Sam Duncan, CEO and co-founder of FarmLab, has officially taken on the role of Agtech Entrepreneur-in-Residence at the UNE SMART Region Incubator (SRI). The announcement was made through his personal LinkedIn profile, where Duncan shared his enthusiasm for the role and outlined his vision for supporting agricultural technology startups across regional Australia. In the announcement, he reflected on the personal and professional motivations behind accepting the position, citing the importance of giving back to the entrepreneurial ecosystem that had played a crucial role in FarmLab’s growth since its inception.
As Agtech Entrepreneur-in-Residence, Sam Duncan will be working closely with a cohort of startup founders, providing individualised mentorship and strategic guidance. His responsibilities include running monthly meetups for agtech entrepreneurs, creating a platform for shared learning and collaboration. In addition, he will facilitate linkages between early-stage startups and major agricultural stakeholders in the region, helping bridge the gap between innovation and implementation on the ground.
A core component of Sam Duncan’s role will involve shaping a tailored version of the HATCH program, designed specifically to support innovation in the agtech sector. This program will aim to address the unique challenges faced by founders at different stages of business development, from early conceptualisation to scaling operations.
Personal Motivation and Ecosystem Commitment
Sam Duncan acknowledged that although he often cites limited time as a reason to decline new opportunities, this particular role resonated with his sense of purpose and commitment to the regional innovation ecosystem. He emphasized the importance of paying forward the support he received from the SRI, particularly the influence of Lou Conway and her team, who have supported FarmLab’s journey over the past eight years since relocating to Armidale. He views this appointment as a means of contributing to the sustainability and growth of other emerging ventures in agriculture and environmental technology.
Spotlight on the SRI Agtech Community
In his announcement, Sam Duncan also recognized several startup founders currently active within the UNE SMART Region Incubator. These include Danielle from Zondii, Bill from Optiweigh, Lee from FarmSimple, Lu from Ag360, Dr Phillip from Stoktake, and Matt from EnviroAg Drones. The mention of these founders illustrates the diverse range of innovations being developed within the incubator and highlights the collaborative culture that the SRI seeks to foster among entrepreneurs operating in the agtech space.
FarmLab and Its Agtech Mission
Sam Duncan co-founded FarmLab in 2016 with Shahriar Jamshidi. The company provides a digital soil management platform, which allows farmers to track, manage, and analyze soil health data including water holding capacity, nutrient content, and carbon levels. Often likened to “Xero for soil,” the platform is designed to simplify and streamline the data management process for farmers and agronomists. FarmLab’s technology was developed in partnership with the University of Sydney’s Department of Agriculture and aims to make carbon sampling more accessible and affordable.
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The company is guided by a bold mission: to help one million farmers sequester one billion tonnes of CO2 by 2025. This ambition has drawn attention from both national and international stakeholders and aligns with broader sustainability objectives across the agricultural sector. By reducing barriers to participation in soil carbon projects, FarmLab supports the integration of farmers into carbon-conscious supply chains and sustainability-driven markets.
Strengthening the Regional Startup Ecosystem
The UNE SMART Region Incubator, based in Armidale, is focused on fostering entrepreneurship in regional Australia, with a strong emphasis on agricultural technology. It provides a collaborative environment that connects startups with academic institutions, business mentors, and funding opportunities. Since its inception, the SRI has supported more than 60 startups, helped raise over $4 million in capital, and contributed to the creation of 225 jobs in regional areas as of 2022.
Sam Duncan’s new role at the SRI reinforces the incubator’s mission to build a robust innovation pipeline that links research with practical application. His firsthand experience of scaling a regional agtech startup positions him to offer valuable insights and support to a new generation of entrepreneurs, further strengthening regional economic development through technology-driven agriculture.
