The Popular Pig Podcast - Digitizing Biosecurity to Prevent Disease Outbreaks | Rob Hannam

Rob Hannam, CEO of Farm Health Guardian, appeared on the Popular Pig Podcast to talk about how Farm Heath Guardian is revolutionizing biosecurity in the swine and poultry sectors through digital solutions. The Farm Heath Guardian technology helps reduce the spread of diseases like PRRS and PED by improving biosecurity compliance; by identifying common failures such as truck washes and dedicated equipment breaches, and providing real-time breach alerts. Tracking the data helps expose hidden risks, ultimately saving time, reducing production costs, enhancing farm sustainability and fostering better compliance and behavioral changes on farms

Exploring Innovation at the Polaris Pitch Competition & Showcase

The Polaris Pitch Competition & Showcase, organized by TechAlliance of Southwestern Ontario, is an exciting event that highlights innovation within the Canadian tech ecosystem. On March 19, 2025, at the London Music Hall, this event will feature eight innovative ventures competing for a prize package of up to $65,000 in funding and $7,500 in services.

The competition is open to a wide range of tech sectors, including agri-tech, medtech, AI, cybersecurity, fintech, gaming, clean growth, and zero-emission vehicles. This diversity ensures a rich showcase of cutting-edge ideas and solutions.

Beyond the prizes, the Polaris Pitch Competition offers participants the opportunity to receive personalized mentorship and gain exposure to potential investors and industry leaders. This platform is designed to help innovators turn their ideas into reality and make a significant impact on the tech landscape.

Applications to pitch are open until January 27, 2025. This event is a valuable opportunity for those with groundbreaking ideas to gain recognition and support within the tech community.

RHA Ventures Announces Launch of New $30M Venture Capital Fund – 519 Growth Fund II

London, ON – RHA Ventures Inc. (RHA), a boutique investment firm with a Founders for Founders approach, announced today the launch of a new $30M Venture Capital Fund; 519 Growth Fund II (519 GFII).  The Fund will invest in early-stage companies in the Agriculture, Agri-Food and Technology Enabled sectors. The vision is to support company founders in the commercialization of innovative, sustainable technologies, while providing competitive returns for investors. RHA has secured a non-binding term sheet with an anchor investor and is actively fundraising toward a first close in March of 2024.

“We are excited to launch this new fund due to the market gap in both capital and business support for early-stage companies,” said Nevin McDougall, Managing Partner for RHA. “Looking specifically at the opportunities facing our target sectors, supporting commercialization of innovative technologies is key to addressing economic development, job creation and sustainability.”

The new fund is a natural progression from RHA’s initial fund, 519 Growth Fund I, which also focused on high potential, early-stage companies.  The first fund supported companies with investments ranging between $75,000 and $250,000.  519 GFII will continue to focus on early-stage companies but also look at larger investments of $750,000 to $1,000,000 for Seed stage companies. The fund will focus on predominantly Canadian based firms. The RHA Ventures’ team, composed of experienced founders and entrepreneurs, will actively support and work with 519 GFII portfolio companies applying their knowledge, skills, and broad networks. View the complete list of partners at https://rha.ventures/partners.

“The launch of 519 Growth Fund II is further validation of our “Founders for Founders” approach” commented Joe Dales, co-founder of RHA. “Early-stage company founders are often in need of sector expertise, operational capability, and networks which our firm has delivered to other portfolio companies in the past.  We look forward to continuing this impactful work with this fund.”

For more information on 519 Growth Fund II, please visit our website at https://rha.ventures/519-growth-fund-2

About RHA Ventures Inc. - Founders For Founders.

RHA Ventures (“RHA”) is a boutique investment company with a “Founders for Founders” approach to business. With decades of collective operational experience, our firm’s partners bring seasoned, hands-on support with go-to market approaches, commercial development, growth and exit strategies. RHA helps founders and entrepreneurs identify the most valuable market opportunities and scale their companies for sustainable growth. RHA leverages our core group of founders (business owners / entrepreneurs), our extensive network of mentors, industry connections, and investors to help entrepreneurs gain visibility, establish strategic relationships, and build successful companies.

RHA Ventures is a key investor and a General Partner of the 519 Growth Funds

The 519 Growth Fund was launched in 2022 to support innovations in early stage, growth-focused companies that are technology-enabled with demonstrated recurring revenue, market acceptance and a defensible market position.

For more information visit our website at www.RHA.Ventures

Contact: 

Nevin McDougall, RHA Ventures email; nevin.mcdougall@rha.ventures

Michael Dales, RHA Ventures email: michael.dales@rha.ventures

RHA Ventures Announces Key Role in New Farm Credit Canada (FCC) and Western Fair Association (WFA) Agreement to support Innovation Farms Ontario

London, Ontario, October 31, 2023:  RHA Ventures (RHA), a boutique investment firm with a Founders for Founders approach, announces a key role in the new agreement between Farm Credit Canada (FCC) and Western Fair Association (WFA) including Innovation Farms Ontario. In September 2023, FCC announced a long-term relationship with WFA (including The Grove at Western Fair District) to elevate agriculture and food producers by delivering the knowledge, innovation and research Canadian producers can use to complement their own expertise in the advancement of farming and food businesses. RHA Ventures will support them by providing participating companies with investment and business mentoring support to help scale their businesses. The original press release from FCC can be found on their website; https://www.fcc-fac.ca/en/about-fcc/media-centre/news-releases/2023/fcc-western-fair-partnership.html 

Photo from left to right: Chuck Bearsich, President, Haggerty AgRobotics; Sophie Perreault, Executive Vice-President and Chief Operating Officer, Farm Credit Canada; Fred Wall, Vice President Marketing and Digital Agriculture, Farm Credit Canada; Reg Ash, CEO Western Fair Association; and Joe Dales, Co-Founder RHA Ventures.

RHA is also pleased to announce the first project in this agreement is with one of RHA’s portfolio companies, Haggerty AgRobotics (https://www.haggertyagrobotics.com). The launch of the new on-farm research called Innovation Farms Ontario powered by AgExpert, is located at Haggerty Creek near Bothwell, Ontario. This research farm is part of a network of Canadian demonstration farms, also sponsored by FCC, where innovative, emerging technology is developed and tested. The results and benefits of different technologies in the emerging agriculture robotics and automation industry are shared with producers to optimize current farming practices and future decisions.”

“We are thrilled to support this important project and develop innovative solutions for Canadian farm producers,” says Joe Dales, Co-Founder of RHA Ventures. “We look forward to supporting participating companies by demonstrating and testing the value of their products with real farmers.”

Nevin McDougall, Manager Partner at RHA, hails the plan for fostering innovation and building businesses directed at the agriculture and food industry. “There has been a lack of venture capital in Canada for early-stage firms and we are ready to step up to the plate,” said McDougall, “and RHA plans to provide capital and mentorship for early-stage companies with focus on investments in Agriculture & Food Innovations and/or Technology-Enabled companies. RHA will invest and lend its world-class business expertise and acumen to mentor and develop new leaders and innovators in these sectors.”

For more information visit https://rha.ventures/ or the Press Room page at https://rha.ventures/pressroom

About RHA Ventures Inc. - Founders for Founders.

RHA Ventures (RHA) is a boutique investment company for visionary founders looking for long term capital and a “Founders for Founders” approach to building business. The RHA partners have decades of collective operational experience and bring seasoned, hands-on support in corporate governance, go-to-market approaches, commercial development, growth and exit strategies. RHA helps founders and entrepreneurs identify the most valuable market opportunities and scale their companies for sustainable growth. RHA leverages a core group of founders (business owners / entrepreneurs), with an extensive network of mentors and investors to help entrepreneurs gain visibility, establish strategic relationships, and build successful companies.

RHA Ventures is a key investor and a General Partner of the 519 Growth Funds

The 519 Growth Fund was launched in 2022 to support innovations in early stage, growth-focused companies that are technology-enabled with demonstrated recurring revenue, market acceptance and a defensible market position.

For more information visit our website at www.RHA.Ventures

Contact : Michael Dales, RHA Ventures, michael.dales@rha.ventures 

RHA Ventures announces the addition of new portfolio companies

London, ON - RHA Ventures Inc. is pleased to announce it has completed investments in 3 early stage companies; Farm Health Guardian, Local Line and VETSon. These investments reflect the company’s commitment to providing innovative early-stage companies with the capital and resources needed to scale their operations.

“We are thrilled to support these companies and help the founders achieve their business goals and vision” says Joe Dales, Co-Founder of RHA Ventures. “Each of these companies are aiming to address real challenges in their markets and deliver sustainable solutions to their clients.”

Farm Health Guardian is a management tool for farmers and food companies to improve biosecurity and disease prevention, saving time and reducing costs. https://farmhealthguardian.com/

Local Line is an all-in-one sales platform for family farms, helping them sell their products online to retail and wholesale buyers.  Local Line will have thousands of growers in eight countries on their platform processing over $100m in local food sales this year. https://site.localline.ca/ 

VETSon a leading innovator in telemedicine for veterinarians, farmers and animal owners through cutting-edge mobile technology and digital solutions.https://vetson.ca/

“We are thrilled to welcome these 3 new companies to our portfolio. We look forward to supporting their success by sharing our expertise and experience as founders and entrepreneurs.” said Brian Foster, Co-Founder of RHA Ventures.                            

For more information visit https://rha.ventures/ and the Firms page at https://rha.ventures/firms

About RHA Ventures Inc. Founders Helping Founders.

RHA Ventures is a boutique investment company for visionary founders looking for long term capital and a “Founders for Founders” approach to building business. The RHA partners have decades of collective operational experience and bring seasoned, hands-on support in corporate governance, go-to market approaches, commercial development, growth and exit strategies. RHA helps founders and entrepreneurs identify the most valuable market opportunities and scale their companies for sustainable growth. RHA leverages a core group of founders (business owners / entrepreneurs), with an extensive network of mentors and investors to help entrepreneurs gain visibility, establish strategic relationships, and build successful companies.

RHA Ventures is a key investor and a General Partner of the 519 Growth Funds.

The 519 Growth Fund I was launched in 2022 to support innovations in early stage, growth-focused companies that are technology-enabled with demonstrated recurring revenue, market acceptance and a defensible market position.

For more information visit our website at www.RHA.Ventures

Contact: Michael Dales, RHA Ventures email: michael.dales@rha.ventures

FCC and Western Fair District partner to elevate agriculture and food producers

Woodstock, Ontario, September 12, 2023 – Farm Credit Canada (FCC) is pleased to announce a long-term partnership with Western Fair District to deliver the knowledge, innovation and research Canadian producers can use to complement their own expertise in the advancement of their farming and food businesses.

The partnership announcement includes new on-farm research called Innovation Farms Ontario powered by AgExpert, located at Haggerty Creek near Bothwell, Ontario. This research farm is part of a network of Canadian demonstration farms where innovative, emerging technology is developed and tested. The results and benefits of different technologies in the emerging agriculture robotics and automation industry are shared with producers to optimize current farming practices and future decisions.

“Practical research and on-farm testing on new technologies such as automation, robotics and sustainability innovations will help farmers confidently adopt new systems with less risk,” said Chuck Baresich, president of Haggerty Creek Farms. “FCC’s support will allow us to tap into incredible potential that will increase productivity for producers and provide them with the ability to put their labour into high value work.” “The new resources complement the great research we have conducted with OMAFRA and the AgRobotics Working Group.”

Including FCC’s farm management software, AgExpert, in the name and on the farm, signals the value both Western Fair and FCC place on growing Canada’s digital agriculture system. The 2,000+ acre full-scale production innovation farm will use AgExpert software as part of its testing, research, and technology development.

“FCC sees tremendous opportunity with the creation of this partnership. Producers and processors will realize the benefits of the knowledge, research and funding that this collaboration brings”, said Fred Wall, vice-president, marketing and digital agriculture at FCC. “The depth of resources and people working together will elevate so much of what the Canadian agriculture and food industry has to offer, from digital agriculture, to processing food at home and securing the funding for the ideas that shape our future.”

This partnership will also support The Grove at Western Fair District, a growing agriculture and food business innovation hub that is already home to 32 companies. Here, a range of resources support food processors and businesses to access the startup funds and tools they need to begin scaling their businesses.

“There is incredible potential for agriculture and food startup founders to build the great new companies of the future, bringing innovative technologies to market, helping feed the world, creating jobs and supporting the economy,” said Joe Dales, co-founder at formerly the Roundhouse Accelerator, now RHA Ventures. “The RHA Ventures team is committed to supporting the early-stage companies with investment and business mentoring support. Having Farm Credit Canada as a new partner in The Grove is going to accelerate and expand the number of companies fostered here.”

“This partnership allows us to level-up what we offer at the Grove from ag-tech to education, funding and practical space for businesses,” said James Smith, director of agri-food at Western Fair District. “A great example is supporting startups and food processing companies through an incubation stage where you can rent kitchens and food processing space that were built to CFIA standards.”

“They can produce more, get to a larger audience and a point where they can start to think about building or renting their own square footage where we can help them design and grow into that space. The opportunities for producers and businesses at the Grove are just beginning.”

This partnership reflects the goal of Innovation Farms Ontario powered by AgExpert to bring together top ag-tech and industry minds who are intentionally shaping agricultural and commercial productivity gains.

Learn more about the advantages producers and businesses can find at The Grove and with Haggerty AgRobotics in this profile.

Western Fair Association

The Western Fair District is one of Canada’s oldest and largest Agriculture Societies and supports the Agriculture Community with programming and facilities that help meet the business needs of this sector while at the same time providing innovative educational experiences for today’s consumer. For more information visit www.westernfairdistrict.com

The Grove at Western Fair is the agriculture and food business hub where companies can share space, resources, and connections to create the right conditions for innovation and growth. For more information visit www.thegrovewfd.com

Haggerty Creek and Haggerty AgRobotics

Haggerty AgRobotics is a leader in the emerging agriculture robotics and automation industry. For several years, Chuck Baresich, founder and president, has been researching and testing various technologies on the Haggerty Creek farming operation. The farming operation is part of Haggerty Creek Ltd. owned & operated by Chuck & Justin Baresich and AGRIS Cooperative since 2001. For more information visit www.haggertycreek.com www.haggertyagrobotics.com

RHA Ventures Inc.

RHA Ventures Inc. is a long term, value adding investor in early-stage innovative companies in the agriculture and food sector. We increase the probability of success and accelerate growth by leveraging our team’s extensive business experience, world class leadership and management skills, industry wide networks and financial resources. For more information visit our website at www.RHA.Ventures

Farm Credit Canada

FCC is Canada’s leading agriculture and food lender, dedicated to the industry that feeds the world. FCC employees are committed to the long-standing success of those who produce and process Canadian food by providing flexible financing, AgExpert business management software, information and knowledge. FCC provides a complement of expertise and services designed to support the complex and evolving needs of food businesses. As a financial Crown corporation, FCC is a stable partner that reinvests profits back into the industry and communities it serves. For more information, visit fcc.ca. 

For more information or interviews, please contact:

Jill McAlister
Corporate Communication
Farm Credit Canada
306-540-4840
jill.mcalister@fcc.ca