Today, the agri-food industry is situated at the centre of a very important economic complex that we call the "food system", the purpose of which is to feed populations, mostly through a system of market relationships.

The trading of agricultural commodities has typically taken place regionally via in-person meetings, telephone conversations, and handshakes, often meaning farmers and suppliers are limited in their ability to market their product by the relationships they have. This also means they’re limited in the prices they can demand for their wares. The same goes for how they purchase inputs such as seeds, machinery, and other supplies. This category encompasses the start-ups aiming to disrupt the status quo and enable farmers, retailers, and distributors to buy and sell ag products online, reaching new potential customers and suppliers nationally or even globally. It also includes a small but growing group of leasing platforms.

Technologies are transforming how foodservice businesses operate in-store with quality control, inventory management, HR, and food waste just some of the challenges they face. New technology is also impacting how these businesses interact with their consumers in the store. Technologies in this category range from automated shelf-stacking robots and 3D food printers to point-of-sale systems and food waste monitoring IoT systems.

Agri-food is a complex industry, which makes change challenging as it includes a wide range of processes, operations, and roles as food travels from the farm to the fork. However, this creates lots of opportunities for entrepreneurs and technologists to disrupt the industry and create new efficiencies with agri-foodtech at various points in the chain.