Dairy farmers in New Zealand and around the world continuously endeavour to improve the quality of their herds. Sometimes, evaluation systems prioritise production efficiency at the expense of crucial traits like udders and fertility, leaving farmers with herds that don't meet their needs. Meet Wingman, one of the ventures taking part in the Sprout Accelerator Spring25 Cohort, who are providing an independent solution for dairy herd genetic improvement.
Wingman's core idea came about from Mark Benns’ frustration as a herd owner. After a 20-year career in agriculture, he saw a gap in the market for an independent company that could help farmers improve their herds without being tied to a specific genetics provider. He underestimated just how important this independence would be to farmers, but it has become a core part of Wingman's unique selling proposition.
The Wingman team consists of Mark and Louise Benns and Hamish Gow. Mark describes the team as "three complementary unicorns. Wingman functions like it does because Louise, Hamish and I all bring incredibly different yet complementary skill sets to the table". While Mark handles the day-to-day interactions with farmers, Louise and Hamish provide invaluable expertise, helping to tackle more of the strategic opportunities and challenges.
The exact moment Mark knew this was a viable business was when a large-scale corporate farmer reached out for help. The farmer was seeking independent advice and a plan to improve the phenotypic traits of his herd, which was the exact reason Wingman was started. This validation, along with a packed workshop hosted by the Dairy Women's Network that drew 40 to 50 people, was a powerful confirmation that he had something special.
Wingman's initial solution consisted of a consultancy business with two levels of engagement for farmers: firstly, an independent herd performance evaluation (called a Warrant of Fitness), and secondly, a genetic solution optimised to individual herds using nominated bull selections. The team is now working hard to move on to phase two of the venture, where they are digitising these services in order to scale the business.
Mark's ultimate goal is to create an “Independence Model” for farmers. He wants to empower them to choose their own bull team and make informed decisions without his direct input, or any input from genetics providers. For Mark, success isn't just about the business thriving; it's about seeing his "Wingman OG’s" (original farmers) transition from relying on him to independently picking their own bull teams.
From his time with Sprout, Mark hopes to gain both connections and clarity. He values the human connection with other founders in the cohort, all of whom have their own startup stories to share. For clarity, he hopes the mentors will help him focus his efforts and avoid potential pitfalls. As he puts it, "It's not always easy building the aeroplane while you're flying it...so having someone permanently in the Air Traffic Control Tower is a bit of a necessity!"