Uploaded May 2025 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
In this episode of the Climate Confident podcast, I chat with Bryan Parkes, Head of Innovation Acceleration at Zespri – the world’s largest marketer of kiwifruit. We dive into how Zespri is using its ZAG Innovation Fund – a US$2 million annual initiative – to support agricultural innovation funding and climate resilience in the food system.
Bryan shares how Zespri is partnering with agri-tech startups and global researchers through a venture clienting model (not venture capital), offering sustainable agriculture grants to pilot real-world solutions. We cover everything from biochar trials to VOC-detecting moth proteins, electrified orchards, and the long game of becoming carbon positive by 2035.
If you’re interested in climate resilience funding, funding for agri-tech startups, or just curious about the future of food and farming, you’ll find plenty of practical insight in this conversation.
🟢 Learn more about the Zespri ZAG Innovation Fund: zespri.com/zagfund
🎧 Listen to more episodes: climateconfidentpodcast.com
🔑 Keywords: Zespri ZAG Innovation Fund, agricultural innovation funding, sustainable agriculture grants, climate resilience funding, funding for agri-tech startups, kiwifruit industry innovation, environmental sustainability grants, agri-tech funding opportunities, agritech support, Innovation Fund
In this episode of the Climate Confident podcast, I chat with Bryan Parkes, Head of Innovation Acceleration at Zespri – the world’s largest marketer of kiwifruit. We dive into how Zespri is using its ZAG Innovation Fund – a US$2 million annual initiative – to support agricultural innovation funding and climate resilience in the food system.
Bryan shares how Zespri is partnering with agri-tech startups and global researchers through a venture clienting model (not venture capital), offering sustainable agriculture grants to pilot real-world solutions. We cover everything from biochar trials to VOC-detecting moth proteins, electrified orchards, and the long game of becoming carbon positive by 2035.
If you’re interested in climate resilience funding, funding for agri-tech startups, or just curious about the future of food and farming, you’ll find plenty of practical insight in this conversation.
🟢 Learn more about the Zespri ZAG Innovation Fund: zespri.com/zagfund
🎧 Listen to more episodes: climateconfidentpodcast.com
🔑 Keywords: Zespri ZAG Innovation Fund, agricultural innovation funding, sustainable agriculture grants, climate resilience funding, funding for agri-tech startups, kiwifruit industry innovation, environmental sustainability grants, agri-tech funding opportunities, agritech support, Innovation Fund
