Sprout Project
Build Better Agtech Together
The SPROUT Project- Supporting Practical Research and On-farm User Testing
SPROUT connects farmers and developers early in the development process to help build agtech products that help solve real problems—not imaginary ones.
Is Agtech Broken ?
Most Agtech struggles to establish itself in the market—not because it’s bad tech, but because it solves the wrong problem.
Farmers get solutions that don’t fit.
Developers build in the dark.
Investors back tools that never scale.
The loop is broken. SPROUT fixes it.
The Sprout Method- Build with, Not for
We close the loop between insight and innovation.
1. Discover Real Problems
We start with farmers—what’s hard, clunky, inefficient?
2. Collaborate to Design
Developers co-create prototypes with real feedback from day one.
3. Test, Refine, Adopt
Tools are validated in real paddocks, not just in pitch decks.
SPROUT Engagement Levels
Choose the right level of on-farm involvement for your technology
Not every agtech trial requires the same level of producer time, insight or interaction.
The SPROUT Project offers four clearly defined engagement levels so developers can match their needs to the appropriate level of on-farm involvement, from simple deployment through to deep insight and interpretation.
SPROUT’s role is to ensure expectations are clear, responsibilities are understood, and producer input beyond passive hosting is appropriately valued.
Level 1 – Passive Hosting
(No cost)
At this level, a producer is willing to host your technology on-farm, provided it does not impact their operations and requires no producer involvement.
The producer is not required to operate, monitor or interact with the device
All installation, setup, monitoring, troubleshooting and removal are the developer’s responsibility
The producer provides the environment only, not labour or feedback
This level is suited to early deployments where you simply need a real on-farm setting to place and observe your technology.
Level 2 – Basic Operational Interaction
(Paid engagement)
This level includes light, practical interactions where minimal producer input is required to keep the technology operating in real farm conditions.
Examples may include:
Moving or repositioning equipment as operations change
Modifying or adjusting equipment as required
Basic handling that fits within normal farm activities
Producer time is billed at an agreed hourly rate, reflecting the additional operational involvement.
Level 3 – Technical Feedback
(Paid engagement)
This level is designed for developers seeking structured, experience-based feedback on how their technology performs on-farm.
It may include:
Feedback on functionality and usability
Observations on reliability and robustness
Notes on performance under day-to-day operating conditions
This engagement draws on the producer’s experience and attention and is billed accordingly.
Level 4 – Insight & IP Validation
(Paid engagement – highest involvement)
Level 4 provides access to producer knowledge, interpretation and decision-making insight.
This level is appropriate where your technology relies on:
Interpreting data or signals generated by the system
Understanding how outputs align with on-farm decisions
Validating whether the information your product generates is meaningful, trusted and actionable in a real-world farming context
At this level, the producer contributes not just time, but tacit knowledge and practical IP developed through lived on-farm experience.
As the most involved tier, it is scoped and costed accordingly.
If you would like more information about the engagement levels please complete the form below and one of the EZI team will be in touch
Who Benefits from Sprout?
🚜 Farmers
Don’t just use the tool. Help design it.”
Your feedback drives the process
No jargon, no pressure—just real input
Get tools that actually fit the way you work
📩 Join as a Farmer Collaborator
🛠️ Agtech Developers & 🔬 Researchers
“Stop guessing what farmers need.”
Validate ideas fast
Avoid wasted dev cycles
Launch with traction built in
🧪 Apply to Test Your Product
Ready to Grow Smarter?
Whether you’re farming, coding, or funding—we want you in the loop.
Complete the relevant forms above for one of our team to be in touch