Breakthrough Victoria’s uni fund just backed a La Trobe agtech spin out’s $1.7 million raise

An agtech startup from La Trobe University has banked $1.7 million to address food security in the latest investment from Breakthrough Victoria’s University Innovation Program.

Gaia Project Australia (GPA) was founded in 2020 by engineer Nadun Hennayaka. He’s developed a patented method for leafy green vegetable growers to increase yields by up to 40%, without needing expensive robotics or complex workflow systems using real-time dynamic plant spacing.

“We have seen first-hand in Australia and abroad the impact of the rising cost of fresh produce during a cost-of-living crisis,” Hennayaka said.

“Our mission is to empower farmers with the latest cost-efficient technology to set them up for sustainable success, being able to absorb variability in costs by delivering consistent, predictable, efficient yields. Ultimately, all consumers should be able to afford fresh produce.”

Breakthrough Victoria and La Trobe University, are each co-investing $500,000 through La Trobe’s Eagle Fund. The remaining $700,000 comes from agtech-focused Mandalay Venture Partners and LaunchVic’s Hugh Victor McKay Fund.

La Trobe University is GPA’s R&D partner and together they were named finalists in NASA’s Deep Space Food Challenge for a project designed to grow food for long space journeys such as the Artemis missions to the moon and Mars.

The joint team that included experts from La Trobe’s engineering and plant sciences departments created a prototype for NASA which produced 40% more leafy greens, compared to the output from other technologies in what’s known as Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA).

 Breakthrough Victoria CEO Rod Bristow said Gaia Project Australia focuses on creating sustainable farming solutions that maximize efficiency both on Earth and in space.

“Through our University Innovation Program and partnership with La Trobe’s Eagle Fund, we are helping to scale technologies like Leafy 2.0 that have the potential to transform agriculture on Earth and beyond,” he said.

“We are excited to see Gaia’s advancements contribute to global food security and even future space exploration.”