Business Research & Insights

The rise of e-commerce as an enduring consumer trend is driving a new kind of payments experience within the corporate and government space.

The brains behind Airtasker and v2food share a meal – and their thoughts on how changing your perspective can lead to success.

When it comes to sustainability and eco-innovation, this fifth-generation wine-making family is an Australian success story.

This article first appeared in the Australian Financial Review. By James Dunn.

This article first appeared in the Australian Financial Review. By Alexandra Cain.

From moving to paperless to rethinking talent strategies, digital transformation will be different for every legal practice.

Optiweigh founder Bill Mitchell developed a machine that improved his own beef production operations. Now cattle farmers are knocking down his door.

As the grains logistics industry changed, forward-thinking Jim Riordan evolved his business to stay ahead.

Twenty-nine years ago, when their first ever tomato crop was destroyed by rain and hail, Warren Nichol and Mark Millis were convinced there must be a better way.

From tackling risk to growing your employee value proposition, 2022 is going to throw your business plenty of opportunities. Here’s our expert take on what they’ll look like and how to respond.

Sustainable practices are driving much of the innovation that’s changing the face of Australian agriculture. Here’s what that evolution looks like in practice.

From complex needs to disruptive technology, young doctors are facing fast-changing demands. We look at how educators can ensure they’re equipped for the challenges they’ll face.

Turning ideas into a concrete plan that helps to develop, nurture and build your business just takes some careful planning.

A new, younger generation of Australians is choosing life on the land… and that promises to bring exciting, innovative times for Australian agriculture. 

It’s not hard to see why integrated primary health care is gaining traction in Australia – co-located multidisciplinary teams can deliver big benefits.

Immediate access to cash for Australian businesses through a PayPal and NAB collaboration.

Encouraging new ideas, fostering value-adding innovation and celebrating an emerging spirit of entrepreneurship is vital if our agribusiness sector is to hit a $100 billion valuation by 2030.

Innovation on the rise as Australian businesses double-down.

While last year was one of the most challenging for schools in Australia’s history, schools will adapt post-COVID.

The banking sector has an important role to play in supporting industry through the economic recovery.

Adopting a start-up mentality could be the key to innovating and enduring in today’s challenging times, says one of Australia’s best-known entrepreneurs.

COVID-19 may have dealt the economy a body blow, but quick-thinking Australian businesses are finding ways to repurpose and keep trading.

The story of a tiny surgical screw breaking into the US market is inspirational. Can other Australian healthcare entrepreneurs learn from its success?

By unleashing the power of big data, artificial intelligence is helping businesses supercharge their performance.

Business innovation falters in Australia as the economy slows.

Around the world, technology is transforming patient care. So why is Australia slow to follow suit?

As the end of year approaches, we’d like to recognise how our corporate and institutional clients are making a difference, in Australia and around the world.

Student wellbeing on the agenda for schools.

NAB trials new tap-on-phone payments to support small business.

Australia’s agricultural sector generates mountains of waste each year, but new research programs aim to help farmers turn a profit on unwanted produce.

More than mere high-tech toys, drones are being put to work by businesses around the world in a multitude of ways.

Why thinking about the future helps businesses make better decisions.

High-tech trends that will change the way you do business. Three Australian ICT leaders share their thoughts.

How sustainable farming methods are helping Australian farmers maintain the value of their natural assets over the long term.

How digital tools can empower your patients to prevent and manage chronic disease.

A new whitepaper from NAB examines how the Australian SME sector, and the country more broadly, can continue to prosper, and what we can do to support SMEs. Get the full picture.

In early 2018, two entrepreneurs launched a website that aimed to address the housing affordability crisis by facilitating co-ownership. A few months later, they had an even better idea.

Healthcare providers want to operate efficiently while providing the best possible care for their patients. Here’s how digitisation – My Health Record specifically – can help with both.

Business should recognise the powerful role it can play in ensuring Australia has the right infrastructure, in the right places; infrastructure that’s affordable, reliable and sustainable.

In an increasingly risk-averse and security-conscious world, Martin Lazarevic had an idea – to revolutionise the police check process. He now heads a $14m business recording stunning annual growth.

We discuss the future of health and why failure to innovate nowadays isn’t an option.

From the beginning, Alex Tomic and Nik Mirkovic knew they wanted to think big, and to think global.

Business innovation levels rebound; leadership pivotal to growth.

An ‘e’ prefix tends to indicate a technological leap forward, and that’s certainly the case for ‘eHealth’. It’s helping patients manage their own health and changing their relationship with healthcare providers. So, where does that leave your bottom line? NAB’s Cameron Fuller examines the impact of technology and contemplates potentially profitable new business models.

Australia is a high performer in academic research – yet when it comes to commercialising that research, we rank last in the industrialised world. It’s time for change, says the Chairman of NAB.

Joining innovation hubs, considering alternative funding options and building courage in investors are all paths to a greater entrepreneurial network in Australia, according to business leaders.

Biometric authentication is being rolled out across various industries – and the possibilities feel endless.

With 1.2 million visitors injecting $10 billion into the Australian economy each year, and almost one third of our international students now coming from China, Chinese custom is big business. Alibaba Australia’s MD explains Alipay.

Daylight, a sense of space, a natural outlook… architecture professor Julie Willis on how Australia is taking up the ethos of beautiful hospital design.

Our small and medium businesses are critical to Australia’s prosperity, so it is important that we put in place the right settings that enable our entrepreneurs to have the greatest chance of success.

Melbourne-based start-up Culture Amp is flying high after raising $36 million. So how did they manage it?

The trends reshaping health and the future implications for the Australian marketplace.

The award-winning Arnhem Land Progress Aboriginal Corporation has created jobs in some of Australia’s most isolated communities. CEO Alastair King explains how ALPA is creating the jobs that are key to building successful communities in remote locations.

Chatbots are ready to answer questions 24 hours a day – a big plus when you’re talking health or finances. Dana Bradford, senior research scientist at CSIRO, and NAB’s head of innovation Jonathan Davey discuss how conversations with machines could make life easier.

Observations from the OurCrowd Summit – how crowdfunding is creating opportunities for high-tech entrepreneurs and investors.

As the cost of healthcare continues to rise, state and federal government budgets are facing a growing challenge of balancing the competing needs of health-care expenditure with other areas of spending such as schools and roads.

The race is on to cut costs and save lives. As a nation, we have an impressive history of healthcare innovation – but what of the future? And what’s our place in the race to find new, cost-effective ways to diagnose, treat and prevent illness?

2017 was marked by a return to stability following the volatility of recent times and the rise of innovative new products, especially in the green and social sectors.

What will the new year bring in the world of business trends? Whether it’s health or agriculture, hyper local advertising or self-trained artificial intelligence, NAB has one eye on the (crystal) ball.

*Launch of world-first low carbon shared portfolio backing renewable energy*.

The craft beer industry has exploded in Australia. Four brewers explain what’s driving demand, where the sector is headed and what others entering the industry might consider.

As Australia moves beyond the mining boom, we need to secure new sources of growth to ensure our future prosperity.

A shopfront to the world: how Amazon’s arrival could spell opportunity for Australian retailers.

Securitisation has been one of the compelling stories in the Australian market in 2017. Issuers are keen, investors are willing and there’s abundant appetite for new and exciting assets and structures.

The faster businesses can adapt to this generation and use their skills, the better.

Vincent Garvey had no experience of dialysis – but his prize-winning invention is on track to save millions of lives.

Could Australia be on the cusp of a start-up boom? Economic and social shifts mean the concept may not be as far-fetched as you might think.

Turning IP into profitable products: WA start-up Wangle Technologies has the lucrative network security market in its sights.

Australia’s next phase of growth must be defined by ideas, creativity and execution. Our future lies in our ability to foster a culture of innovation. But how do we measure innovation across all sizes and types of business?

After 10 years in business, Titan Ag is now a formidable strength in holistic agricultural chemical supply, respected for competitive products, relationship building – and now for being grain producers themselves.

Transforming your payments system doesn’t have to hurt and can in fact save time and increase efficiency, as Perth’s Wesley College found out.

When the Australian Government removed price reserve guarantees on wool in 1991, the resulting price collapse meant long-standing beef, lamb and wool producers Julie and Sandy Cameron had to either innovate or accept that their business would perish.

A sharing platform for agricultural equipment could see Aussie farmers spending less on machinery and earning a sideline income hiring out gear which would otherwise sit idle in the shed. Agri View reports.

Research trials on two Northern Territory mango farms are investigating the potential of high resolution satellite imagery combined with fruit-scanning guns to improve productivity and farm efficiency.

HelloFresh doesn’t just deliver food, its very ethos is about bringing people together to cook and eat. So when the global franchise was looking to set up in Australia, management needed a particular set of skills to run the ship. Tom Rutledge, business graduate and former MasterChef contestant, was just the man for the job.

How is biogas powering a cleaner future for farming?

In a changing world, success increasingly comes to those who can devise the most creative solutions to pressing problems. Here we profile seven books to help you reset your thinking, up your flow and tap into your inner creative.

A new partnership between Monash University’s Food Innovation Centre and China’s largest food processing organisation, COFCO, is aimed at helping Australians better understand the Chinese retail environment.

The gruelling task that moving house can be was the inspiration for the online marketplace startup that’s now grown to be a household name and is attracting big investment. Business View spoke to the co-founders of Airtasker, Tim Fung and Jonathan Lui, about their journey.

Robots as a Service could provide the benefits of robotics without the upfront costs. Technology futurist Shara Evans discusses the potential for increasing production and reducing costs.

From Arianna Huffington, Daniel Goleman, Randi Zuckerberg and more, we share the most insightful quotes from the speakers of World Business Forum 2017.

Former Facebook marketing director Randi Zuckerberg shares her views on why everyone is an entrepreneur, why every company should do hackathons and why failure is just the start of success.

Wikipedia founder Jimmy Wales on why he’s good at failure, the need to protect information integrity and what he’s about to launch next.

From the man who gave the world the EQ revolution comes new thinking on how today’s leaders can embrace connectivity to win in a world of flux and change.

“It’s not called failing any more, it’s called learning”: Mohanbir Sawhney, Professor at the Kellogg School of Management, details the concept of agile innovation and shares three ways in which businesses can transform to become agile innovators themselves.

Hear powerful insights and fresh perspectives from some of the world’s leading business success stories. Use Chrome if you are having trouble viewing video. * As this will is a live broadcast, commentary cannot be made here. Follow @#WOBISydney on twitter.

Mohanbir Sawhney is a globally recognised scholar, teacher and consultant in business innovation, technology marketing and new media.

Australia has the talent and the willing investors, so what’s holding our agtech sector back? SproutX General Manager Sam Trethewey discusses a new accelerator program and national co-working space network that could put us on a par with the world’s great innovators.

Hard work and hustle have helped Melbourne cousins Ross and David Fastuca secure a string of corporate customers and win multi-million dollar backing for Travelport Locomote, their travel platform.

New healthy food trends favouring scratch baking and organic and raw produce have created a resurgence of interest in traditional pantry staples, and ingredients brand McKenzie’s is keen to spur on the excitement.

What does it take to make it in online retail? The ability to put your head down, take risks and follow your vision, says THE ICONIC CFO Anna Lee.

When Rachel Muscat was talking to Pharrell Williams about collaborating on a new pair of Adidas sneakers, discussions were going well – until the singer dropped a bombshell.

The ballet shoe has remained relatively unchanged for centuries – since it went from having a heel to being a flat. Enter former ballet dancer Tim Heathcote who is taking on the establishment to revolutionise its design once more.

How many of some of Australia’s most innovative entrepreneurs does it take to catch a cab? If that cab is in Beijing, it seems quite a few.

Having his four daughters join the Perth funeral business he founded 26 years ago was initially something Steve Erceg resisted but today believes their involvement has been key in Seasons Funerals’ evolution and success.

Smart phones and GoPro cameras are on trial in Australian vineyards to help grape growers and wine producers better predict the season’s grape yield – information that could reap major savings for the industry.

No room left at your local hairdresser? Men, it’s time to pamper yourself.

Australia will rely on its schools to grow the next generation of innovators and entrepreneurs. But to what extent do they innovate themselves?

Whether Australian businesses realise it or not, China’s e-commerce giants are clearly jostling for the best position to take advantage of Australian products and services.

If you want your marketing messages to have stronger impact and engagement, it might be time to consider gamification.

Cape Grim has carved a definitive space in the premium beef market, offering a grass-fed, mature protein raised in an environment the CSIRO tests as amongst some of the world’s cleanest air.

Mornington Peninsula Shire is investing an estimated $9.5 million in emissions reduction projects over the next five years as part of a far-reaching plan to generate a cleaner and greener environment as well as operational savings.

Look out quinoa – an Australian-grown ancient grain with serious health credentials is gaining ground on menus as awareness builds about its many benefits.

Digital economy opening new opportunities for successful careers.

How the Internet of Things will revolutionise farm productivity.

How can satellites help to combat rising global pesticide usage?

Rich Gilmore left school hoping to become a wealthy stockbroker, before a trip to an African mangrove forest opened his eyes to saving the environment. “It was a life changing experience for me to see scientists and volunteers out in the field solving other people’s problems…”

How farmers, environmentalists and investors are working together to save the Murray-Darling Basin.

Why is sustainable soil management so vital to our survival?

Launched in early 2016, Dad’s Oats is the brainchild of siblings Alicia and Peter Cain, who clocked the potential for the family farm to earn extra revenue by selling the cream of their crop direct to the public.

Benchmarking can help farmers identify opportunities for growth. Holmes Sackett’s John Francis and NAB’s Matt O’Dea discuss the benefits and considerations.

In 2015, Ian Pratt led major changes to his family company, South Haven Group. He discusses its new branding, the decision to establish an independent board – and the all-importance of culture.

Does focusing on staff satisfaction and building a reputation as a great place to work translate into bottom line benefits for companies? Analytics company SAS believes the answer is yes.

How Peter Barile grew his business from a cafe to the creator of a premium coffee roasting company with its eyes on the global market

Steve Lambert, EGM Capital Financing, explains, innovation and volatility again dominated 2016. Markets were challenged by social, political and economic events which brought about new opportunities for our customers. We delivered insights and solutions to help them face into the increasing environment of disruption and regulation.

Big data could help level the playing field for small- to medium-sized farmers. The Australian Farm Institute’s Mick Keogh and Precision Agriculture’s Andrew Whitlock discuss the opportunities and how to make the most of them.

Agronomist Peter Birch details five agricultural technologies on the radar for Australia farmers.

It’s 26 years since Michelle Melbourne experienced a ‘sliding doors moment’ that set her on the path to founding Intelledox, now a global software firm.

Kangaroo broth, macadamia milk, river mint – a new initiative plans to put a premium spin on native Australian foods and take them to the world.

How did a little maternity wear start-up from Victoria grow into an international business?

After four years at the helm of a firm in turbo-growth phase, Podpac co-founder Toby Strong shares seven ways start-ups can manage rapid growth and live to tell the tale.

When she couldn’t find what she wanted for her baby, Mirabai Winford decided to go out and create it herself.

Sixth-generation farmer Charles Downie has managed Glenelg Estate through a period of drought and active stock reduction, to a flourishing flock producing some of the world’s finest fleece.

Innovation in independent schools led by doing things differently and cost efficiently.

Pactum Dairy Group, part of the Freedom Foods Group, is riding the wave of China’s growing love affair with dairy beverages. Freedom Foods Group Managing Director, Rory Macleod, explains how.

From one product line on Australian shelves many years ago, Stahmann Farms now has an abundant 40 nut products in some of the world’s biggest supermarkets chains as well as delivering branded products into its own online store in China.

Emma Stallworthy is one half of the entrepreneurial husband and wife team behind growing fitness brand Pinnacle Health Club.

An early love of horses almost led Western Health CEO Alex Cockram to become a veterinarian but her great interest in people’s lives, motivations and their resilience inspired her into psychiatry. It’s what’s still inspiring her today.

This insights paper has been prepared by NAB Corporate Health and JBWere to address the current challenges facing providers and to examine some of the successful strategies being adopted.

Agribusiness entrepreneurs get a high-powered facility

A commitment to big data is helping the NSW Ministry of Health not only save costs but save lives, from identifying patterns early to ultimately reducing the number of people who end up in the emergency department.

Treating the Movember fundraising initiative like a start-up has helped its founders to grow it from a challenge among friends into a global event that has so far raised more than $650 million to help fight prostate cancer.

Issues such as water access, a more efficient supply chain, and the protection of the family farm are at the heart of a new regional initiative aimed at driving a new wave of growth for Central Queensland.

Boundaries are blurring between profit-making enterprises and philanthropic organisations. We profile two businesses that have prioritised giving back to the community – Kookai’s Katalyst Foundation and Thankyou.

This report looks into the growing trends of digitisation and how that is driving deeper partnerships with consumers. It is based on insights from industry experts, clients, NAB Health’s analysts, plus key strategy executives representing practitioners, pharmacists, and corporate health.

Every business needs a plan, including a general practice. Dr Neville Steer and accountant Sue Prestney discuss the benefits of keeping a business plan short and simple.

Australia’s next phase of growth must be defined by ideas, creativity and execution. By people and businesses that are adaptive, agile, thought leaders and doers.

Aglive has developed a unique digital traceability platform to connect farm to food and unlock the value of food safety compliance for farmers.

A host of new domain name extensions are providing health practitioners with new branding and search marketing opportunities, as well as creating a level of trust and credibility for the overall sector.

Entrepreneur Joep Pennartz is tapping into the appeal of a country break with an accommodation idea that offers a potential new income stream for farmers.

Health Project Services CEO Dean Crozier is on a mission to deliver a vital transformation of the healthcare property sector in Australia.

CSIRO and Bayer have teamed up to run Sustainable Futures, a free education program that’s been rolled out to about 450 schools so far.

Amaysim’s low-overheads model was initially tested in several European markets, teaching it valuable lessons that enabled it to successfully set up shop in Australia’s highly competitive telco market.

Nick Heywood-Smith and his wife Nikki explain how they built Wellness and Lifestyles Australia into a one-stop shop for allied health services.

Skye Blackburn is carving out a new market convincing Australians to go eat bugs, shipping 400 kilograms of bugs a week through the Edible Bug Shop.

Tess Herbert, who along with her husband Andrew runs one of the most successful feedlot operations in Australia, is the first female to become President of the Australian Lot Feeders Association.

Digital innovation as well as increasing demand for Australia’s health expertise overseas are two of the big opportunities ahead for the local healthcare sector, says NAB Health’s new General Manager, Cameron Fuller.

Jeremy Meltzer is the founder of i=Change, which gives participating online retailers an easy way to donate money from every sale. He came up with the idea of giving $1 from every sale to a development project while in New York promoting Yellingbo Gold.

Oscar de Vries is the entrepreneur behind OSCAR RAZOR, a subscription-based model that home delivers German-made razors and shaving products.

Automation can help to reduce costs, boost production and make Australian SMEs more globally competitive. Professor Roy Green, Dean of the UTS Business School, and RØDE Microphones founder Peter Freedman discuss the best ways to make the most of emerging opportunities.

Continued growth in the ageing population is expected to generate business for healthcare providers. Strategic Professor Susan Gordon, South Australian Chair of Restorative Care at Flinders University, explains the benefits of differentiating your services to meet older people’s evolving needs.

The international trend towards more nutritious, protein-rich eating is reaping healthy rewards for Australia’s largest nut and health food company, Select Harvests.

We talk to one of the developers of the CancerAid smartphone app that helps doctors to personalise their support for cancer patients.

Vision Australia has come up with an innovative approach to fundraising – equipping Ambassador Seeing Eye Dogs with Tap and Pay devices.

Sir Richard Branson lights up the room with stories of innovation and culture at the World Business Forum. From delegation to innovation to the importance of parties, Sir Richard Branson shares his insights into business.

Nicholas Negroponte of MIT Media Lab shares on the future of technology.

Rita McGrath shares what she’s learned at the World Business Forum.

Tamara Erickson of London Business School shares five predictions on the workplace of the future.

Robert S Kaplan, Harvard Professor, shares what he’s learned at the World Business Forum.

Chris Gardner, author of the 2006 autobiography, The Pursuit of Happyness, shares what he’s learned at the World Business Forum.

Three CEOs share their insights on the process and challenge of transformation.

CEO Seat: Architect Rebekah Hurworth, the powerhouse behind Family Home Experts, a Brisbane practice specialising in new homes, renovations and extensions.

Business View magazine asks three of the speakers at the Sydney World Business Forum 2016 for their views on the biggest challenges facing the business world today.

Suzanne left her high-profile position as head of the Buchanan Group Australia/New Zealand in February 2014 to take the online Habitots business she’d started in 2013 to the next level – launching a bricks and mortar version of the brand.

Two cyclists Cameron Harrison and Thomas Treloar are behind The Rolling Fix, a mobile bicycle service company that’s mending bicycles for a growing number of corporate clients.

Wearable technology could improve patients’ quality of life and help medical professionals to provide more tailored care. Associate Professor Vijay Sivaraman discusses the potential benefits, and why widespread adoption could be five years away.

Queensland podiatrist and physiotherapist Caroline McCulloch launched FRANKiE4 after spotting a gap in the women’s shoe market for styles that are both comfortable and fashionable.

A lot of small and medium businesses don’t realise they are conducting Research & Development when they improve existing products or develop new ones. They might be eligible for a generous tax incentive, but time to claim is running out.

Richard Mohan and his family run a micro agribusiness called Midyim Eco Produce, which specialises in rare and specialty peppers such as pimientos de padrón – small green peppers unique to the Spanish region of Padrón.

Gilmore speaks to Private Word about setting up the restaurant, his goals for its future and some of the secrets of his success.

Jodie Fox is revolutionising the footwear industry, but she has a bigger vision for the fashion sector. Custom manufacturing is the way to keep up with evolving customer demands – and one day consumers will be able to 3D print their shoes at home.

Over the past decade, Ballarat City Council has delivered significant savings by swapping the manual processing of invoices for credit cards. Stephen Bigarelli, Ballarat City Council’s Accounting Services Manager, explains.

Coomera Anglican College in Queensland expects energy savings of 30 per cent or over $70,000 a year from the Energy in Education Program for Schools.

Political refugee Luz Restrepo’s struggles settling in Australia led to her setting up the social enterprise SisterWorks that’s helping vulnerable women with an asylum seeker, refugee and migrant background.

VIDEO: Georgia Beattie, founder of Beatttie Wines, discusses how she plans to remain innovative over the next five years and who she is partnering with to do so.

An advanced software system developed in Alice Springs called Precision Pastoral Management System (PPMS) is helping cattle farmers manage their land better by identifying areas in their production cycle that need to be improved. It could add an estimated $70,000 to the bottom line for the average rangeland cattle property.

Innovation is a key driver of business success. It’s typically defined by a firm’s knowledge of the market and customers, constant process reviews, learning from failures and passion and drive.

When sisters Nikki Jurcutz and Rachael Waia co-founded the Tiny Hearts Paediatric First Aid course, they became the youngest women to own a registered training organisation in Australia.

The recent Agricultural Competitiveness White Paper committed $4 billion to the sector but is that enough to support potential growth? Simon Talbot, CEO of the National Farmers’ Federation, discusses the gains, the gaps and why the industry needs to revisit its image.

In this video Cindy Batchelor, NAB Business Executive General Manager, discusses how SMEs can embrace innovation.

Ainslie Chemmart Compounding Pharmacy’s Colette Needham is embracing the challenges facing the pharmaceutical industry by positioning the pharmacy as an all round destination for health and wellbeing.

VIDEO: We talk to Georgia Beattie about how she went from a uni student to a successful business owner who exports her products to Asia.

In this video Cindy Batchelor, NAB Business Executive General Manager, discusses why innovation is so important for business.

Run by four families, Flinders Ranges Premium Grain in South Australia has an expanding grain and flour export business that sells itself on the location and soil it’s grown in, in the same way wine does.

EGM Capital Financing, Steve Lambert, discusses two common themes that were present over the past 12 months - Innovation and volatility. It seems that 2015 saw more firsts in the market while at the same time it seeemed markets were closing just as quickly as they opened.

Father and son entrepreneurs Stuart and Cedar Anderson of Flow Hive™ fame overshot their original crowdfunding target of $97,000 by about $16.8 million. How did it happen and where do you go from there?

The Ralstons have been farming oysters for five generations. Now, with brothers John and Ben Ralston at the helm they are using innovative techniques to attract new customers.

The NAB Group Economics team identify 10 global and domestic themes which will have bearing on the economic and financial market outlook for 2016.

With seven facilities in Melbourne and plans to expand interstate in 2016, Kieser Training has successfully adapted a European business model to the local market. Tony Smith, Managing Director of Kieser Training, shares his top tips for bringing a European business to Australia.

Food catering has evolved from being an add-on to mainstream shopping complex merchandising, to an attraction in its own right.

The Clean Energy Finance Corporation is working with NAB to make energy-efficient equipment more affordable. NAB’s Robert White discusses the benefits of investing in new technology.

Healthy, delicious, sustainable – and as Australian as you can get. Kangaroo meat’s praises are being sung by chefs, and farmers would love to see increased harvesting of the animals. But local consumers remain slow to put it on their regular shopping list.

The realisation that so many Australian school children are completely oblivious about where their food and fibre comes from prompted a South Australian mother to create the George the Famer app.

Professor Yogesan Kanagasingam, Research Director of the CSIRO’s Australian e-Health Research Centre, is using the NBN Satellite to conduct remote eye screening in remote indigenous communities. He’s expanded the reach of the Remote-I platform to China.

According to a recent report from Deloitte Access Economics, Digital Government Transformation, governments have already adopted a range of digital innovations and are gradually moving services online. However, they’re lagging behind both the private sector and their own customers.

Mara Seeds is a diverse family company selling everything from organic soil treatments to cattle. Managing Director Stuart Larsson discusses his sustainable approach to business.

Innovation is a key driver of business success and a differentiator of high growth-potential segments of the economy. This special report explores business attitudes towards innovation and opportunities.

KAITEKI Fresh has launched a hydroponic facility in Victoria that produces up to eight times as much high quality, high nutrient spinach, rocket and kale using less water than conventional farming and no pesticides.

With demand for flavoursome craft beer with personality continuing to boom in Australia, a new brewpub with one of the country’s top brewers at the helm was guaranteed to win plenty of fans. But FogHorn Brewhouse is also gaining attention for its approach to environmental sustainability.

You might not know the name, but if you’ve driven a car or travelled in a bus, ferry or train lately, you’ll have seen the work of Hi-Vis Group, an innovative Newcastle-based company at the forefront of the Australian signage industry.

When the booming online entertainment business threatened the future of film and television production company Cutting Edge, it invested in digital channels to diversify the business and boost the bottom line. The strategy paid off with expected growth of 20 percent in 2016.

Australia’s second-largest sugar producer also powers almost a third of Mackay. Quinton Hildebrand, Chief Executive Officer of Mackay Sugar, explains how a ‘nothing is wasted’ approach to the business is creating multiple income streams.

GT Ferreira, who made his mark in South Africa, is leading the charge to make Australia the most valuable mohair producing country in the world.

Nick Cracknell explains how sustainable practices helped increase production, reduce costs and minimise waste without comprising on flavour.

After representing Australia as a professional skier, Pete Forras wanted to start a business based on his love of snow sports. Forras shares a day in the life of running XTM Australia from his beach house in Torquay.

The Brosnans used innovative technology to create a 1,300-sow piggery that’s efficient, humane and powered by electricity generated from pig manure and other waste products. We look at how they’re leading the way with their sustainable, whole-of-farm approach.

Richard Thame, CEO of Fastway Couriers, explains how he tackled a competitive market to carve out new business opportunities and his plans to make Fastway the courier company people think of when it comes to e-commerce and parcel delivery.

Jillamatong’s pastures are lush and weed free yet Martin Royds spends next to nothing on biocide sprays – and has even sold his ploughs. He discusses the role of holistic management in creating a drought-resistant environment for raising healthy cattle

Twelve months after launching Doughheads, Newcastle-baker Anna Farthing is selling up to 4000 doughnuts a week. Her decadent doughnuts have hit the sweet spot with the business now employing 14 staff and averaging growth of 20 percent a month.

Nathan Free, 26, a fourth generation Victorian farmer, named the 2014 AUSVeg Young Grower of the Year, runs Wattle Organic Farms. Launched six years ago by a group of like-minded organic growers, the business is growing at 200 percent year-on-year.

NAB Health shares insights into the changing landscape of the health sector in Australia, providing findings from customers and key sector strategy executives for Practitioners and Specialists, Pharmacy and Corporate Health.

D.D. Saxena, the founder and Managing Director of Riverina Oils & BioEnergy (ROBE), has built a $150 million state-of-the-art, fully integrated oilseed crushing and refining plant in Wagga Wagga that’s crushing and refining over 165,000 tonnes of oilseeds a year.

Recognition that the environment in which patients are treated makes a big difference to how successful the outcomes are is driving hospital design, according to Conrad Gargett’s Managing Director Bruce Wolfe, a firm believer in what’s known as ‘Salutogenic Design’.

Andrew French is a Gippsland farmer who’s exceeded his own expectations by turning what could have been a disastrous event into a booming business with the help of some indigenous plant species that grew and thrived in the salty estuaries of his Snowy River property.

It’s half a century since the founders of The Pancake Parlour first wowed Aussie diners with fresh, delicious pancakes but age has not wearied the Melbourne dining institution whose charm and innovative strategies continue to drive its success.

When the Estens family started growing oranges they had been cotton farmers for over 30 years. Dick Estens discusses why they decided to diversify, how they’re building a sustainable citrus industry and their success in exporting orange juice to Asia.

Bees that pollinate crops (worth an estimated $4 billion) are under threat from a devastating pest, the Varroa mites. Beekeeper Lindsay Bourke, a finalist in the 2014 Plant Biosecurity Farmer of the Year Awards, explains how biosecurity – and the bees themselves – can build up our defences.

Husband-and-wife partners in film, theatre and entertainment production company Bazmark Inq, Baz Luhrmann and Catherine Martin reveal the secrets to their successful partnership spanning the arts, business and family life.

David Hohnen, the former CEO of Cape Mentelle and Cloudy Bay, is combining his dual passions for wine and sustainable agriculture with a family winery called McHenry Hohnen and The Farm House, a butchery, smokehouse and smallgoods maker.

Mark Wootton and Eve Kantor have spent almost 20 years building up their carbon neutral sheep and cattle farm. Wootton explains how planting almost a million trees helped to double the carrying capacity of their 6700 hectares and boost their profitability.

Continuous improvement is fundamental to business success. Training and management consultant Derek Stockley explains how leading by example and creating the right culture can engage and motivate your employees as well as generate new ideas.

If you eat meat and live in Australia you’ve most likely eaten the award-winning fare created by Bertocchi Smallgoods, the nation’s largest continental smallgoods manufacturer.

Many of the great companies in technology were started by partnerships. Wozniak says when you have great ideas you need some other people to ripple it off, and at least one key friend who believes in it.

Harvard Professor Sarah Lewis, delivers a truly insightful session on the importance of mastery in order to successfully achieve goals and knowing how to proceed or when to quit on an idea. Read the insights from her presentation at the World Business Forum.

Farmers are using drones to collect information on everything from germination patterns to hail damage. Peter Birch, who operates a drone for farmers around Australia, discusses their value and the role they’re likely to play in the future.

It started out as a way of cutting the cost of fuel. Today, Ecofuels Australia’s biodiesel operation is just one aspect of a ‘closed-loop’ system that includes rearing livestock and generating power. General Manager Peter O’Donnell discusses his commitment to sustainable practices that make economic sense.

Weed control activities are costing Aussie farmers around $1.5 billion a year and herbicide resistance is on the rise. Whilst wide rows make it easier for machinery to pass through stubble they increase the need for herbicide. A return to narrower rows could be part of a balanced solution.

After struggling to find a buyer for his first crop of coffee, Ian MacLaughlin has gone on to become Australia’s largest exporter of Arabica coffee. He explains how sustainable practices helped him to create a competitive edge and underpin his continuing success.

A recent survey of over 5,000 farming customers found that 74 per cent had made changes to their businesses as a result of natural resource sustainability in the past two to three years. NAB is stepping up its recognition of the benefits of sustainable business practices.

David Blackmore’s melt-in-the-mouth Wagyu beef is recognised around the world thanks, he says, to a healthy farm and happy cattle. Today his biggest challenge is keeping up with demand from some of the world’s leading chefs and restaurateurs.

Changes to the financial sector’s Basel III rules are making it expensive for councils to borrow from banks. NAB’s James Waddell explains how the Local Government Funding Vehicle (LGFV) will create efficiencies, reduce borrowing costs and open up new avenues for local council finance.

From satellite navigation to controlled traffic zonal tillage, David Cox is at the cutting-edge of precision farming. He explains how he uses technology to reduce costs and increase efficiency on his North Queensland sugarcane farm and how he’s now helping other farmers do the same.

Adelaide-based FCT Flames has ignited all but one of this century’s summer and winter Olympic Games cauldrons since Sydney in 2000. Con Manias reflects on the time he spotted this unique opportunity for his business as well as managing an unpredictable cash flow.

Following a recent NAB-hosted roundtable event on Social Impact Investing, The Australian Financial Review today released editorial covering the topic from two journalists who were in attendance, James Dunn and Jonathan Shapiro.

Not all fruit and vegetables can be supermodels – the wonky carrots and curly capsicums farmers often have to throw away are just as tasty and nutritious. As CEO of Spade & Barrow, Katy Barfield is committed to reducing waste and paying farmers a fair price for their whole crop.

Keen to encourage young people to enter the sheep, meat and wool industry, Don and Pam Mudford changed the way they did business to better suit the next generation. Don opens up about his family’s commitment to breeding hardier sheep and the challenge of encouraging young people into farming.

Creative thinking has all sorts of benefits, not just for marketing and promotion, but also for solving business problems and innovating. Advertising executive Carolyn Miller shares tips on how small businesses can benefit from creative persuasion.

Technology changes quickly, so it’s easy to feel overwhelmed and out of touch. But, as Chief Executive Officer of Tech Coach HQ, Megan Iemma explains, the secret to feeling in control and making the most of technology is taking it one ‘byte’ at a time.

Clinical trials provide access to new treatments, contribute to Australia’s economy and support our public sector institutions. Dr Brendan Shaw, Medicines Australia Chief Executive, discusses the challenges and opportunities that are shaping our innovative medicines industry.

Innovation is often confused with invention, but it’s fundamental to business growth and maintaining a competitive edge. Chris Gebhardt, Director of William Buck, discusses the importance of building an innovative culture and suggests simple ways for generating new ideas.

Australian businesses are increasingly exporting to Asia. Business View talks to Thermal Electric Elements (TEE), a manufacturer of custom-made heating units and elements, about their journey east and the impact it’s had on their business so far.

Australians are increasingly importing from Asia. Business View talks to designer, Christina Re about her journey east, the impact it’s had on her Aussie-based business, and how she believes Asia provides scope for growth and the opportunity to create beautiful products.

Facebook can be good for business, but many business owners aren’t sure how to use it effectively. Steve Hibberd, co-founder of Tiger Pistol, discusses ways to make the most of Facebook by getting your message to the right people, as well as a special offer for NAB Business customers.

The Australian project finance market is widely considered a world leader when it comes to assessing the financing of greenfield development risk. Michael Clarke looks at how mining/resource project financing may be a helpful paradigm for financing large-scale greenfield agri developments.

Ninety three percent of Australia’s annual grain crop is grown under dryland conditions. Southern Panel Chair of the Grains Research and Development Corporation, explains how national and international research is helping farmers in this challenging environment.

Technology has changed virtually every part of our lives: how we interact with friends and family, how we raise our children, how we announce major life news, how we find love, and how we manage our careers. Randi Zuckerberg explores the exciting developments in technology.

Good ideas with no execution ends in no results. There are seven simple tools for developing a culture of excellent execution, says global business and leadership consultant Ram Charan. He has worked extensively with some of the world’s leading corporates.

Gary Hamel, visiting Professor of Strategic and International Management at London Business School, electrified the World Business Forum audience with his new and radical vision of change management and how companies can restructure.

Lyn Heward, former Director of Creation, President and COO of the Creative Content Division of Cirque du Soleil challenges every individual and company to go through what she calls ‘the seven doors’ to enhance creativity, motivate high performers and foster innovation.

Our leading team of economists have broken-down how the 2014 Federal Budget impacts Australian small business. As well as analysis, we outline the key initiatives and how the industry is responding.

Our leading team of economists have broken-down how the 2014 Federal Budget impacts Australian business. As well as analysis, we outline the key initiatives and how the industry is responding.

Our leading team of economists have broken-down how the 2014 Federal Budget impacts Australian agribusinesses. As well as analysis, we outline the key initiatives and how the industry is responding.

While some saw this as ‘the Budget we had to have’, the grants news is good. Overall funding for businesses is set to increase under measures proposed in the 2014 Federal Budget. GrantReady summarises what the Budget means for grants and funding programs.

Patrick Vizzone, Regional Head of Food & Agribusiness, Asia, Institutional Banking reflects on how the outcomes of last November’s Third Plenary Session of China’s Communist Party’s Central Committee may shape the Australian agriculture sector.

Robots are on the march. Most of them work on assembly lines, building cars, making electronic devices and processing food, drugs and chemicals. But robots are spreading beyond the factory - a trend that will accelerate in 2014.

Australia’s role in securing the food, water and supply chains of Asia will be dependent on our ability to embrace change and innovation. Dr. Ken Henry looks at the opportunities that exist for Australian businesses in the Asian century.