Our story

We started with a simple question.

Do you like sweet, crunchy, juicy watermelon? So do we. But too often the melon on the shelf is a gamble — and everyone loses when it’s not right.

Watermelons cut open in a paddock during field trials
Where it started: destructive sampling in the field — the problem SMART tap ends.

The gamble growers can’t afford

Pickers guesstimate maturity and get it right about 60% of the time. The only way to check has been to cut fruit — destroying it for a spot-check that says nothing about the rest of the block. Consumers get disappointed, retailers dump fruit, and growers wear the cost.

So we built tools to assess and map watermelon maturity non-destructively — patented, simple to use, and 90% accurate in farm trials*. No melons harmed.

*Royal Armada variety farm trials, 2026.

Our vision

To become the world’s leading platform for objective, non-destructive fruit intelligence — from breeding to consumer.

FROM SEEDS TO SMILES

Where we are

Validated in the field, backed by the industry.

10+ farm trials

The SMART tap technology validated across more than ten farm trials on commercial melon blocks.

Growers as shareholders

Half of our shareholders are watermelon growers — the people who know the problem best backed the solution first.

Built with the industry

Software and platforms developed hand-in-hand with grower feedback, plus deep connections across breeding, retail and export.

The team

Talented team, deep industry roots.

SMART Melon is led by Rod Attwood, with a team whose industry connections and insights were built over years in melons, agronomy and agtech — and sharpened by the growers who sit on our own share register.

Want to talk to us about growing, retail, breeding or the platform?

Say g’day

Let’s create more watermelon smiles — together.

Talk to us about bringing the SMART platform to your farm, your shelves or shopping trolley.