Agriventures Connect 2026: Sofia becomes a hub for agri-innovation and global opportunities

On 19 March 2026 Sofia will bring together farmers, investors, scientists and technology companies for Agriventures Connect 2026, a conference dedicated to practical innovation in the agrifood sector. The event is designed as a meeting point for people building solutions in agriculture and those investing in the future of food systems.

Due to strong interest, tickets for the event are now officially sold out.

The conference will open at 16:00, with doors opening at 15:15 for registration and networking. Full information about the speakers and program can be found here: Agriventures Connect 2026 event page.

Agriventures is a mission-driven organisation supporting innovation in agriculture and food systems by connecting entrepreneurs, researchers, farmers and investors while helping them access funding and partnerships. Agriventures platform supports innovators in identifying funding opportunities, building partnerships and scaling agrifood projects internationally.

The opening remarks will be delivered by Boyko Takov from the Bulgarian SME Promotion Agency, highlighting the role of public institutions in supporting innovation and entrepreneurship. The Agriventures team, represented by farmer Ivaylo Yankov and international projects expert Dilyana Kutsarova, will outline new opportunities for strengthening the agrifood ecosystem and improving access to capital for agricultural innovators.

One of the first discussions will focus on digitalisation and emerging agri-technologies. Kaloyan Kumanov from NIK will explore trends in precision agriculture, data management and digital farm tools that can improve decision making and reduce input costs.

A dedicated panel on institutional and public funding will feature Svetlana Ormanova from the Institute for Agristrategies and Innovations, AgroHub and AgroDigiRise, Dimitar Vasilev from Innowave and Ralitsa Zhekova from RAPIV Varna. The discussion will address European innovation instruments such as EIC and EIT and how agricultural innovators can access specialised funding streams beyond traditional CAP programmes.

The conference will also host a discussion with investors. Semi Hakim from Kök Projekt and Max Gurvits from Vitosha Venture Partners will share how investors evaluate agri-business opportunities, what makes a venture investment-ready and how agricultural companies can prepare for international growth. The panel will be moderated by Mariya Hristova.

Practical farming experience will be at the centre of the session on sustainability and innovation for farmers, where Albina Yasinska from Bio Farm Rozino and regenerative agriculture consultant Petyo Kirov will share field-level insights on soil health, resilience and profitability.

Another key discussion will focus on carbon farming and the future of agricultural sustainability. Elisabeth Lunik from Rabobank, Lyubomir Spasov from Green Diligence Netherlands and Marta Paunova, PhD researcher at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences and part of Agriventures, will explore carbon measurement, soil health and emerging carbon markets that could create new income streams for farmers.

The final panel will connect agriculture with nutrition science and market innovation. Zhivko Dzhamyarov from Ancestral Superfoods and Georgi Toskov from the University of Food Technologies will analyse emerging product niches linked to longevity, nutrition and the human microbiome.

After the official program, participants will continue discussions during an informal networking session starting at 20:00.

Nominations for the Innovative Producers Awards are still open. Applications and nominations can be submitted here:https://connect.agriventures.co/#awards

More details about the event are available on the conference website:https://connect.agriventures.co/

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The role of Agriventures in supporting agrifood innovation

As the agritech startup ecosystem grows across Europe, initiatives such as Agriventures are helping connect entrepreneurs, researchers, investors, and policymakers working in agriculture and food innovation.

Agriventures focuses on supporting agrifood startups, biotechnology innovation, and access to European funding for agriculture, while also helping entrepreneurs navigate the complex landscape of startup financing, venture capital, and research commercialization.

By strengthening connections between startups, research institutions, investors, and farmers, Agriventures contributes to building a stronger agricultural innovation ecosystem that can accelerate the transition toward sustainable agriculture and resilient food systems.

Through knowledge sharing, events, and ecosystem building, Agriventures helps ensure that promising agritech innovations can scale and reach farmers, food producers, and global markets.