Owls Eat Rats has been announced as this year’s winner of the $50,000 Hatch: Taronga Accelerator Program (Hatch), supported by LG, grant. On Wednesday 25 June, 9 founders of six start-ups went head-to-head for the chance to win the grant in a competitive pitch event held at Taronga Zoo Sydney.

Owls Eat Rats is a landscape-level initiative based in the Northern Rivers region of New South Wales that supports Barn Owl populations as a natural, long-term solution for rodent control in agriculture. Rather than aiming to eliminate rodenticides overnight, the project works collaboratively with farmers to encourage more sustainable farming practices—ultimately contributing to healthier farms and a food system less dependent on chemical inputs. Founded by Alastair Duncan, the initiative takes a biological approach by restoring habitat to promote the return and ongoing presence of these native predators across farming landscapes.

Through the installation of nesting boxes, hunting roosts, and ecological monitoring, Owls Eat Rats aims to promote healthier, more balanced farm ecosystems and support broader on-farm biodiversity. Habitat design and management is led by project partner Wildbnb.

Winner of the grant Alastair Duncan said “We’re thrilled to be awarded the $50,000 prize from Taronga’s incredible Hatch program. It’s been a privilege and fantastic opportunity to engage with likeminded changemakers, subject matter experts and the wider Taronga network. We’re excited to continue our mission of supporting healthier landscapes and reducing reliance on harmful chemicals by working with more farmers to create owl-friendly habitats through this funding.”

Now in its fifth year, Hatch, accelerated by LG, is the world’s only accelerator program that is led by a conservation zoo. The program is designed to help ecopreneurs take their idea from vision to reality and support innovators who are tackling some of the most pressing environmental and conservation challenges currently facing our planet

Taronga Conservation Society Australia CEO, Cameron Kerr AO, and moderator of the 2025 Hatch pitch event said: “We were incredibly impressed by the calibre of this year’s Hatch cohort. Each of the start-up founders offered thoughtful and practical solutions to some of the most urgent environmental challenges—from rescuing surplus food and reducing packaging waste, to restoring degraded land and reforming the floristry industry for a more sustainable future.

The judges were particularly inspired by Owls Eat Rats founder, Alastair Duncan. His deep understanding of ecological systems, commitment to biodiversity, and the potential to scale this innovative approach across agricultural landscapes made a strong impression. Supporting native owl populations as a form of natural rodent control is a simple yet powerful idea—one that promotes healthier farms, reduces reliance on harmful chemicals, and helps re-balance ecosystems.

We’re excited to see where this project goes next, and we’re immensely grateful to our donors for backing early-stage ideas like this. With their continued support, we can help turn ground-breaking thinking into lasting environmental impact.”

The six teams of ecopreneurs delivered their pitches to a judging panel which included Director of Symbiocence Institute Andy Marks, Group Executive for Ecosystems at Stone and Chalk Imche Veiga and Hatch donor, marine biologist and advertising legend John Preston.

In addition to the $50,000 Hatch grant awarded by the judges, there were two further accolades: the People’s Choice Award, decided by public vote, which was presented to Reusably; and the LG Life’s Good Award, which went to ALBON. Both recipients received a $5,000 prize.

Gemma Lemieux, LG Electronics Marketing Director ANZ, said “At LG, we believe Life’s Good when we Do Good, and our partnership with Taronga’s Hatch program is how we’re helping create a better life for all. We’re committed to being a force for positive change, and it has been incredibly inspiring to hear the founders’ stories and their vision for a more sustainable future. Their dedication to creating a better world through innovative solutions perfectly aligns with our Do Good missions, inspiring us all to see how even small actions can have a profound impact and encouraging everyone to make a difference in their own lives and communities. We’re proud to invest in their progress alongside Taronga and congratulate Owls Eat Rats for winning the Hatch grant, and to ALBON for receiving the LG Life’s Good Award.”

Across more than a decade, Taronga has continued to be a leader in identifying and supporting innovative conservation ideas. In 2011, Taronga launched the Taronga Green Grant program. Inaugural winner of the Taronga Green Grant, Take 3 for the Sea, was recently named the winner of the 2023 NSW Sustainable Tourism at the NSW Sustainability Awards. In 2020, the Taronga Green Grant program evolved into the Hatch: Taronga Accelerator Program. Over five years since its launch, Hatch has granted $488,000 in funding and has connected 29 teams with more than 100 mentors and subject matter experts. Past Hatch initiatives include edible coffee cups Good-Edi and Xylo Systems, a platform that simplifies biodiversity measurement with instant access to trusted localised data, metrics, and ground truthing.

Hatch is made possible with the support of Taronga’s presenting partner LG Electronics, donors BridgeLane Group Foundation, Alexandra Holcomb, Auxilium Foundation, and the incredible mentors, guest speakers and subject matter experts who inspire our wonderful founders, including Tom Allen and Impact Boom.

About Taronga Conservation Society Australia

Taronga Conservation Society Australia (Taronga) is a leader in the fields of conservation, research, animal welfare, wildlife rehabilitation and environmental education. Taronga is a not-for-profit organisation with an absolute commitment to conservation and securing a shared future for wildlife and people. Taronga is the largest contributor to veterinary services in wildlife rescue and rehabilitation in NSW, and every year, 1,500 animals are admitted to the Taronga Wildlife Hospitals in Sydney and Dubbo.

About the 2025 Hatch: Taronga Accelerator Program cohort

In 2025, 9 founders of six start-ups competed for 2025 Hatch grant. More about the start-ups can be found below:

ALBON: Addressing water pollution, carbon emissions and soil degradation, this modular photobioreactor (PBR) system, converts industrial and agricultural waste into valuable resources. Founders: John Phipps and Tom Bessell.

Beyond Best Before: Dedicated to reducing food waste by rescuing short-dated pantry items and surplus stock from going to landfill. They provide high-quality, affordable food to everyday consumers, making food rescue accessible to all and driving real change in food waste and sustainability. Rescuing today, preserving tomorrow. Founder: Maggie Quach.

Owls Eat Rats: A landscape-level approach to supporting Barn Owl populations in agriculture as a natural, long-term rodent control solution. The goal isn’t to eliminate rodenticides overnight but to support farmers embracing more sustainable farming practices – leading to healthier farms and a food system less reliant on chemical inputs. Founder: Alastair Duncan.

Reusably: Software system that simplifies managing reusable packaging. This isn’t just about replacing single-use packaging with reusables—it’s about giving companies, consumers and communities the systems and insights to do it seamlessly and cost-effectively. Founders: Matt Bowie and Mary Kelly.

Sustainable Floristry Network: Evidence-based, sustainability training to drive behaviour change in floristry. Students explore the problems facing floristry, identify solutions and learn how they can play a powerful role in shaping a nature-positive future industry through business. Founders: Rita Feldmann with support from Ginger Briggs and Sandy Coull.

Win for Nature: What if you could get rewarded for helping the planet? That’s what Win for Nature does. Subscribe and get immediate access to exclusive discounts at our partner businesses, and tickets to win high value, sustainable prizes. Subscriber funding is then used to purchase land for restoration. It’s a win for you and a win for nature. Founder: Josh Pilalis.

INDEPENDENT NEWS IS IMPORTANT.

Enjoy reading Eco Voice? Please help us by purchasing a GIFT Voucher or send one to a friend and encourage people to purchase trees or seeds via The Native Shop – www.nativeshop.com.au