NAFI Management Team

Greg Spinks

NAFI Founder

Greg is the Founder and Chair of the National Agriculture and Food Incubator (NAFI). He through his consulting firm, Consulting & Implementation Services (CIS) has been a major catalyst for funding innovation in the agriculture and food sector. His 25+ years of working in the agriculture and food innovation sector have seen him develop extensive and trusted relationships in the sector and strong linkages to prospective start-up companies or sources of start-up companies.

He is regularly called upon to identify innovations with commercial potential and lead innovation workshops. He and his firm are regularly called upon to provide evidence-based advice on where agriculture and food research funding should be directed.

Dr Darren Cundy

Chief Executive Officer

Darren holds a Ph.D in Organic Chemistry (Uni Qld), a Masters in Commercialisation of Science & Technology (Uni Adel), and is a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors. Darren has been a Board Member and Chairman of several early-stage companies, e.g. Avipep P/L Hyssil P/L, Utas Nexus Aquasciences P/L, the inaugural CEO of Blue Economy CRC, and CEO of Ag-Tech Start-up Davren International P/L.

He has been at the interface of early-stage technology businesses and commercialisation for more than 15 years, having held roles including Investment Manager for the GBS Bioscience early-stage venture fund, ‘Genesis Ventures’, Executive Manager (Commercial) at CSIRO, Director of Technology Transfer and Business Development at the University of Tasmania and Director of Knowledge Exchange and Enterprise at the University of Newcastle. Prior to this role, Darren was a senior Consultant with CIS P/L.

Damien Thomas

Lead Mentor

Damien Thomas will coordinate NAFI’s panel of mentors. Damien was previously Managing Director of kin8 Pty Ltd which focussed on the full technology commercialisation journey for inventors, startup companies and corporates. Earlier in his career Damien was Director of Industry Engagement and Commercialisation at RMIT University and Group Director of Business Development at CSIRO. He has considerable international experience in Europe, China, Singapore and the United States.