27-28 Sept 2022 | Rotorua, NZ NEW DATES
DigitalAG 2022 brings together technology leaders, agritech developers, early adopters and the next generation of primary industry operators. This event showcases the digital technologies transforming the agricultural and horticultural sectors. Formally MobileTECH Ag, this is a must-attend event for NZ's agritech community.
Latest Updates
DigitalAg 2022 Rescheduled
Media Release: A new look for key NZ agritech event
Latest Tweets
@DigitalAgNZ
With restrictions lifted and NZers now adjusted to a new 'covid normal', we will be relaunching active promotions for DigitalAg 2022. September is only 4 months away and we are excited to once again host the agritech community.
New update for #DigitalAg2022 - The event has been rescheduled to 27-28 Sept 2022. We made the early call due to the rising omicron numbers in NZ and the obvious reluctance of people to travel at this time.
Event Details
What is Covered?
MobileTECH Ag has been running annually since 2013. It has become one of the only events of its type in New Zealand to bring together the technology leaders from right across the agricultural and horticultural sectors.
Now in our 10th year, we are pleased to announce that DigitalAG is the NEW name for this event going forward.
The event had evolved past the old MobileTECH Ag name. No longer is mobility or wireless a leading feature - it's now just a given. The real innovation is in digital platforms that capture real-time data and converts it into practical information that drives productivity.
DigitalAG is short for digital agriculture. It covers agritech developments in artificial intelligence, machine learning, Internet of Things (IoT), blockchain, robotics, computer vision, app software, edge computing, automation, sensors, big data, satellite mapping, UAVs, augmented & virtual reality and much, much more.
The NZ Government sees agritech, both locally and on the international stage, as a key growth sector. Our event's strategic partner, AgritechNZ, has been at the forefront of bringing the industry together and building significant support from Government and international investors. It is an exciting time. It is also an important opportunity to create real solutions and improve productivity within the food and fibre sector.
DigitalAG 2022 will continue to be the major networking event for agritech professionals in New Zealand.
Date & Venue | 27-28 September 2022, Rotorua, New Zealand
DigitalAG 2022 is being hosted at the Distinction Hotel in Rotorua, New Zealand. This is an easy trip from Auckland and is a central meeting place for NZ's fertile farmlands, orchards and agritech community. As the cutlural centre of NZ, Rotoura's major regional airport helps connect attendees from throughout the country - and beyond.
Covid-19 Update | International Travel
Since 2020, Covid-19 has had a major impact on how we work, network and grow our businesses. Things have changed in 2022. High community vaccination rates have enabled the New Zealand government to lift the regulations put in place during the pandemic.
- Indoor mask use is the only requirement when New Zealand's covid traffic light system is set to 'Red' or 'Orange'. While mask use is still encouraged, masks are not needed when the country is ‘Green’.
- For the latest Covid-19 regulations, please check the New Zealand Government Covid19 website.
- International borders are open - mostly. New Zealand is reopening earlier than initially scheduled. It is important to check NZ's international travel requirements before you book tickets. These will likely evolve throughout the year. Further details on NZ international requirements can be found on covid travel stages and visa waiver countries.
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Technologies Covered
Wireless technologies ⋅ Artificial Intelligence ⋅ Machine Learning ⋅ Internet of Things ⋅ Augmented & Virtual Reality ⋅ Blockchain ⋅ Edge Computing ⋅ Automation ⋅ Sensors ⋅ Platforms ⋅ Connectivity ⋅ Big Data ⋅ Robotics ⋅ UAVs ⋅ Satellite Mapping ⋅ Remote Assistance ⋅ Data Ownership ⋅ Apps and more
Who Will Attend?
Technology developers and suppliers ⋅ Agritech companies ⋅ Corporate producers (large scale farms, orchards and plantations) ⋅ R&D managers ⋅ IT managers ⋅ Entrepreneurial operators ⋅ Early adopters ⋅ Industry consultants ⋅ Researchers ⋅ Public sector organisations
Become a Sponsor
DigitalAG 2022 offers a tremendous opportunity for companies involved in technology and development to maximise their exposure to New Zealand’s primary industry and agritech companies.
Email Scam Warning
Large events are increasingly the target of scammers who offer to sell our attendee list to people like you. Please note we will NEVER sell or provide your contact details to any third party. If you receive an email offering to sell you an event list, please don't reply and delete it immediately
Event Speakers
Kit Franklin
Agricultural Engineering Senior Lecturer, Harper Adams University
Kit's research focuses on sustainable future farming systems, with the most notable project to date being the award-winning Hands Free Hectare
Greg Bodeker
Co-Director, Kanute
Changes in the regulatory environment, and in consumer expectations, requires rapid deployment of digital technologies across New Zealand's agricultural sector. We must take the current when it serves, or lose our ventures (thanks to Shakespeare).
Nicolás Erdödy
Director, Open Parallel
Nicolás specialises in next-gen high-tech ecosystems and believes "we have to leverage the digital opportunity to become a data-driven industry while addressing climate change, regulations and optimising productivity in the value chain."
Bridgit Hawkins
Chief Sustainability Officer, CropX Ltd
From my earliest days of helping on the family farm to founding a technology business focused on enabling financial and environmental sustainability for farmers, I am passionate about making a difference in the agricultural sector.
Kylie Hall
Chief of Storytelling and Other Stuff, Hectre
The fruit tech sector has become one of the most exciting spaces to be working in. As the global appetite for technology increases, the pressures of growing escalate, and the deep need for greater insights builds, the perfect storm is brewing.
Jaco Fourie
Machine Vision Manager, Lincoln Agritech
Precision agriculture has made extensive use of new technology to automate and improve common tasks. However, the pervasive use of this technology also highlighted the limitations that researchers must overcome to get practical, economically viable outputs to farmers.
Gavin McEwen
CEO, Farmax
Gavin's focus is on furthering the potential of New Zealand pastoral agriculture through adoption of information technology, believing that transparency and collaboration among the agricultural service industry is long overdue and is key to unlocking that potential.
Paul Ryan
CEO / Founder, Trust Codes
With consumers desire to educate themselves further on information about the products they consume, the pressure for supply-chain participants to be transparent, means product traceability become a standard, not a value add.
Greg Peyroux
CEO, OmniEye
With over 20 years as an ICT leader, manager and strategist, Greg is passionate about turning the latest technology into real-life solutions. His current focus is on OmniEye, an automated camera-based on-farm livestock monitoring system.
Ian Reilly
Managing Director, Altrutec
Ian has spent 30+ years turning new technology into innovative, world-first products in diverse industry sectors including agtech, biotech, medtech, foodtech, renewable energy, defence and aerospace.
Russell Craig
Chief Technology Officer, Microsoft New Zealand
Russell works with sector stakeholders on matters related to technology strategy and policy for Microsoft New Zealand. Based in Wellington, his role focuses on helping customers understand and realise the broad transformational opportunities enabled by Microsoft’s cloud platform.
Emma Wheeler
Head of Strategy, Trust Codes
The tech sector in New Zealand is in a prime position to deliver on consumer expectations for increased transparency, with brilliant data-driven stories of provenance that our global consumers are hungry for.
Programme
We continue to work closely with a wide range of New Zealand, Australian and international companies, technology suppliers, researchers and government bodies within the agritech community to develop a strong and innovative programme.
If you have any questions about the programme, please contact Ken Wilson at ken.wilson@innovatek.co.nz or (+61) 452 262 337.
DigitalAG 2022 Programme
27-28 September 2022, Rotorua, New Zealand + Virtual OnlineDAY ONE | Tuesday 27 September 2022
9.00am - 12.00pm
Pre-Event Workshop
Conference Registrations + Lunch + Networking
12.55pm
Welcome & Introduction
Innovatek
Session 1 | Technology Trends Post-Covid
1.00pm
Keynote: The latest digital technology trends driving business
Russell Craig, Chief Technology Officer, Microsoft New Zealand
1.20pm
An essential update on NZ's agritech roadmap
Brendan O'Connell, CEO, Agritech NZ
1.40pm
The forces shaping the future of food and ag
Komal Patel, Principal Advisor, The Agthentic Group, Australia (via Video Link)
Session Panel Discussion - Technology Trends Post-Covid
Session 2 | Ag Data Digitisation
2.20pm
Strategic planning for scalable data transformation in the agriculture sector
Nicolas Erdody, CEO, Open Parallel
2.40pm
Digitisation and traceability of supply chains
Emma Wheeler, Head Of Strategy, Trust Codes + Paul Ryan, Director, Trust Codes
3.40pm
Session Panel Discussion - Ag Data Digitisation
Session 3 | Applying Machine Vision and AI Smarts
4.00pm
Using machine vision to automate on-farm livestock monitoring and better understand the animal health
Greg Peyroux, CEO, OmniEye
4.20pm
The limits of computer vision and machine learning in precision agriculture and how we can do better
Jaco Fourie, Machine Vision Manager, Lincoln Agritech
4.40pm
Session Panel Discussion - Applying Machine Vision and AI Smarts
5.00pm
TECH Talks
Short, sharp presentations that showcase and highlight some of the best up and coming agritech innovations, products, services and collaborative opportunities.
5.30pm
DAY TWO | Wednesday 28 September 2022
8.20am
How UK's Hands Free Farm project helped drive ag robotics
Kit Franklin, Senior Lecturer, Agricultural Engineering, Harper Adams University, United Kingdom (via Video Link)
8.40am
A rethink on collaboration, integration and rationalisation between agritech companies in NZ
Gavin McEwen, CEO, Farmax Ltd & COO, FarmIQ Ltd
9.00am
Clever Simplicity - what it means and what's the impact if you don't have it
Kylie Hall, Storyteller, Hectre Orchard Management
9.20am
Different perspectives: Founder and corporate Insights on launching a hardware Agtech startup
Ian Reilly, Founder, Agersens, Australia + Sarah Adams, Global Strategy & New Ventures Manager - Animal Management, Gallagher Group
9.40am
Session Panel Discussion - Rethinking Agritech Business Models
Morning Tea + Networking
10.30am
Is environmental innovation the next big thing in agritech?
Bridgit Hawkins, CSO, CropX
10.50am
Perils, pitfalls and promises of climate models in meeting the needs of mandatory climate risk reporting
Greg Bodeker, Co-Director, Kanute
11.10am
Session Panel Discussion - Ag Climate Technologies
11.30am
Conference Learnings
A summary of developments, key learnings and take-aways over the event's presentations and industry discussions.
12.00pm
1.00pm - 3.00pm
Post-Event Workshop
Event Sponsorship
Become a DigitalAG 2022 Event Sponsor and Exhibitor
DigitalAG 2022 offers a tremendous opportunity for companies involved in technology and development to maximise their exposure to New Zealand’s primary industry and agritech companies. Sponsors and supporters play an essential role in the continued success and growth of this key technology event and it's mission to help reshape the future of agritech.
Exhibition spaces are always at a premium and we have a well-deserved reputation of providing both sponsors and exhibitors with a unique platform for promoting their products and services to the industry. For a full range of futher sponsorship options and benefits, please contact our Sponsorship Manager, Gordon Thomson, via (+64) 7 921 1384 or gordon.thomson@innovatek.co.nz.
Past Sponsor Recommendations
- “Exceptionally well organised and well attended”
- “Excellent New Zealand and Australian contacts at this event”
- "Lots of new connections which we can now collaborate with”
Premium Partner
Strategic Partner
Media Partner
Event Sponsors
Registration Rates
Rotorua, New Zealand
In-Person EventEarly-Bird Rates
(Ending 26 August 2022)
Single Rate | $650 + GST | save $100
Group Rate | $550 + GST | save $100
(3+ Delegates)
Small Independent Rate | $350 + GST
(Farmer, Grower, Producer)
Virtual Event
Open to small farming/growing operations and international attendees. All attendees will be able to register for the virtual online event once the cap of 100 delegates has been reached.)Virtual Rates
(GST does not apply to virtual international attendees)
Virtual Event Rate | $495 + GST*
Small Independent Rate | $350 + GST*
(Farming/Growing operations with 10 or less employees)
Registration Details
General Notes:
- The Conference Rate refers to your attendance in person at the Rotorua conference and exhibitions
- Virtual Event registrations can be booked. These apply to companies from the South Island and Internationals.
- All prices exclude GST (15%).
- * For virtual online registrations from outside New Zealand, GST does not apply.
- A credit card processing fee of 2.9% will be charged for all transactions.
- To be eligible for the Super Early-Bird or Early-Bird Rates, registrations and payment must be received on or before the listed dates above.
- For those attending the Rotorua event, the event registration payment covers morning and afternoon teas, lunches, refreshments, a conference handbook, post-event access to presentation PPT’s (electronic download of PDF’s for those presentations where presenter approval has been given) and recorded presentations, for a limited time and where speaker approval has been given.
- For Virtual Event registrations, your registration payment covers live access to all conference presentations, post-event access to presentation PPT’s (electronic download of PDF’s for those presentations where presenter approval has been given) and recorded presentations, for a limited time and where speaker approval has been given.
COVID-19 related information:
- The event organiser will work diligently to ensure that all instructions provided by the New Zealand Government and Health Authorities, relating to travel and the running of events because of COVID-19 are strictly adhered to.
- It is the responsibility of the sponsor, exhibitor or delegate, if intending to travel to attend the conference, to check on all updated health and Government guidelines for any specific entry requirements.
- If for any reason the venue is unable to be used because of COVID-19 restrictions that have been imposed by the Government, the event organiser may need to either reschedule the event or move the event online. Your registration will automatically transfer to the new dates and/or format. In this situation, no refunds will be given. If the Event is not moved online or able to be rescheduled within 12 months of the original date, you will be entitled to a credit or a full refund.
Cancellation policy:
For cancellations on or before Friday 26 August 2022, a 10% administration fee applies. Cancellations received after this date are non-refundable but are transferrable. Please allow 30 days for refunds to be processed. If you wish to transfer your registration to another individual from within your company, please provide us with at least 24 hours advance notice.
To read our full Terms and Conditions, Click Here.
Venue
Rotorua, New Zealand
Distinction Hotel Rotorua
390 Fenton Street, Rotorua, New Zealand
With its beautiful garden setting and located just minutes from the city centre, Distinction Rotorua Hotel is the perfect place to relax and unwind after a big day at the conference. After the event, this hotel is also a great base to enjoy the wealth of attractions and activities Rotorua has to offer. Free car parking is available at the venue, however, spaces are limited and hotel guests take priority.
Special accommodation rates are available. The per-night rates are:
- Superior | $160.00
- Deluxe | $190.00
- Junior Suite | $230.00
- Executive Suite | $250.00
All rates include GST
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