AgriVentures Connect Showcased the Power of Science, Entrepreneurship, and Social Responsibility for True Transformation

Sofia hosted AgriVentures Connect – an event that brought together visionaries from the agri-food sector, startups, scientists, institutions, investors, and farmers under one roof. Organized by Agriventures, the event demonstrated how strong the connection between science, entrepreneurship, and social responsibility can be when there is a genuine desire for transformation.

Founded in 2024 by Dilyana Kutsarova, Ivaylo Yankov, and Marta Paunova, and supported by Mariya Hristova, Iliya Yordanov, Boris Koev, Konstantin Haralampiev, Slavena Rodinova, Georgi Toskov, Siya Valentinova, Denimir Dimitrov, and Zhivko Dzhamyarov, Agriventures aims to address structural challenges in developing innovations in the agri-food ecosystem of Central and Eastern Europe. Today, Agriventures is not only a platform but also an innovation cluster that unites entrepreneurs, scientists, educational institutions, and funding organizations.

The Future of Food – A European Vision

The highlight of the evening was Dr. Adam M. Adamek, Director of Innovation at EIT Food – Europe’s leading food innovation consortium. With over 25 years of international experience in companies such as MSD, PharmaNord, Danone, Mondelez, and foodspring, as well as in academic and consultancy roles, Dr. Adamek provided a global context to the discussion. Specialized in personalized nutrition and nutraceutical technologies, he spoke about the need for integration between scientific achievements and business applications.

He emphasized that at EIT Food, the focus goes beyond supporting startups – systemic solutions are also being developed, such as Sales Booster, EWA (Empowering Women in Agrifood), Test Farms, Jumpstarter, and TeamUp. These programs allow scientists, innovators, and entrepreneurs to validate their ideas, find partners, and access international markets. The event also highlighted the importance of the corporate sector in driving innovation in agri-food – not only as a funding source but also as an engaged partner in sustainable transformation.

UPL Corp: A Global Perspective on Sustainability

Eleonora Markova, representative of UPL Corp Bulgaria, one of the world’s leading agrochemical companies, shared the company’s vision for innovation, sustainability, and regional support. She provided concrete examples of how UPL invests in sustainable practices, digitalization, and working with farmers at the local level.

“For us, sustainability is not a concept but a long-term strategy. We support initiatives like Agriventures because we believe real change happens when you empower communities from the inside out – with technology, knowledge, and dialogue,” she emphasized.

UPL’s commitment to innovation partnerships and programs demonstrated how global corporations can play a meaningful role in improving the quality of life in rural areas while enhancing the profitability of sustainable practices.

Innovations in Regenerative Agriculture

From Bulgaria, Boris Koev, co-founder of Agrovar, presented a strong local perspective. Agrovar is a technology platform focused on improving soil resilience and implementing regenerative agricultural practices. He shared real-world examples of how satellite data, IoT sensors, and soil health analysis can help farmers reduce costs, increase yields, and create healthier ecosystems.

For Boris, regenerative agriculture is not a trend but the future norm – a philosophy that restores soil, water, and climate. His approach combined pragmatism with a deep ethical commitment: farming with care for nature and for future generations.

Regional Models for Sustainable Transformation

Ralitsa Zhekova, Director of RAPIV – the Regional Agency for Entrepreneurship and Innovation in Varna, presented the organization’s extensive experience. For over 20 years, RAPIV has supported innovative projects through accelerator programs, training, and cross-border initiatives. Together with the University of Economics – Varna, RAPIV represents the Bulgarian hub of EIT Food and plays a key role in adapting European models to the needs of local entrepreneurs.

She highlighted programs such as EIT Food’s EWA (Empowering Women in Agrifood), Challenge Lab, Test Farms, Jumpstarter, and others, which have already supported hundreds of entrepreneurs – especially women and young people – in building sustainable businesses in the agri-food sector.

Voices of Entrepreneurs: A Panel of Real Stories

A particularly inspiring moment was the panel of Bulgarian entrepreneurs, who shared their journeys of turning ideas into reality:

• Slavena Rodinova, founder of Hot Farm, spoke about the challenges of developing agriculture in Bulgaria while combining innovation, production, market expansion, and marketing.

• Iliya Yordanov from ONDO Solutions presented how his company builds data-driven, automated “smart farming” solutions.

• Denimir Dimitrov of Zero Wave introduced opportunities in the circular economy of the food industry.

• Zhivko Dzhamyarov from Ancestral Superfoods showcased functional and traditional superfoods that blend authenticity with scientific value.

• Teodora Grigorova from The Good Club presented the model of “green coupons” – digital vouchers that companies can offer to employees, providing access to certified sustainable producers.

Teodora also explained how The Good Club secured cascading funding through the EU-funded Foodity project. This allowed her team to further develop and validate their early-stage idea, illustrating how international funding programs can significantly accelerate the development of innovative startups.

From the investment perspective, Raya Yunakova of LAUNCHub Ventures presented trends in agri-food tech funding across the region. She spoke candidly about the challenges facing venture funds, but also about the opportunities emerging with the new generation of entrepreneurs.

“We believe the agri-food sector is the next wave of innovation in the region. The focus is no longer only on software and fintech. We are looking for teams who understand the sector, have bold visions, and can create solutions with global applications,” she shared.

AgriVentures Connect made clear that the future of the agri-food sector lies in collaboration – between science and entrepreneurship, between local communities and global corporations, and between visionary startups and investors ready to back them. The event was not just a platform for ideas, but a demonstration of how innovation, responsibility, and cooperation can drive sustainable transformation in Central and Eastern Europe and beyond.

Dilyana Kutsarova: “This event is the result of a year of hard work”

“My name is Dilyana, and I’m one of the co-founders of Agriventures. It’s a pleasure and a responsibility to be here today because this event is the result of about a year of effort to lay the foundation of our organization,” shared Dilyana in her opening speech.

A lawyer with extensive experience in the NGO sector and EU projects, she plays a key role in identifying and structuring funding opportunities within Agriventures.

“There’s a €100 billion budget under the Horizon Europe program alone. Unfortunately, companies, startups, and farmers participate very little. There are many reasons for this, but one of the main ones is the difficulty in navigating these programs...”

From Event to Movement: What Comes Next

AgriVentures Connect was more than an event – it was a platform for ideas, partnerships, and a shared vision. Agriventures is building an innovation community that connects education, science, entrepreneurship, and policy. With its upcoming digital platform for funding search, planned innovation missions across the EU, a Sustainability Academy for children, and sustainability assessment tools, Agriventures is not just supporting innovation – it’s fostering a new culture of entrepreneurship.

The event was supported by UPL Bulgaria, RAPIV, Agrovar, Summi Agro Bulgaria, EIT Food, LAUNCHub Ventures, Fund of Funds, Green Transition Forum, ESGnews.bg, Dir.bg, Agri.bg, and many others.