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When Ned Murdoch talks about EarthBrew, it’s less a business pitch and more a reflection of the mission driving him.

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"We were coming at it like, 'this is a sustainability product, and that alone should be enough,'" he admits, reflecting on the early days. "But what we learned pretty quickly is that for farmers, sustainability is a nice-to-have, not a reason to buy. They need it to save them time or money."

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That realisation sparked a pivot. Last year I caught up with Ned to chat post-Startmate Student Fellowship. Since then, EarthBrew has evolved from a well-intentioned sustainability play to a sharp, problem-solving venture built around one very specific challenge: organic farmers struggle to fertilise efficiently.

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"They either spend hours spreading manure with heavy machinery or pay ridiculous prices for liquid organic fertilisers," Ned explains. "One of the more common products would literally cost a farmer more than they’d earn in a year. It just doesn't work."

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EarthBrew's answer? Transform beer waste into an affordable organic liquid fertiliser that fits seamlessly into existing irrigation systems.

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Ned has rigged up a greenhouse in his own backyard, running blind pot plant trials with his sister to remove bias. He's repurposed a floodwaters submersible pump from Bunnings to simulate irrigation setups. It might sound DIY, but every test, tweak and trial is grounded in scientific rigour.

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"We're testing for nutrient composition, contaminants, heavy metals – it all has to meet Australian guidelines," he says. "The process is slow, but it's got to be safe." That commitment to trust and transparency has become a cornerstone of EarthBrew's culture, especially when dealing with farmers.

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"There are so many products in this space that don’t deliver. So trust is everything. I'm always honest about what stage we're at, what's working and what isn't. I think they appreciate that more than a shiny promise."

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Juggling an honours thesis and keeping EarthBrew alive, Ned has kept momentum going by maintaining those relationships, selling at farmers markets, and staying close to his community garden network. A new B2C product line is launching this spring, just in time for home gardeners and indoor plant lovers.

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So what’s next?

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More on-farm trials, more conversations with growers and a deeper push into both the agriculture and gardening spaces. But for now, it's about staying the course.

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"Agriculture doesn't move at the speed of AI," Ned laughs. "Returns are slower. The stakes are higher. If one crop fails, that could be a farmer’s whole year. So everything we do has to earn their trust."

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Even if it starts in a backyard greenhouse.

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Learn more about EarthBrew and get in touch with Ned.