Australian Hive Harvesting Innovator Secures Gold at World Beekeeping Awards
In a landmark win for Australian ingenuity, HiveKeepers has captured the Gold for Innovation at the renowned Apimondia World Beekeeping Awards in Copenhagen. The Melbourne-based startup is commercialising a novel honey-harvesting method designed to simplify and accelerate the process for hobbyists and professional beekeepers alike after five years of intensive research and development.
What makes the Micro Honey Harvester stand out
The company’s flagship product, the Micro Honey Harvester, has been described as a compact, portable system that replaces the traditional, often disruptive harvesting methods. According to HiveKeepers, the device enables beekeepers to harvest honey quickly with minimal waste, mess, or disturbance to the hive and its inhabitants. This combination of efficiency and bee-friendly design aligns with growing industry demand for gentler, cleaner harvesting processes while also appealing to commercial producers seeking a fresh way to present honey to markets and consumers.
From Melbourne to the world stage
Designed and engineered in Melbourne in collaboration with Katapult Designs, the Micro Honey Harvester embodies a collaborative, home-grown approach to agritech innovation. The project also highlights Australia’s growing reputation in the beekeeping technology sector, where startups are leveraging design thinking and practical engineering to solve long-standing industry challenges.
The award’s significance for HiveKeepers
Simon Mildren, Founder and CEO of HiveKeepers, called the award a “career-defining moment” for the company and for Australian innovation at large. “We have spent years developing our Micro Honey Harvester, a system that empowers both backyard beekeepers to harvest honey more efficiently and commercial producers to present their honey in new ways,” Mildren said. The accolade is seen as confirmation that their approach to rethinking honey harvesting is both feasible and scalable on a global stage.
What this means for beekeeping enthusiasts and the industry
Beyond the prestige, the Gold for Innovation signals potential shifts in how beekeepers of all levels manage honey collection. The Micro Honey Harvester’s design aims to reduce time, labor, and waste associated with traditional methods, making honey harvesting more accessible for hobbyists and smaller operations. For commercial producers, the device promises a pathway to more consistent harvests and the possibility of presenting honey with minimal disruption to the bees – a factor that can influence quality and consumer trust.
Funding, momentum and the road ahead
HiveKeepers’ journey included a successful Kickstarter campaign launched in March, which rapidly surpassed its initial goal of $25,000 and ultimately drew pledges well beyond that mark. The company’s momentum demonstrates how consumer-driven support can translate into serious market-ready technology, especially when the product addresses real-world beekeeping pain points. As HiveKeepers scales, industry observers will be watching closely to see how the Micro Honey Harvester adapts to different apiary setups and regulatory environments around the world.
A new chapter for Australian beekeeping technology
Apimondia’s recognition places HiveKeepers among a select group of innovators to be celebrated at what some liken to the Olympics of beekeeping. The award underscores Australia’s growing role in agritech breakthroughs that blend practical farming needs with contemporary design and engineering. The company’s success also comes at a time when beekeeping faces ongoing pressures from climate change, pollinator health, and evolving consumer expectations about how honey is produced and packaged.
As HiveKeepers continues to refine the Micro Honey Harvester and explore international markets, the industry will be watching for further updates on product iterations, distribution partnerships, and the broader impact on sustainable honey production. This gold prize may well mark the beginning of a broader shift toward more efficient, bee-friendly harvesting practices across the globe.
