Issue No. 2. June 2020

Progress despite the Pandemic

We’ve never stopped here at Seedlab Tasmania, despite global pandemics and everyone being in lockdown. Although it’s been more about survival than export, initially.

The Seedlab team have been busy connecting everyone up digitally, providing insights from around Tasmania, Australia and the world via the power of technology, and ensuring everyone was aware of new opportunities like new online e-commerce platforms and how to make the best of them.

With the push to take everything digital, photography and understanding technology has never been more critical and so we have had some crash courses in this, and brought the startup businesses along on the journey. It’s fair to say that many of the startup businesses we are dealing with as part of Seedlab have actually seen a substantial upturn in their business as a result of getting online and working it, and pivoting in the face of uncertain and changeable times.

We are excited for the future based on how well Seedlab is being received by participants and how open the community has been to sharing with us.

Zooming with the cultivators

Seeland Academy Website

Media madness for the cultivator crew

Cultivators go Virtual

We’re only 6 weeks into the 6 month Cultivate Cohort Group #1, and already the 16 businesses engaged with Cultivate are developing a warm and vibrant community – sharing information and insights with each other and with good levels of contact between individual businesses.

It’s been an action-packed month for our Cultivators as we’ve been joined by some truly inspiring topic specialists to cover topics from pivoting to publicity to marketing and more - and all from the comfort of their living rooms!

Connecting our Community

The Seedlab Team have been beavering away like, well, beavers, to create new and exciting ways to connect our growing communities. From launching an online platform to host the rich content created by our topic specialists to completely overhauling our website, it has never been easier to connect with the wealth of resources we’re creating here at Seedlab. as our seedling businesses progress through Seedlab.

Cultivators in the Media

And the media have been going mad for our Cultivate Crew – with front page coverage in Tas Country, The Examiner and Tasmanian Farmer for Anroc Apiaries, Guide Falls Farm, Little Isle Mushrooms, Noya Spirits, and other coverage for Artisa, Breadarchitect, Glen Torrie Pastures, and Tin Mountain Gin.

A little birdy has mentioned that Soyoyoy and Shipwreck Yeast also have some coverage in the wings. We are appreciative of the support our sponsors provided helping spread the Seedlab news..

Founder Features

Applications are now open

Harvey Norman Award Winners

Get to know our Cultivators

“18 months ago a friend said to us, ‘of the 1000 things I thought you two would do, tofu making wasn’t one of them’” says Soyoyoy cofounder James Phelps. What began as a passion for powering friends and family with a source of quality, plant-based protein has now become a full-time labour of love for James and Loz.

Having noticed a distinct lack of quality traditional-style tofuin food markets and supermarkets combined with a lack of Tasmanian-based tofu producer, James and Loz had always entertained the idea of Soyoyoy at a subconscious level. However it wasn’t until James provided some of their homemade tofu to café-owning friends that soon retailers and restaurants alike were clamouring for their tasty plant-based produce. James and Loz debuted Soyoyoy at Farmgate Market and they haven’t looked back since.

Learn more about Soyoyoy by clicking here.

Applications for Germinate Now Open

The first part of Seedlab Tasmania’s three-part program is Germinate, a pre-incubator bootcamp. Germinate is designed to give early stage founders the chance to develop their business plans, work on their pitch and to understand what it means to be export-ready.

Aimee and Ian from Little Isle Mushrooms were one of 45 startups to complete our first round of Germinate, and share a key learning: “Sometimes your target market or packaging might not be exactly on point. This is why MVP (Minimum Viable Product) is important. Start with something and then make gradual changes.”

You can now apply to participate in our second round of Germinate, commencing in September.

A Month for Awards

We know the value that winning awards has for startup businesses, and are thrilled to acknowledge the wins experienced by Campo de Flori, Red Cow Organics and Tunnel Hill Mushrooms in the 2020 delicious. Harvey Norman Produce Awards – congratulations!

Red Cow Organics also collected their second award for the month, taking home a gold medal for their Organic Brie in the Dairy Industry Association Awards 2020. Artisa has been nominated for Best Vegan Cheese in the 2020 @nourish_au Vegan Awards. Good luck!

What we want you to do:Please share our Leaflet with other businesses you think would like to know about Seedlab. Hope to see you at one of our events soon, The Seedlab Team

The Seedlab Tasmania Project is supported by the Australian Government Department of Industry, Science, Energy and Resources through Incubator Support initiative funding as part of the Entrepreneurs’ Programme. In addition to sponsorship from other institutes/companies:

“Thanks again for accepting my business into the Seedlab

Tasmania Germinate Bootcamp. I am extremely

excited to be a part of it and can’t wait to get started”,

Peter Handy, Vertical Pastures.

“I am beyond excited to be a part of this amazing initiative”,

Tracy Taylor, Southwood Wines.

Check out more of our pics and videos and register for upcoming events on More information about Seedlab, and apply to be in Round #2 at

Dr Hazel MacTavish-West

Darren West

Karina Dambergs

is the Founder of Seedlab Tasmania. AKA The VegDoctor, she is an international consultant food scientist & entrepreneur, a Churchill Fellow, founder of the Food Innovation Hub, a founding member of the Tasmanian Food Cluster and Director of MacTavish West Pty. Ltd.

is Seedlab’s technology guru and is a highly experienced development engineer and technical manager with a proven track record of delivering diverse, complex technical projects across multiple industry sectors; he’s also a Chartered electronic and professional engineer, and Director of MacTavish West Pty. Ltd.

is the CEO of FermenTasmania and founder of Red Brick Road Cider brings substantial business and incubator expertise, including experience around developing luxury brands and fermentation technology.