:** -37.7500 - **ln:** 144.8500 - **desc:** Founded 2019, Bardee runs a 2,500 sqm vertical-farming facility in Melbourne's north-west that uses black soldier fly larvae to convert food waste into insect protein (animal/pet feed) and fertiliser. Raised a A$5M seed led by Blackbird Ventures (angels incl. Who Gives A Crap's Simon Griffiths and Culture Amp's Didier Elzinga). Went through liquidation in May 2024 but resumed operations later in 2024; a direct Melbourne competitor to Canberra's Goterra. - **link:** https://www.bardee.com/ - **vertical:** ["Foodtech","Agritech"] - **stage:** Seed ### 3 -

Founded 2019, Bardee runs a 2,500 sqm vertical-farming facility in Melbourne's north-west that uses black soldier fly larvae to convert food waste into insect protein (animal/pet feed) and fertiliser. Raised...

Phoebe Gardner & Alex Arnold

** Founded 2019, Bardee runs a 2,500 sqm vertical-farming facility in Melbourne's north-west that uses black soldier fly larvae to convert food waste into insect protein (animal/pet feed) and fertiliser. Rai...

Janine Allis

Retail Zoo is the Melbourne-headquartered multi-brand food & beverage franchisor behind Boost Juice (founded 2000 by Janine Allis), Salsa's Fresh Mex, Cibo Espresso and Betty's Burgers. Boost grew from a sin...

state innovation fund - **venue:** Melbourne - **la:** -37.8136 - **ln:** 144.9631 - **desc:** A$2B Victorian Government patient-capital fund backing innovation across five priority sectors including **agri-food**. Runs the A$100M University Innovation Platform and, with La Trobe, the Eagle Fund (co-invested in YieldX/GAIA). A primary source of Melbourne agri-food venture capital. - **link:** https://breakthroughvictoria.com/ - **vertical:** ["Agritech","Foodtech"] - **stage:** Government VC / fund ### 16 — VC (HQ-flag) -

A$2B Victorian Government patient-capital fund backing innovation across five priority sectors including **agri-food**. Runs the A$100M University Innovation Platform and, with La Trobe, the Eagle Fund (co-i...

(Victorian Government)

Melbourne-based independent investment company (est. 2021) managing the A$2bn Breakthrough Victoria Fund. Has committed A$60m+ to clean-energy, emissions-reduction and circular-economy companies (cornerstone...

Bianca Lê - **venue:** Melbourne - **la:** -37.8136 - **ln:** 144.9631 - **desc:** Founded August 2020 in Melbourne; the leading nonprofit advocacy/ecosystem body for Australia's cellular-agriculture and food-biomanufacturing sector (cultivated meat, precision fermentation). Lobbies for R&D funding, scale-up infrastructure and policy; Food Frontier merged into CAA to form a single unified alt-protein advocacy organisation. Publishes the Australian cellular-ag industry map. - **link:** https://www.cellularagricultureaustralia.org/ - **vertical:** ["Alt-protein","Foodtech"] - **stage:** Nonprofit / ecosystem ### 12 — Accelerator -

Founded August 2020 in Melbourne; the leading nonprofit advocacy/ecosystem body for Australia's cellular-agriculture and food-biomanufacturing sector (cultivated meat, precision fermentation). Lobbies for R&...

Bianca Lê

** Founded August 2020 in Melbourne; the leading nonprofit advocacy/ecosystem body for Australia's cellular-agriculture and food-biomanufacturing sector (cultivated meat, precision fermentation). Lobbies for...

Kjetil Hansen - **venue:** Melbourne - **la:** -37.8136 - **ln:** 144.9631 - **desc:** Founded 2015 from a Melbourne kitchen table; plant-based seasonings and meat alternatives (bacon/chicken seasoning, vegan cheese). Appeared on Australia's Shark Tank (2017), hit ~A$25M sales in 2021, took investment from US alt-protein fund Stray Dog Capital, rolled into Whole Foods Market (US) at a reported ~A$65M valuation. All products manufactured in Melbourne. - **link:** https://www.businessnewsaustralia.com/articles/-65m-valuation-gives-melbourne-s-deliciou-a-plant-based-protein-kick-for-whole-foods-market-roll-out.html - **vertical:** ["Foodtech","Alt-protein"] - **stage:** Growth / Series A-equivalent ### 6 -

Founded 2015 from a Melbourne kitchen table; plant-based seasonings and meat alternatives (bacon/chicken seasoning, vegan cheese). Appeared on Australia's Shark Tank (2017), hit ~A$25M sales in 2021, took in...

Kjetil Hansen

** Founded 2015 from a Melbourne kitchen table; plant-based seasonings and meat alternatives (bacon/chicken seasoning, vegan cheese). Appeared on Australia's Shark Tank (2017), hit ~A$25M sales in 2021, took...

plant protein / fermentation

** Melbourne foodtech with a Rapid Solid-State Fermentation platform; flagship "Lupreme" is a clean, affordable protein made from whole Australian-grown lupin (fermenting the entire seed rather than isolatin...

plant protein / fermentation - **venue:** Melbourne (Innovation Centre) - **la:** -37.8136 - **ln:** 144.9631 - **desc:** Melbourne foodtech with a Rapid Solid-State Fermentation platform; flagship "Lupreme" is a clean, affordable protein made from whole Australian-grown lupin (fermenting the entire seed rather than isolating protein). Positioned as a lower-cost, minimally-processed alternative-protein ingredient. - **link:** https://www.eighthdayfoods.com.au/ - **vertical:** ["Foodtech","Alt-protein"] - **stage:** Early / Seed ### 9 -

Melbourne foodtech with a Rapid Solid-State Fermentation platform; flagship "Lupreme" is a clean, affordable protein made from whole Australian-grown lupin (fermenting the entire seed rather than isolating p...

agrifood-tech accelerator

** National agrifood-tech innovation/acceleration program with a strong Victorian base; has supported 300+ startups/scaleups in under six years. In Sept 2024 launched a 12-week pre-accelerator and workshops ...

agrifood-tech accelerator - **venue:** Melbourne - **la:** -37.8136 - **ln:** 144.9631 - **desc:** National agrifood-tech innovation/acceleration program with a strong Victorian base; has supported 300+ startups/scaleups in under six years. In Sept 2024 launched a 12-week pre-accelerator and workshops backed by a A$500k LaunchVic + Agriculture Victoria grant; partners on the Hugh Victor McKay Fund. - **link:** https://www.farmers2founders.com/startups - **vertical:** ["Agritech","Foodtech"] - **stage:** Accelerator - **note:** National footprint; Victorian/Melbourne-anchored delivery. ### 15 — Government VC fund -

National agrifood-tech innovation/acceleration program with a strong Victorian base; has supported 300+ startups/scaleups in under six years. In Sept 2024 launched a 12-week pre-accelerator and workshops bac...

Will Richardson, Rachel Yang, Adam Milgrom

Melbourne-HQ'd, Australia's first 100%-impact-dedicated VC fund, backing scalable startups blending returns with social/environmental impact — including sustainable consumer, food and D2C brands. Relevant ca...

Mark Calabro, Shannon Hautot

Melbourne hospitality foodtech founded 2016 (by the OrderMate team) providing digital menus, at-table ordering, pickup and in-venue payments to replace paper menus. Self-funded with ~$2M of founders' capital...

William Wong, Grace Wong, David Ballerini

Hospitality foodtech/fintech founded in Melbourne in 2014 as a dining discovery-and-loyalty app, evolved into an end-to-end payments, loyalty, POS and back-office platform for restaurants. Executed a ~$152M ...

Paul Bevan - **venue:** Melbourne - **la:** -37.8136 - **ln:** 144.9631 - **desc:** Founded 2019, Magic Valley is a Melbourne cultivated-meat startup using induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) — avoiding fetal bovine serum — to grow lamb, pork and beef in bioreactors. Secured a A$100k Industry Growth Program grant (eligible for up to A$5M) and has been raising ~A$3M toward a first manufacturing facility. In 2025 launched "Rogue Pet," billed as Australia's first cultivated-meat dog treats. - **link:** https://magicvalley.com.au/ - **vertical:** ["Foodtech","Alt-protein"] - **stage:** Seed ### 4 -

Founded 2019, Magic Valley is a Melbourne cultivated-meat startup using induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) — avoiding fetal bovine serum — to grow lamb, pork and beef in bioreactors. Secured a A$100k Ind...

Paul Bevan

** Founded 2019, Magic Valley is a Melbourne cultivated-meat startup using induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) — avoiding fetal bovine serum — to grow lamb, pork and beef in bioreactors. Secured a A$100k ...

agrifood-tech VC - **venue:** Melbourne office (HQ Toowoomba, QLD) - **la:** -37.8136 - **ln:** 144.9631 - **desc:** "Farm-to-fork" agrifood-tech VC (seed–Series A); Mandalay Fund I reached final close June 2024 (~A$26–27M committed). Active in Melbourne deals (co-invested in YieldX/GAIA); LaunchVic contributed A$2.4M toward its Victorian office. - **link:** https://www.mandalay.vc/ - **vertical:** ["Agritech","Foodtech"] - **stage:** VC fund - **note:** HQ-flag — primarily Queensland-based; included for its funded Melbourne office and Victorian agrifoodtech activity, not a Melbourne-HQ firm. --- ## HQ flags / excluded (NOT Greater Melbourne) Verified out-of-scope but relevant to the domain — listed so the page doesn't mistakenly claim them: - **v2food** — Australia's #1 plant-based meat co. **HQ Sydney** (171 Clarence St), site team Brisbane. No Melbourne HQ. (Prompt-flagged; confirmed Sydney.) *Excluded.* - **AgriWebb** — livestock management software. **HQ Sydney** (Surry Hills). (Prompt-flagged Sydney; confirmed.) *Excluded.* - **Fable Food** — mushroom-based meat. **HQ Sunshine Coast, QLD** (Hunchy) with a Melbourne development kitchen only. *Excluded.* - **Cauldron** — precision-fermentation network; A$10.5M seed. **HQ Orange, NSW** (regional). *Excluded.* - **Grounded Foods** (Veronica Fil & Shaun Quade) — Melbourne-founded vegan cheese but **relocated HQ to Los Angeles** in 2019. *Excluded (relocated).* - **Change Foods** (David Bucca) — precision-fermentation dairy; **US–Australian, base of operations skewed US (Bay Area)**. *Excluded / ambiguous.* - **ProForm Foods** (MEET brand) — **HQ Mount Kuring-Gai, Sydney**; entered voluntary administration/wound up. *Excluded.* - **Harvest B** — plant-protein ingredient facility in **Penrith, Western Sydney**. *Excluded.* - **Stacked Farm** — vertical farming; **HQ Gold Coast, QLD** (building a Melbourne facility). *Excluded (QLD HQ).* - **Nourish Ingredients** — precision-fermented fats. **HQ Canberra.** (Prompt-flagged; not verified further.) *Excluded.* - **Vow** — cultivated meat. **HQ Sydney.** (Prompt-flagged; not verified further.) *Excluded.* - **All G** — precision-fermentation dairy. **HQ Sydney.** (Prompt-flagged; not verified further.) *Excluded.* - **Provectus Algae** — algae precision-culturing. **HQ Sunshine Coast, QLD.** (Prompt-flagged; not verified further.) *Excluded.* - **Goterra** — insect/food-waste (Bardee competitor). **HQ Canberra.** *Excluded (context).* --- ## Notes for page authors - Merge caution: **YieldX = GAIA Project Australia** (same company, renamed) — one record only. - Melbourne's genuine strength is **CEA/vertical farming (YieldX), insect protein (Bardee), agri-data/climate-risk (DAS, Agtuary, Escavox), and the alt-protein ecosystem/advocacy layer (CAA)** plus a deep accelerator/fund stack (SproutX, Rocket Seeder, Farmers2Founders, Breakthrough Victoria). - Melbourne is **thin on scaled cultivated-meat and precision-fermentation companies** vs. Sydney (Vow, All G) and Canberra (Nourish Ingredients) — Magic Valley and Eighth Day are the main local plays and both are early-stage/pre-scale.

Farm-to-fork" agrifood-tech VC (seed–Series A); Mandalay Fund I reached final close June 2024 (~A$26–27M committed). Active in Melbourne deals (co-invested in YieldX/GAIA); LaunchVic contributed A$2.4M towar...

agrifood-tech VC

** "Farm-to-fork" agrifood-tech VC (seed–Series A); Mandalay Fund I reached final close June 2024 (~A$26–27M committed). Active in Melbourne deals (co-invested in YieldX/GAIA); LaunchVic contributed A$2.4M t...

Kim Teo, Adrian Osman, Kerry Osborn, Andrei Miulescu

Melbourne foodtech founded 2018 building QR-code menu, ordering and payments for hospitality venues. Raised US$65M led by Tiger Global in 2021. Merged in 2023 with Sydney's me&u to form a combined table-orde...

agrifood accelerator - **venue:** Carlton, Melbourne - **la:** -37.8001 - **ln:** 144.9674 - **desc:** Founded 2017 in Carlton; free 3–6 month accelerator for early-stage food & agriculture startups, deliberately using "agrifood tech" (farm-to-consumer) rather than narrow "agtech." Has supported 70+ founders across 7+ cohorts spanning plant-based protein, insect protein, eggs, organics, liquid yeast and digital farming. - **link:** https://www.rocketseeder.com/ - **vertical:** ["Foodtech","Agritech"] - **stage:** Accelerator ### 13 — Accelerator -

Founded 2017 in Carlton; free 3–6 month accelerator for early-stage food & agriculture startups, deliberately using "agrifood tech" (farm-to-consumer) rather than narrow "agtech." Has supported 70+ founders ...

agrifood accelerator

** Founded 2017 in Carlton; free 3–6 month accelerator for early-stage food & agriculture startups, deliberately using "agrifood tech" (farm-to-consumer) rather than narrow "agtech." Has supported 70+ founde...

agrifood accelerator - **venue:** Melbourne - **la:** -37.8136 - **ln:** 144.9631 - **desc:** Melbourne-based agrifood accelerator/community connecting Australian founders with investors, industry mentors, agribusiness, academia and government across the agrifood supply chain. One of the anchor programs of Victoria's agtech ecosystem. - **link:** https://www.sproutx.com.au/ - **vertical:** ["Agritech","Foodtech"] - **stage:** Accelerator ### 14 — Accelerator -

Melbourne-based agrifood accelerator/community connecting Australian founders with investors, industry mentors, agribusiness, academia and government across the agrifood supply chain. One of the anchor progr...

agrifood accelerator

** Melbourne-based agrifood accelerator/community connecting Australian founders with investors, industry mentors, agribusiness, academia and government across the agrifood supply chain. One of the anchor pr...

Melbourne-born online wine marketplace / D2C 'wine deals' community, one of Australia's best-known consumer-ecommerce brands of the 2010s. Included as a notable Melbourne consumer-tech name (has since restru...