DR NATASHA AYERS

AgriFood and Science Innovation

Tash is a strategic, innovative and collaborative leader who specialises in connecting entrepreneurs, researchers and businesses to create new opportunities. She is CoFounder/ MD of AgriStart, Co-Chair of the AgriTech WA Meetup Group, was a Premier’s Science awards in 2016 finalist and is a judge for the WA Innovator of the Year awards.  She has been a speaker on innovation at major events such as the APRC, Southern Dirt Techspo and Start Something.  As MD of AgriStart and HARVEST she facilitates innovation and sector growth in the SME, agriculture and agri-tech industry.

Tash founded iPREP WA in 2014, a unique program involving researchers from all 5 WA universities undertaking projects in industry, which won the 2017 Australian Council of Graduate Research award for industry engagement and was a finalist in the Premier’s Science awards in 2016. She is part of a WA farming family and spent 8 years as an agricultural researcher and lecturer at the University of Western Australia, University of Glasgow, University of Southern California and University of Sydney. She is an experienced trainer and facilitator, and has spent the last 6 years leading strategic research and innovation projects in WA.