Speakers

  • Jim Beretta is president at Customer Attraction, a marketing consulting company specializing in the automation and robotics industry. He is best known as the driving force behind marketing and branding for one of North America’s largest automation integrators, ATS Automation. With over 30 years in the automation industry, he works with automation manufacturers, distributors, robot OEMs, and the automation community worldwide. Jim is a speaker and moderator at industry conferences and is a host at The Robot Industry Podcast and Automation Matters Podcast. He lives in London with his wife and business partner.

  • Ian McDonald has been the Applied Research Coordinator for the Field Crops Unit of OMAFRA since 2000 and Crops Innovations Specialist since 2016, before which he spent 15 years in ag industry as a researcher on new pesticides with Hoechst and Dupont.

    Through research, demonstration, networking and other means Ian works to find tools and build knowledge to share with producers and agri-business that enhance farm profitability and reduce agricultures environmental footprint.

    Areas of focus include AgRobotics, Precision Agriculture, Soil Compaction and Cropping Systems Integration and Logistics seeking to reduce the reliance on tillage.

  • Mr. Paulo is a Director with the Science and Technology Branch (STB) at Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC), where he oversees Research, Development and Technology (RDT) activities for AAFC research centres in Southern Ontario, as well as the Technology Transfer Office in Guelph, Ontario. He also serves as the Director Lead for STB’s National One Health Portfolio, guiding an integrated approaches that link animal, plant, human, and environmental health within agricultural research.

    Sérgio is a member of the Research Coordination Committee of the International Joint Commission’s (IJC), and serves as AAFC’s departmental representative on organizations such as the Agricultural Research and Innovation Ontario (ARIO), the Vineland Innovation Advisory Council, and the Ontario Critical Plant Pest Management Council (OCPPMC). He is also STB’s Cluster Director Lead for the Swine and Poultry Clusters (SCAP 2023–2028).

    With a Master of Science in Engineering from Wayne State University (Michigan, USA) and a Bachelor of Engineering from the University of Windsor (Ontario, Canada), Sérgio began his career dong R&D for industry, where he authored several patents and supported automotive design and manufacturing projects across Canada, the U.S., Mexico, and Japan. Before joining AAFC, he worked for seven years with the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) in Southwestern Ontario and later advanced science-based innovation and partnerships within AAFC’s Office of Intellectual Property and Commercialization.

  • John Cassidy is Managing Director, Canada at SVG Ventures | THRIVE, where he leads the organization’s strategic expansion across the Canadian market. Under his leadership, SVG Ventures has completed 20 investments in Canadian companies, supporting innovation across the agrifood and climate technology ecosystem.

     

    John brings more than 14 years of experience across technology, investment, and venture-backed growth. Prior to joining SVG Ventures, he served as Chief Executive Officer of a European fintech SME, where he drove significant scale, successfully expanded into multiple new markets, and led the company to receive the SME of the Year Award in recognition of its growth and performance.

     

    John holds an MBA and a Bachelor of Business (Finance) from the University of Limerick, Ireland, and a Certificate in Technology Management from Stanford University. He is an active member of the Canadian Venture Capital and Private Equity Association (CVCA) and is deeply committed to advancing innovation and investment across Canada.

  • Lisa is the Director, Agriculture Policy Lead at RBC Thought Leadership, where she leads agriculture, food, and nature research and stakeholder engagement, covering topics including growth and productivity, trade, and climate action. Prior to joining RBC, she was the Sustainability Lead at Grain Farmers of Ontario and worked as a consultant, helping not-for-profit organizations and companies develop and implement sustainable agriculture strategies.

    Lisa’s passion for Canada’s agriculture sector—and its role as a global leader in production, innovation, and sustainability—was shaped by her upbringing on her family’s farm in Southwestern Ontario. This early interest led her to pursue post-graduate degrees in Ireland, Germany, and most recently at the University of Guelph, where she completed a PhD in the Geography Department, taking an interdisciplinary approach to the governance of sustainable agriculture.

  • Collin Phillip is the CEO of Verdex Capital - a purpose driven venture capital firm with a mission to advance Canadian agriculture. A seasoned executive with more than two decades of strategic leadership experience across North American and international markets. Collin has held senior roles in the agricultural sector, including Corteva Agriscience, PRT Growing Services, and Bayer CropScience (Monsanto). He holds an MBA from Simon Fraser University, a Master of Marketing from the University of Melbourne, and a Bachelor of Commerce from Royal Roads University. He is currently pursuing his ICD.D designation from the Institute of Corporate Directors.

  • Nevin is a seasoned business executive, entrepreneur, and private investor with over 30 years of experience in leading innovative agribusiness organizations. He has managed businesses in North American and international markets as a senior executive for multinational companies including Cyanamid Crop Protection, BASF, and Sollio Cooperative Group. Nevin has extensive experience in commercial operations, R&D, and executive management. He has also served as an executive, investor, and coach to various small and medium-sized companies in the Canadian agri-food sector, such as A&L Canada Laboratories Inc., and is currently a partner at RHA Ventures Inc.

    Nevin has significant governance experience from board positions with industry associations, non-profits, and corporate entities such as CropLife Asia, CropLife America, Bioenterprise Corp, Agricultural Research and Innovation Ontario (ARIO), K+S Aktiengesellshaft (XETRA:SDF.DE), and several privately held companies.

  • Joe Dales has gained 35+ years of agriculture industry experience beginning his career in sales, marketing and management, working with leading companies such as Pfizer, Cyanamid Crop Protection (BASF) and NK Syngenta Seeds.

    In 1997, he co-founded with his wife Sandra, www.AgCareers.com, one of the first ag business websites on the internet and in 1998, he co-founded Farms.com, where he helped grow the business for 20 years. In 2019, he co-founded RHA Ventures Inc. and leads their value adding investments in the agriculture and food innovation and start-up sector. RHA (www.RHA.Ventures) has made more than 35 investments and continues to support entrepreneurs with hands on, experienced business mentoring.  Joe works directly with Haggerty AgRobotics, Harvest Corp Technologies, Nexus Robotics, The AgRobotics Working Group and Innovation Farms Ontario and has gained considerable experience in the ag robotics sector.

    Joe has been involved in successfully launching over 50 agri and food tech innovations ranging from crop protection products (Pursuit, Odyssey), seed varieties, herbicide tolerant canola, biologicals (HiStick), start up companies like Farms.com and AgCareers.com and a range of innovative products and services. He is passionate about bringing innovation to agriculture and helping farmers improve productivity.

    Joe has gained extensive corporate governance board experience with several companies, such as Canterra Seeds, Vive Crop Protection, Haggerty AgRobotics, CAAIN and as the past Chair of the Board of Governors for the Western Fair Association.   Joe has an Honours BSc in Chemistry from Western University and a Masters in Business Administration from Wilfrid Laurier University.

    You can follow him on Twitter @Joe_Dales and connect on LinkedIn.

  • Nipun Sharma is a visionary entrepreneur and the Co-Founder and CEO of Appetronix, an innovative company revolutionizing the food service industry with fully autonomous robotic quick-service restaurants. By integrating advanced machine learning and data science, Appetronix creates delicious, made-to-order meals without the need for on-site staff, offering a glimpse into the future of dining.

    With more than 17 years of leadership experience in the restaurant and food manufacturing sectors, Nipun has successfully managed more than ten restaurant brands across multiple cuisines, including both quick-service and full-service concepts. His expertise extends to operating food production facilities, enabling a seamless connection between supply chains and consumer dining experiences.

    Nipun's professional journey began on Wall Street, where he honed his skills in investment banking and private equity. A graduate of McGill University, he transitioned to the food and beverage industry, taking on executive roles and serving as Chief Operating Officer for global public restaurant chains. His strategic vision and operational acumen have driven growth and innovation, solidifying his reputation as a leader in transforming traditional business models through technology.

    Nipun is passionate about redefining the dining landscape and advancing the integration of robotics in the restaurant industry, making him a pioneer at the intersection of technology, hospitality, and culinary excellence.