Aussie honey harvester earns spot on TIME's top inventions list
TIME recognized HiveKeepers' cassette-based honey harvester among 13 top food breakthroughs for 2026.
Victorian startup HiveKeepers won recognition from TIME Magazine for its micro honey harvester, a device that lets small-scale beekeepers extract honey without heavy lifting or mess. The harvester uses small plastic cassettes that sit in the hive until bees fill them with honey.
Beekeepers remove the cassettes and insert them into the main device, which spins at high speed to extract honey without removing the wax cap. Firefighter Simon Mildren created the invention after getting frustrated with traditional extraction methods.
The two-person team now sells through specialist retailers in Australia, New Zealand, the US, and the UK. In 2025, a Kickstarter campaign raised $110,000 from 170 backers.
- 110,000 dollars from 170 backers
- Kickstarter funding
- 2 people
- Team size
- Australia, New Zealand, US, UK
- Sales regions
Why it mattersRecognition from a global authority on innovation boosts the startup's credibility and likely drives sales worldwide.
AustraliaAustralian innovation gains international profile, raising the profile of local tech entrepreneurs on the world stage.
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