National agtech innovation hub SproutX, a joint initiative between financial services group Findex and the National Farmers’ Federation, has opened what it says is Australia’s first co-working space dedicated exclusively to agtech startups and bolstered its services with new international expertise.

The move comes as SproutX announced Michael Dean, co-founder of global agtech platform Agfunder, had joined its board to provide international expertise to Australia’s newest agtech startups.

According to Sam Trethewey, general manager of SproutX, the space — which is free of charge for eligible startups — is the centre of agtech in Australia, designed to help foster new startups in Victoria and “continue boosting the country’s $60 billion agriculture industry and support the next innovation boom through agtech”.