Last week Natural Building Australia was privileged to be asked to speak at the Australian Hemp Council’s annual showcase, the Hemp Connect Forum sponsored and supported by Across International, Hemp Inside, Southern Hemp, Warner Research Institute, WWF-Australia, and Global GreenTag International.

The Forum, hosted in partnership with the University of Melbourne and La Trobe University AgriBio Centre brought together researchers, industry leaders, and sustainability advocates to chart a bold course for hemp in Australia’s carbon reduction future.

The opening session, Paddock to Product, showcased the research muscle behind the growing hemp sector. Monika Doblin and Ricarda Jost from La Trobe University presented breakthrough work on nutrient use and flowering in hemp, highlighting its potential as a high-performing, climate-smart crop. Bob Doyle offered a reverse-engineered approach to hemp supply chains, while Klara Marosszeky made a compelling case for bringing production closer to the plate—and as one of the Hemp Building leading lights, brought her 25 years of experience working across industry to bring hemp to public accessibility.

Sustainability was front and centre in the second session, with Mark Bytheway outlining investment opportunities in the sector and Jailene Santana from WWF-Australia linking hemp to the broader vision of forest conservation and carbon repair. Winton Evers discussed how to build a structure for long-term, sustainable industry growth.

The commercial potential of hemp came to life in the third session. From GreenTag certifications to modular hempcrete housing, presenters including Nana Borsie-Aryee, Dr Ernesto Valenzuela, and Professor David Fleming shared practical pathways to decarbonising the built environment. Standards Australia’s Tom Ascroft addressed the need for consistent guidelines, while Massoud Sofi offered an exciting update on the CRC-P project focused on healing carbon wounds through hemp construction and plantation.

The day concluded with The Big Hemp Connect session, where Bob Doyle returned to introduce a national cooperative model designed to mainstream hemp across sectors. A lively Q&A followed, reflecting the growing momentum and shared ambition in the room.

Day two was no less impactful. Industry leaders from architecture and sustainable design—including Anna Maskiell, Alastair Flynn and Rachel Goldlust —spoke candidly about the challenges and successes of building with hemp in the real world. Finance experts Vladimir Finn, Andrew Cortese and Shishir Chowkse then discussed capital pathways, investment readiness and the platforms supporting the next generation of hemp businesses.

One of the most engaging parts of the day was the pitch session, where four standout businesses—Otetto, Ciircl, Murray Industrial Hemp, and ZEOFORM—presented their investment-ready ideas in a fast-paced, Shark Tank-style format. Otetto, in particular, showed promise as a one-stop shop for hemp industry innovation and integration.

The forum closed with a collaborative Q&A, focused on the future of farming, climate resilience, and how to take real action now. As Australian Hemp Council President Matthew Lariba-Taing said, “Now’s the time to act.” The call for connection, innovation, and next steps was clear.

The Hemp-Connect Forum wasn’t just a gathering—it was a clear statement that hemp has a vital role to play in Australia’s sustainable (building) future. Now it’s time to collaborate, invest, and scale.

Thanks to Lisa and team for getting this all together and inviting Natural Building Australia along.

For more info head over to their website and sign up for next year.