Ravensdown today has confirmed the establishment of a new commercialisation entity - Agnition.

A subsidiary of Ravensdown, Agnition’s mission is to ignite the industry with the innovations that farmers and growers need. It will build, grow and invest in world-leading Ag-IP and innovations, like EcoPond and ClearTech, and turn them into valued products and solutions that can be practically used on-farm to combat climate change, and engender enhanced productivity.

Garry Diack, Ravensdown CEO, said Agnition is a structural response to Ravensdown’s strategy - Smarter farming for a better New Zealand.

“Ravensdown has an impressive track-record of recognising, researching, and bringing to fruition technologies and services that enhance our shareholders’ abilities to interconnect precision-based performance with long-term sustainability.

“The focus is now on taking innovations to market faster, getting them on-farm and providing a return on investment for our shareholders.”

Garry confirmed Jasper van Halder’s appointment as Agnition CEO and that he will have responsibility for a portfolio of existing Ravensdown investments, including C-Dax Agricultural Solutions, Cropmark Seeds, Southstar Technologies and Analytical Research Laboratory (ARL).

Jasper and his new team also have a mandate to invest in future nutrient and soil health innovations.

Originally from a farming family in the Netherlands, Jasper brings a wealth of commercial experience to the role. As a strategy consultant for McKinsey & Company, he has international business experience across multiple industries, including agriculture, advanced technology, and retail. In New Zealand, he supported companies such as Fonterra, Synlait, and Ravensdown with innovation and growth.

In explaining how Agnition impacts Ravensdown more broadly, Garry Diack said supplying nutrients to New Zealand farmers remains core to the Ravensdown business.

“While Agnition will have the agility and expertise of a venture capital type company, it will have an important advantage of farmer insight when it comes to developing and launching on-farm innovation.”

For more information on Agnition and its portfolio companies, head to https://agnition.ventures/