Agtech startup X-Centric may be making waves across the globe, but its success can be traced back to its UNE roots, says founder and UNE alumnus, Dr Roozbeh Ravansari.
During his time studying a PhD in soil science at UNE’s Armidale campus, Dr Ravansari made the most of the world-class facilities and expertise within the Pollution Science Research Group to solve one of the biggest problems facing the agricultural industry.
“As a university located in rural Australia, UNE offered an unparalleled advantage,” he says.
“My experience was hands-on and the easy access to the campus paddocks, labs, and equipment helped me truly understand real-world conditions ultimately guiding X-Centric's development.”
X-Centric develops portable soil testing instruments that provide accurate, precise and low-cost soil characterisation, filling a fundamental market need for efficient, sustainable analysis.
"Being able to measure soils is a critical tool for growers and agronomists to improve their soil ecosystem and long-term operational efficiency," says Dr Ravansari.
Image: X-Centric
“The purpose of tracking is to create an informed feedback loop, allowing growers to quantify the long-term impacts of their choices, make data-driven decisions, and swiftly course-correct if needed to ensure practices are sustainable, profitable, and resilient for the future.”
The idea for X-Centric came to Dr Ravansari after he witnessed the need for effective measurement systems when sampling drinking water of affected households during the Flint water crisis in Michigan, and measuring legacy soil contamination in Detroit, the ‘Motor City’.
These experiences shaped his understanding of the important role that measurement plays, especially in areas that are set to be hardest hit by climate change.
“Soil measurement is foundational to building the efficiency, sustainability, and resilience needed to combat its effects,” he says.
“We are confident that tools proven in this demanding environment will set the standard and deliver an essential impact on the global stage.”
This is exactly what X-Centric is doing; this year, the home-grown startup was selected as a 2025 Tech23 company, and it recently closed a funding round with key venture capital partners including AgFunder and Artesian. X-Centric is also now engaged in ongoing pilots with PepsiCo, a global leader in agricultural sustainability.
Image: Dr Roozbeh Ravansari at the 2025 Cicada x Tech23 event in Sydney
“These milestones were hard-earned and have enabled us to accelerate development.”
UNE Professor Matthew Tighe says the heights that Dr Ravansari has reached with X-Centric is a reflection of the innovation and passion that he displayed while still a student.
"Roozbeh’s PhD work was extremely novel and topical, and it is no surprise he has gone on to develop such exciting tech. UNE specialises in industry-relevant research with on-ground benefit, and Roozbeh is a great example of this."
For other aspiring entrepreneurs, Dr Ravansari has some sage advice.
“First of all, secure your intellectual property (IP) early! Secondly, as a student, UNE is an incredible ‘proving ground’ where you can rapidly test your ideas, iterate, and validate the science. Use the labs, access the expertise, and leverage the faculty's guidance to test and prove your idea works in the real world. This will greatly help your future commercial efforts.”
