Give To Gain: F2F TEKWOMEN Accelerating Change in AgriFood-Tech

How generosity, visibility and shared opportunity are shaping the next generation of women leaders in AgriFood-Tech

Every year, International Women’s Day invites us to pause and reflect not just on how far we have come, but on what still needs to change. In 2026, the theme “Give to Gain” captures something both simple and profound. Progress rarely happens by accident. It happens when people intentionally share power, opportunity and knowledge so others can step forward.

Few industries illustrate the urgency of that idea more clearly than AgriFood-Tech.

This sector will shape the decades ahead. It sits at the intersection of food security, climate resilience, economic productivity and global competitiveness. In Australia alone, agriculture and food contribute more than ten percent of exports and underpin regional economies across the country. Yet the challenges ahead are immense. Climate volatility is reshaping farming systems. Labour shortages are accelerating automation. Digital tools, data platforms and emerging technologies are transforming how food is grown, processed and distributed.

Innovation will determine how successfully we navigate this future, and innovation ultimately depends on the people shaping it. Across the AgriFood-Tech sector, women are increasingly stepping forward as founders, technologists, advisors and industry leaders. Yet many still encounter structural barriers including limited visibility, restricted networks and unequal access to capital. At a time when the industry needs its broadest possible pool of ideas and leadership, that gap represents more than an equity issue. It represents a missed opportunity for the sector itself.

Earlier this year we invited members of our F2F TEKWOMEN community to reflect on the International Women’s Day theme. Founders, mentors, early career professionals and ecosystem leaders shared their perspectives in what became a thoughtful and honest conversation. People spoke openly about the support they had received, the challenges they had navigated and the small moments that had made the biggest difference in their careers. Across those conversations a common thread emerged. Ecosystems grow strongest when people actively support one another.

When visibility opens doors

Flic Manning, speaker, founder and consultant, believes increasing the visibility of women in AgriFood-Tech is not simply about representation. It is about unlocking the industry’s full potential.

“Visibility and credibility for women founders and professionals in AgriFood-Tech is not just about representation. It is about unlocking innovation and future proofing where we are going.”

The challenges facing global food systems are complex. From climate resilient production to food security and supply chain transformation, solving them requires a wide range of perspectives. Women across agriculture already hold deep knowledge about farming systems, land stewardship and rural communities. Yet historically those perspectives have not always been present in the spaces where technology is designed, funded or scaled. When women are visible as leaders and innovators that dynamic begins to shift. As Flic explains, visibility not only strengthens decision making across the sector but also signals to the next generation that there is a place for them in shaping the future of food.

The hidden sacrifices behind every founder story

Behind every startup headline is an unseen story about what founders give long before success arrives. Bec Lindert, Lindert & Co, knows that reality well.

“I gave up years of income I could have earned working for someone else. But the biggest cost was not financial. It was forcing myself to back myself when everything in me wanted to stay small.”

Bec describes pushing herself to attend events, start conversations and build networks in environments that often felt unfamiliar. It is a reality many founders recognise. She also points out that assumptions about who belongs in entrepreneurship can still shape opportunity.

“Some of the best business operators I know are mums. They make every minute count. But the ecosystem does not always make it easy for them to participate.”

Bec believes creating space for different life realities is part of building a stronger and more inclusive industry.

Encouragement is common. Access is what changes outcomes

Amanda Buchmann, Jab Agri Solutions, believes the difference between encouragement and opportunity remains visible across the sector.

“We celebrate women with awards and recognition. But when it comes to investment decisions, women are rarely the ones sitting at the table.”

Amanda sees enormous potential in the people working closest to the land. Producers understand agricultural challenges first hand and often develop solutions grounded in practical experience.

“Producers are closest to the problems. They already know what needs solving.”

Amanda believes that when these voices are supported with stronger networks, access to capital and the right industry connections, innovation can move faster and with greater relevance to the realities of agriculture.

Leadership grows when influence is shared

Vivienne McCollum, AgTech Leader believes leadership becomes more powerful when influence is shared with others.

“Opening a door, sharing a network or amplifying someone’s voice can change the trajectory of someone’s career.”

Vivienne notes that leadership opportunities often emerge through relationships and connections. Sometimes the most valuable thing a leader can offer is something simple. An introduction, a recommendation or a moment of encouragement.

“Networks are often how opportunities actually happen.”

Vivienne believes these small moments of connection can gradually create entirely new leadership pathways across industries.

Belief can change a career

Rachel Hurley, Studio Saison, remembers the moment someone recognised her potential before she fully believed in it herself.

“The biggest gift someone gave me was believing in me before I fully believed in myself.”

That encouragement gave Rachel the confidence to step forward and share ideas that might otherwise have remained unspoken. Rachel believes early career professionals bring something vital to the industry. Curiosity, fresh perspective and the courage to question established ways of thinking can open entirely new approaches to solving complex challenges.

Small acts of support shape ecosystems

Laura Carniel, World Food Forum Australian youth Chapter, has seen first hand how powerful small acts of support can be within a community.

“Knowing someone has your back, sending opportunities, making introductions or simply checking in can be incredibly empowering.”

Laura believes these gestures may appear small, but when repeated across an ecosystem they begin to compound.

“If everyone made one small act of support each week the ripple effect would be enormous."

For Laura, this kind of culture builds trust and confidence across the industry and helps more people step forward with their ideas.

Building ecosystems where innovation compounds

Anna Phillips, Program Lead at F2F, believes the Give to Gain theme speaks directly to how AgriFood-Tech ecosystems develop. Australia’s AgriFood-Tech sector is still relatively young and its progress depends heavily on collaboration across founders, farmers, investors, researchers and industry partners.

“AgriFood-Tech ecosystems are not built in isolation. They grow through shared knowledge, networks and generosity.”

Rather than single breakthrough moments, ecosystems tend to grow through consistent, everyday support. A founder making an introduction, a mentor sharing hard earned insight or a leader amplifying someone else’s work can create momentum that spreads across the sector.

“Ecosystems rarely grow through grand gestures. They grow through hundreds of small acts of support.”

Anna notes that those working between founders, investors, industry and research play an important role in creating pathways for talent to be seen and supported.

“Visibility is often the first form of opportunity. When women are visible as innovators in AgriFood-Tech it reshapes what others believe is possible.”

A more resilient future for AgriFood-Tech

Skye Raward, F2F Co Founder, believes the Give to Gain theme highlights a deeper shift needed across the AgriFood-Tech ecosystem.

“AgriFood-Tech innovation was not designed with women at the centre and we still see that reflected in who owns land, who accesses capital and who leads innovation.”

Skye explains that changing this dynamic requires a whole sector approach. At Farmers2Founders the work spans across the entire AgriFood-Tech landscape, connecting female farmers stewarding land, adoption advisors helping new technologies reach industry, founders building companies, young women entering new careers and leaders directing capital and investment.

Meaningful change rarely happens in one place. As Skye notes, it happens when women are visible and supported across the entire ecosystem. Women have always played a central role in agriculture. They do not simply work within farming systems. They shape how land is cared for across generations and how communities sustain themselves over time. Skye has seen that when women are connected to opportunity across agriculture and innovation, they often bring long term thinking about land, resources and the wellbeing of future generations.

That perspective is increasingly important as agriculture navigates climate pressure, food security challenges and rapid technological change.If more leaders across the sector chose to give intentionally by sharing networks, visibility and opportunity, Skye believes the impact would extend far beyond gender equality.

It would lead to better innovation reaching farmers, stronger rural businesses and technologies designed with the real conditions of agriculture and land stewardship in mind. In Skye’s view, that is how the industry builds a more resilient future for food and farming.

The question for the industry

The International Women’s Day theme Give to Gain invites the AgriFood-Tech sector to ask a simple question. What are we willing to give to build the future we want?

An introduction.

A moment of encouragement.

A seat at the table.

A chance to be seen.

None of these actions feel particularly large on their own. Yet together they shape the culture of an industry. And perhaps that is the most powerful insight from the F2F TEKWOMEN community. When generosity becomes part of how an ecosystem operates, innovation accelerates and everyone gains.

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If these reflections resonate with you, we invite you to explore the F2F TEKWOMEN community, a network of founders, farmers, professionals and innovators working together to shape the future of AgriFood-Tech.

Learn more about the programs, events and opportunities available through F2F TEKWOMEN and discover how you can be part of this growing community.

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