A Gold Coast startup is putting the haste into waste, with a new rapid compost system that can reformulate solid and agricultural waste into fertiliser in less than five days.

Bio10 is harnessing advanced biological processes and enzyme technologies to accelerate waste decomposition and enhance nutrient retention, reducing waste to high value compost which, with certain inputs, can be processed to produce pelleted fertilser.

With advantages including a huge reduction in timeframes, it’s set to revolutionise farming.

The company has been fast-tracked through the 2024 GRDC GroundUp program, which aims to accelerate solutions for Australia’s grains sector. 

Director Sam Jahangard said the rapid compost system Bio10 had developed was crucial in addressing the growing challenges of waste management and resource scarcity in agriculture.

“Australia is importing millions of tonnes of fertiliser and so much food waste is ending up in landfill,” Mr Jahangard said.

“The only way to deal with it is to recycle food waste. The problem with compost is that it’s typically a five to six month process. However, we have developed technology that can transform waste into fertiliser within five days.

“By significantly shortening the composting cycle, we enable farmers and industries to manage waste more sustainably, efficiently and effectively.”

Founded in 2019 with a team of specialists in aquaculture, biotechnology and industrial engineering, Bio10 is also focusing on another major challenge in the agricultural sector – growing pesticide resistance.

Combining natural ingredients with the latest nano technology, the company has created a range of compelling alternatives to synthetic pesticides that repel large and small pests with a single-treatment solution including mealy bugs, spider mites, russet mites, aphids and caterpillars.

“We know for a fact pesticides aren’t working the way they used to,” Mr Jahangard said.

“We’ve used advanced technology to create non-toxic products that create a physical barrier against pests while shielding plants from harm.”

At the heart of everything is Bio10’s vision to revolutionise the agricultural product landscape with a future devoid of harmful synthetic chemicals.

It currently has a pilot facility at Burleigh Heads that can produce up to 60,000 litres of non-toxic fertiliser, disease barrier and pesticide products each day. Commercial trials of these products are underway and are expected to be available on the market within the next few months.

Supported by the Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC), GroundUp is a 12-week accelerator program run by the Agtech and Logistics Hub, which is powered by AgriBusiness Connect. 

Bio10 joined GroundUp to refine its business model, expand its network and increase its capacity to contribute to sustainable agriculture, solidifying its position as a leader in the industry.

AgriBusiness Connect CEO Thomas Hall said the innovators selected for this year’s GroundUp program offered a host of remarkable solutions.

“We are incredibly excited about the 10 innovators in this year’s cohort, who were selected from a large number of quality applicants from across Australia and beyond,” he said.

“It’s great to see Bio10 working towards solving two major challenges in the grains industry – reducing waste and the growing demand for non-synthetic fertilisers and pesticides.