Luke Richards

Driving product development across soil health and natural capital monitoring

Australia

About

🌱 Passionate about regenerative agriculture, soil health, or climate-tech? Let's connect! I'm helping scale technology that's transformed >100M acres into carbon-sequestering sinks while generating transformative environmental and economic impact for Farmland Investors, Asset Managers, CPGs and breweries. At Downforce Technologies, we're pioneering science-led, data-driven solutions for sustainable land management that deliver triple-bottom-line results: healthier soils, resilient farms, and profitable operations. From leading ClimateWatch's international expansion to building Downforce's first product portfolio, I get my kicks out of bridging gap between cutting-edge science and scalable solutions. Ready to collaborate on building a more regenerative future? Let's have a chat! #RegenerativeAgriculture #SoilHealth #FoodSecurity #ClimateAction

Experience

  • Downforce Technologies (Remote)
    • Head of Product & Business Development (Americas)
      Feb 2024 - Present · 2 yrs 5 mos

      NYC based (2024-25), AUS based (2026+) Pioneering science-led, data-driven solutions for sustainable land management. At Downforce, we are committed to providing the soil health data that is needed to reverse biodiversity loss, mitigate climate change and replenish food systems globally. Our advanced platform provides actionable insights that enable farmers and landowners to make informed decisions, ultimately supporting regenerative practices and promoting a nature-positive future. Key responsibilities: ➤ Leading go-to-market, adopting a strategic partnerships model for shared success and scaled impact ➤ Advancing product capabilities to meet evolving customer needs and regulatory requirements ➤ Driving innovation with global team and fostering growth in key markets (thematic + geographic)

    • Head of Product (APAC)
      Feb 2023 - Jan 2024 · 1 yr

      Key responsibilities:: ➤ Led strategic product development with C-suite executives ➤ Managed user engagement and industry partnerships ➤ Engaged with regulators and certification bodies ➤ Led go to market from 2022-23

    • Product Manager
      Jun 2022 - Feb 2023 · 9 mos

      As Downforce's first product manager Luke's responsibilities encompassed product, strategy, sales and business development: ➤ Pioneered product strategy and go-to-market approach ➤ Conducted user research and developed product requirements ➤ Built and engaged APAC customer base securing $500k committed revenue in first year.

  • Principal at Jardin Studio
    Mar 2022 - Mar 2025 · 3 yrs 1 mo

    Luke combines expertise in product development, business strategy, operations, and logistics with a deep understanding of regenerative agriculture, sustainable development, environmental science, and the circular economy to deliver actionable results for clients across government and industry. He has successfully delivered specialized projects for social enterprises and local government clients, creating innovative solutions that address sustainability challenges and promote economic viability alongside ecological regeneration. Key projects delivered: ➤ Soil health sensor network ➤ Waste & resource recovery data calculator ➤ Waste audit data capture workbook ➤ Waste truck regulatory compliance tracker

  • Product & Program Manager (Climate Portfolio) at Earthwatch Institute Australia
    May 2021 - Jun 2022 · 1 yr 2 mos

    Led ClimateWatch, Australia's leading citizen science phenology network: ➤ Developed CSR programs and managed mobile/web application ➤ Oversaw website, CRM, and user engagement ➤ Managed external stakeholders including developers, corporations, and government ➤ Managed internal stakeholders including science advisory panel, board and staff ➤ Drove fee-for-service business development and funding acquisition ➤ Facilitated education and training workshops Key Achievements: ➤ Increased app usage by 60% in first year ➤ Secured financing for Pacific Islands expansion (via Global Ecosystem Based Adaptation fund) ➤ Designed award-winning corporate education program with Telstra Data4Good

  • Operations Manager at Reground
    2019 - 2021 · 2 yrs

    Luke successfully led and expanded Reground's waste collection and logistics branch, overseeing day-to-day operations, account management and driving growth. During this time Reground surpassed million kilograms of greenhouse gas emissions avoided through its waste collection service. Key Responsibilities: ➤ Logistics and schedule management ➤ Data platform management ➤ Client and partnership management (125x B2B accounts) ➤ Event and specialty project management ➤ Staff supervision and organization

  • Consultant at TSA Riley
    2019 - 2019 · Less than a year

    Luke provided specialty project management services for at-risk projects. Key Projects: ➤ Lendlease Developments Secondment; Tenancy Delivery Manager (Caroline Springs Shopping Center) ➤ RMIT University Secondment; Project Manager (Property Services Group, Capital Works)