Michael Macolino

Michael is a serial entrepreneur, operator and advisor, with a passion for redesigning the food system. With experience as the Managing Director for APAC at SVG Ventures Thrive and Director for AgriFood tech at BDO, Michael privately advises startups and organisations across the global AgriFood innovation eco-system. Starting his first company at 21, started a 15 year journey to launch five businesses across a range of industries. His long term engagement with entrepreneurship and mentoring was recognised in 2020, as a winner in the InDaily 40 under 40 awards. Michael’s curiosity for solving problems using technology led him to Agriculture and the food system, where he now leverages his skills, experience and network to assist AgriFood Tech startups commercialise and scale their innovations to redesign the food system. Michael is deeply engaged in the development of the AgriFood tech eco-system, working with various startup events and programs, as well as being the co-organiser of the South Australian AgriTech Meetup Group. Michael’s thinking on redesigning the food system was featured in his TEDx talk, in which he detailed the potential of emerging technologies in agriculture to build a more sustainable and resilient food system.