Agtech Advisory Collective unites global experts to provide tailored strategies and market insights
The newly established Agtech Advisory Collective promises to offer businesses the power of diverse expertise, hands-on industry experience, and a tailored approach. The collective unites a global network of six independent experts in agtech, each bringing a unique set of skills and perspectives to the table.
The international team, which includes experts from North America, Oceania, Europe, and Latin America, collaborates with strategic partners when needed, aiming to foster impactful advancements in agricultural technology.
Co-founder Maxence Guillaumot – who is based in France – is an engineer, farmer and the founder of AgTech Market. He explains that the collective’s origins trace back to a meeting at the World Ag Expo in 2022. “3 of us got the idea when we met at the expo”, Guillaumot recalls. “Each of us has a background in agriculture and we were working independently on innovation and development in agtech. But as individual consultants, we found it challenging to scale our businesses and fully bring our ideas to life. By joining forces, we realised we could offer better market coverage and a more complementary, complete skillset.”
Helping companies thrive through collaboration
A key goal for the collective is to work with companies they believe in and help them thrive through collaboration. Guillaumot emphasises the importance of their approach: “We all have deep experience in agtech and a shared vision. We can usually assess whether a product will succeed or not. It has to be truly innovative and valuable for farmers, not just a minor upgrade of something existing. We engage with farmers for feedback to ensure we’re meeting their needs.”
Bringing value to farmers
The collective not only supports robotics companies but also assists in other areas, such as innovative fertilizers. The collective focuses on startups, scale-ups, corporates, and investors. For startups, the team can provide long-term support, from validating a product’s market fit to helping craft a comprehensive strategy for international growth.
“Startups are typically very focused on their technology, which they usually excel at”, Guillaumot explains. “They may have a great concept, but often struggle to bring it to market in a way that brings enough value to farmers. I witnessed this firsthand while working for Naïo Technologies, where the company invested heavily in their Dino robot for the California market, but unfortunately, it didn’t become commercially successful. Later it introduced the Orio as a successor.”
The collective does not just assist new startups; it also offers guidance to those that have already gained traction in the market but need help scaling further. “Some companies have a strong local presence but need to take their product to other countries”, says Guillaumot. “Our team helps them assess which markets to enter, how to adapt their products for different regions, and how to define a market strategy. It’s crucial for startups to have a clear plan to grow their market presence.”
The right partnerships
Corporates, Guillaumot points out, tend to excel in more stable, established environments, but they often require more specialised expertise when launching new, disruptive technologies. “Corporates are skilled in a steady-state environment, but when introducing new technology, they may need help with market strategy, distribution, and partnerships. We help them develop these strategies. Corporates can hire people to develop these skills, but that process can take years and can be difficult given the current talent shortages in the field.”
Guillaumot notes that partnerships in agtech frequently evolve into acquisitions, which can help accelerate the development of products. “In agtech, there are often multiple companies working on the same idea”, he says. “Collaborating or acquiring another company can help speed up product development. One company might have historical expertise in hardware and an established market share, while another has cutting-edge technology. For example, Trimble acquired Bilberry to extend its selective spraying capabilities, and later, AGCO acquired a majority stake in Trimble’s precision agriculture business.”
Supporting investors
Beyond startups and corporates, the collective is also focused on supporting investors. By offering market insights, validating investment theses, and building a pipeline of investment opportunities, the collective aims to help investors identify promising agtech ventures. “Investors who reach out to us want to know which companies have the best potential for success”, says Guillaumot. “We have the expertise to analyse products deeply, and investors appreciate that. Startups need investors to secure the funding they need to survive and grow, and we help connect them with the right investors.”
An international team
Guillaumot also highlights the importance of understanding the risks involved in the sector. “There is a lot of consolidation happening in the data platform space at the moment for example, and some platforms will fail. In ag-robotics, some companies will succeed, but others won’t make it in the long term. Investors need to carefully evaluate both the market potential and the real value a product brings to the farm”, he cautions.
Sustainability, according to Guillaumot, is another critical factor in agtech. “Any technology that pollutes more than current methods will ultimately fail. To succeed, a technology must offer a positive environmental impact”, he stresses. “In Europe, for example, there’s a strong focus on reducing herbicide use and fossil fuel consumption. Technologies that don’t align with these values will struggle.”
Guillaumot underscores the advantages of working with an international team. “When we were independent, we adapted projects to our individual skills, but now we can focus entirely on what our clients need. We’re able to provide long-term support, whether that’s after market analysis, helping with the fundraising process, or offering on-the-ground assistance. We have experts on-site in various countries who can provide field-level support. There is growing interest in our collective, and we are eager to partner with the right ‘agventures.’ The demand is there.”
