The Dirt

UWA's Centre for Engineering Innovation

Each episode we explore the people, technologies, and ideas transforming modern agriculture. We hear from leaders in the industry and dive into the intersection of technology, engineering and agriculture. Whether you're on the farm, in agtech research, or working across the industry, you'll hear practical insights from those driving innovation in the field. Brought to you by the University of Western Australia’s Centre for Engineering Innovation: Agriculture and Ecological Restoration. Visit our website https://www.uwa-cei.org/ Or Follow us on LinkedIn (Centre for Engineering Innovation: Agriculture & Ecological Restoration) *** Music: Believe by Wanheda https://soundcloud.com/user-724527508License: Creative Commons — Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported - CC BY-SA 3.0Free Download / Stream: https://links.al/HPpMusic promoted by Audio Library: https://links.al/youtube

Episodes

  1. 4h ago

    Building AgTech Startups through Venture Studios with Linley Houwen

    Episode 7 | Linley Houwen — Inside the Venture Studio Model Shaping AgTech's Future In this episode of The Dirt, we sit down with Linley Houwen, Perth Director of Beanstalk — a team working across deep-tech, startups, commercialisation, and agribusiness with offices across Australia and Southeast Asia. Linley takes us behind the scenes of how Beanstalk helps turn agricultural innovation into real-world impact — and gives us a window into the global agtech landscape. We cover: Linley's journey into the agtech ecosystem and what drew her to the spaceWhat Beanstalk does and how it works with everyone from early-stage startups to large agribusinessesThe venture studio model — what it is and why it's particularly well suited to agtechThe global agtech landscape — startup trends and innovation across Asia, Africa, and beyondWhere investment is flowing and which areas are attracting the most attentionWhere AI fits into the agtech investment landscape — and what technologies might matter more right nowHow building agtech for Australian agriculture differs from the rest of the worldPractical advice for anyone thinking about founding an agtech startupHow to know whether your startup is actually solving the right problemWhether you're thinking about launching a startup, working in agribusiness, or just curious about how agricultural innovation gets funded and built around the world — this one's for you. Hosts: Dr Wesley Moss and Associate Professor Andrew Guzzomi Produced by Stephanie Lye This podcast is brought to you by The University of Western Australia's Centre for Engineering Innovation: Agriculture and Ecological Restoration. Find out more about our research or get in touch at https://www.uwa-cei.org/

    Building AgTech Startups through Venture Studios with Linley Houwen

  2. Aug 14

    From Lab to Launch: Turning AgTech Ideas into Real Businesses with Dr Tash Teakle

    Episode 6 | Dr Tash Teakle — From Lab to Launch: Turning AgTech Ideas into Real Businesses In this episode of The Dirt, we sit down with Dr Tash Teakle, Managing Director of Agristart — a business helping agtech startups go from idea to commercialisation. Tash shares how she made the leap from a PhD in plant biology to the private sector, and what she's learned about turning good ideas into businesses that actually work for farmers. We cover: Tash's journey from agricultural science and plant biology research into the world of agtech businessWhat makes a strong agtech business idea — and what doesn'tThe path from concept through to commercialisationHow grower groups work and why they matter for agtech adoptionHow startups can better connect with farmers and integrate into industryHer outlook on agtech and where she sees the biggest opportunities aheadA great listen for anyone with a business idea in agriculture, or anyone curious about how innovation actually makes it from the lab to the farm gate. Hosts: Dr Wesley Moss and Associate Professor Andrew Guzzomi Produced by Stephanie Lye This podcast is brought to you by The University of Western Australia's Centre for Engineering Innovation: Agriculture and Ecological Restoration. Find out more about our research or get in touch at https://www.uwa-cei.org/

    From Lab to Launch: Turning AgTech Ideas into Real Businesses with Dr Tash Teakle

  3. Aug 7

    Open Source Tech, Weed Detection, and Self Learning with Dr Guy Coleman

    Episode 5 | Dr Guy Coleman — Open Source Tech, Weed Detection, and Self Learning In this episode of The Dirt, we sit down with Dr Guy Coleman — a Western Australian innovator who's carved out a unique path in agtech through self-learning and curiosity. Now a postdoc at the University of Copenhagen, Guy shares how he went from WA to the cutting edge of agricultural robotics research in Europe. We cover: Guy's unconventional journey into agtech and how self-learning shaped his careerHis current research including the OWL project and advances in automated weed managementWhy Guy is passionate about open-source technology and why it matters for agricultureHow the European agtech landscape compares to AustraliaThe skills he developed along the way and what he thinks the future ag workforce needsThe technologies he believes will be most transformative over the next decadePractical advice for anyone looking to carve out their own path in agtechThis is a must-listen for students, early career engineers, and anyone who's ever wondered whether you need to follow the traditional path to make an impact in agriculture. Open Weed Locator (OWL) as mentioned in the episode: https://openweedlocator.org/ Hosts: Dr Wesley Moss and Associate Professor Andrew Guzzomi Produced by Stephanie Lye This podcast is brought to you by The University of Western Australia's Centre for Engineering Innovation: Agriculture and Ecological Restoration. Find out more about our research or get in touch at https://www.uwa-cei.org/

    Open Source Tech, Weed Detection, and Self Learning with Dr Guy Coleman

  4. Jul 31

    Technology, Drought and the Future of Farming with Dr Jo Wisdom

    In this episode of The Dirt, we sit down with Dr Jo Wisdom — plant physiologist, business owner, and Innovation Lead at the Grower Group Alliance, where she also directs the South West WA Drought Resilience Adoption and Innovation Hub. Jo brings a rare breadth of experience across soils, viticulture, drought resilience, and agricultural technology — and in this conversation she shares her unique perspective on tech adoption and the future of farming. We cover: Jo's winding path into agriculture and the many roles she juggles todayHow agtech is being adopted differently across different industriesThe skills the next generation of agricultural students and professionals need to thriveWhat technologies Jo believes are poised to be truly transformativePractical advice for building a career at the intersection of agriculture and technology Hosts: Dr Wesley Moss and Associate Professor Andrew Guzzomi Produced by Stephanie Lye This podcast is brought to you by The University of Western Australia's Centre for Engineering Innovation: Agriculture and Ecological Restoration. Find out more about our research or get in touch at https://www.uwa-cei.org/

    Technology, Drought and the Future of Farming with Dr Jo Wisdom

  5. Jul 24

    Technology, AI, and the Pillars of AgTech with Farmer Belinda Lay

    Episode 3 | Belinda Lay — Farming Smarter: Technology, AI, and the Pillars of AgTech In this episode we sit down with Farmer Belinda Lay to explore how technology is being adopted on a real working farm in regional WA. From sheep tracking collars and IoT sensors to ChatGPT and generative AI, Belinda shares an honest account of what's worked, what hasn't, and what she wishes technology could do next. She also walks us through her "Pillars of AgTech" framework — a practical guide for agribusinesses looking to evaluate and adopt new technologies — and shares her outlook on where agtech is headed for Australian agriculture. Hosts: Dr Wesley Moss and Associate Professor Andrew Guzzomi Produced by Stephanie Lye This podcast is brought to you by The University of Western Australia's Centre for Engineering Innovation: Agriculture and Ecological Restoration. Find out more about our research or get in touch at https://www.uwa-cei.org/

    Technology, AI, and the Pillars of AgTech with Farmer Belinda Lay

  6. Jul 17

    Autonomous systems with EOX Tractors CEO Hilbrand Kuiken

    Episode 2 | Hillbrand Kuiken - Autonomous systems and The Tractor of the Future In this episode of The Dirt, we sit down with Hilbrand Kuiken, owner and director of EOX Tractors — a Dutch manufacturer on a mission to bring emission-free, fully autonomous electric tractors to farms around the world, including right here in Australia. We cover: How EOX Tractors came to be and the vision behind the companyHow their electric tractors are designed and builtWhat sets EOX apart from conventional farming machineryThe challenges and opportunities of bringing European agtech to the Australian marketWhat autonomous electric tractors mean for the future of farm operationsIf you've ever wondered what the tractor of the future looks like — this episode is for you. Hosts: Dr Wesley Moss and Associate Professor Andrew Guzzomi Produced by Stephanie Lye This podcast is brought to you by The University of Western Australia's Centre for Engineering Innovation: Agriculture and Ecological Restoration. Find out more about our research or get in touch at https://www.uwa-cei.org/

    Autonomous systems with EOX Tractors CEO Hilbrand Kuiken

  7. Jul 12

    Agricultural Robotics and Automation with Professor Salah Sukkarieh

    Episode 1 | Professor Salah Sukkarieh — Robotics, Autonomy, and the Future of Australian Agriculture In this episode of The Dirt, we sit down with Professor Salah Sukkarieh, Professor of Robotics and Intelligent Systems at the University of Sydney and a world leader in autonomous systems. Salah shares his journey into agricultural robotics, the groundbreaking work coming out of the Australian Centre for Robotics (ACFR), and his vision for where technology is taking the food production industry. Whether you're a farmer, an engineer, a student thinking about a career in agtech, or just curious about how technology is helping to grow food — this episode is packed with insight from one of Australia's leading minds in agricultural robotics. Hosts: Dr Wesley Moss and Associate Professor Andrew Guzzomi Produced by Stephanie Lye This podcast is brought to you by The University of Western Australia's Centre for Engineering Innovation: Agriculture and Ecological Restoration. Find out more about our research or get in touch at https://www.uwa-cei.org/

    Agricultural Robotics and Automation with Professor Salah Sukkarieh
  • 7 Episodes

About

Each episode we explore the people, technologies, and ideas transforming modern agriculture. We hear from leaders in the industry and dive into the intersection of technology, engineering and agriculture. Whether you're on the farm, in agtech research, or working across the industry, you'll hear practical insights from those driving innovation in the field. Brought to you by the University of Western Australia’s Centre for Engineering Innovation: Agriculture and Ecological Restoration. Visit our website https://www.uwa-cei.org/ Or Follow us on LinkedIn (Centre for Engineering Innovation: Agriculture & Ecological Restoration) *** Music: Believe by Wanheda https://soundcloud.com/user-724527508License: Creative Commons — Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported - CC BY-SA 3.0Free Download / Stream: https://links.al/HPpMusic promoted by Audio Library: https://links.al/youtube

Information

  • Creator
    UWA's Centre for Engineering Innovation
  • Years Active
    2026
  • Episodes
    7
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © UWA's Centre for Engineering Innovation
  • Show Website
    The Dirt