[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":763},["ShallowReactive",2],{"$fNdqCPd9A89rWhmHrZCPxWcHPmBakmaBb-ROe6Tj52dI":3},{"success":4,"update":5,"relatedUpdates":626},true,{"_id":6,"title":7,"slug":8,"excerpt":9,"contentText":10,"richContent":11,"featuredMedia":605,"firstPublishedDate":608,"lastPublishedDate":608,"hashtags":609,"tags":610,"url":619,"language":620,"memberId":621,"pinned":622,"featured":622,"commentingEnabled":4,"translations":623,"categoryIds":624,"relatedPostIds":625},"003bc546-05ff-43c4-b861-db85eafa78fc","Ireland's EU Presidency Puts CAP Reform and Simplification Center Stage - What It Means for AgriFood Innovators","ireland-s-eu-presidency-puts-cap-reform-and-simplification-center-stage-what-it-means-for-agrifood","Europe's agricultural policy machine has shifted into a higher gear this July. As Ireland took over the rotating Presidency of the Council of the EU, Agriculture Minister Martin Heydon used his first appearances before the European Parliament to lay out an ambitious six-month agenda: a partial deal on the post-2027 Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), real progress on simplification, and closer alignment between environmental ambition and farm competitiveness. For agrifood entrepreneurs,...","Europe's agricultural policy machine has shifted into a higher gear this July. As Ireland took over the rotating Presidency of the Council of the EU, Agriculture Minister Martin Heydon used his first appearances before the European Parliament to lay out an ambitious six-month agenda: a partial deal on the post-2027 Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), real progress on simplification, and closer alignment between environmental ambition and farm competitiveness. For agrifood entrepreneurs, researchers, and investors, these are not abstract Brussels debates. They are early signals of where funding priorities, compliance requirements, and market opportunities are heading over the next CAP cycle. A Partial Deal on the Future CAP \"Our central priority is to progress as far as possible the discussions on the future of the CAP post-2027, with a view to achieving at least a partial general approach on the proposed CAP Regulation.\" That was Heydon's message to the European Parliament's Agriculture Committee on July 14, as Ireland set out to secure a Partial General Approach on the future CAP Regulation before its mandate ends in December. The full financial architecture cannot be locked in until the EU agrees its 2028–2034 long-term budget, but Dublin wants to lock in as much of the policy substance as possible in the meantime — food security, income support, competitiveness, and rural resilience, all delivered through a framework that is \"simpler for farmers and other CAP beneficiaries to engage with.\" MEPs pushed back on one central tension: how much flexibility can Member States get before the CAP stops being a common policy at all. Several warned that excessive national discretion risks uneven conditions for farmers across the bloc and a de facto renationalisation of the policy — a debate that will directly shape how future national CAP Strategic Plans are designed, and how much room individual countries have to tailor support schemes to their own farming structures. Simplification Is the Word of the Season Simplification came up in nearly every session this month, and it is starting to produce concrete results rather than just promises: The Commission's first comprehensive evaluation of the 1991 Nitrates Directive, published July 15, concluded the legislation remains effective — but flagged real scope to cut administrative burden, particularly for small farms, while preserving environmental gains. The evaluation estimates the Directive's benefits at €10–22 billion a year against €2.8–3.1 billion in implementation costs. The EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) also moved forward on July 13, with the Commission narrowing the list of covered products (removing items like cattle hides and soybeans for sowing, while adding soluble coffee and certain palm oil derivatives) and adopting technical rules for the EUDR Information System, including simplified declarations for micro and small operators. The regulation now applies from December 30, 2026 for large and medium operators, with micro and small operators following in mid-2027. Ireland also flagged progress on the food and feed safety Omnibus package and the environmental omnibus proposals as priorities before year-end — part of a broader push Heydon described as being \"about achieving our objectives in a smarter, more practical and more coherent way,\" not about lowering standards. For companies building compliance, traceability, or reporting tools, this steady stream of simplification measures is worth tracking closely — each revision changes what documentation, monitoring, or certification systems the market will actually need. Livestock, Protein, and the Bioeconomy The Commission's recently published Livestock Strategy and Protein Action Plan got their first political debate at the Agriculture Council on July 13. The Protein Action Plan sets a target of raising the EU-produced share of feed protein to 35% by 2035, through expanded domestic production and processing, stronger local supply chains, and more research and innovation — a clear opening for companies working on alternative proteins, feed innovation, and supply chain traceability. Ireland is also making the bioeconomy a flagship theme of its Presidency, including hosting a Global Bioeconomy Summit in Dublin on October 20–21. A coalition of seven Central and Eastern European Member States (the Visegrád Group plus Bulgaria, Croatia, and Romania) used the same Council meeting to push for stronger cross-border cooperation on biomass processing, circular resource use, and joint drought-management research — signalling growing regional appetite for bioeconomy investment and research partnerships. Rising Input Costs: The ETS-Fertiliser Connection A less visible but potentially significant development for farm economics: the EU's Emissions Trading System (ETS) is being revised, and free allowances for fertiliser production are being phased down as the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) takes over. Free allocation for EU fertiliser producers drops from 97.5% of the reference level in 2026 to 51.5% by 2030, before disappearing entirely in 2034. The direct consequence for farmers is the risk of higher fertiliser prices, as producers pass on rising carbon costs — while CBAM is intended to apply an equivalent carbon cost to imports, so the net effect will depend on how well it levels the playing field. This is exactly the kind of cost pressure that makes efficient nutrient management, circular fertiliser alternatives, and precision input technologies more commercially relevant, not less. Crisis Tools and Risk Management Are Getting an Upgrade Seven Member States also used the July Council meeting to press for a more flexible CAP crisis toolkit: higher public support rates for insurance and mutual funds (up from 70% to 90%), faster crisis payments, a lower loss threshold for triggering the EU's safety net, and a proposed European-level reinsurance mechanism for systemic agricultural risk. Agriculture Commissioner Christophe Hansen acknowledged the pressure from more frequent extreme weather events and confirmed the Commission is already studying EU-level risk-financing mechanisms with the European Investment Bank. Farmers and agri-insurtech providers alike should expect this framework to keep evolving through the CAP negotiations. What This Means for AgriFood Startups and Researchers Taken together, July's developments point to a CAP that will be more outcome-focused, more digitally administered, and more attentive to both cost pressure and climate risk. That combination tends to open funding lines and pilot opportunities for companies working on nutrient efficiency, alternative proteins, digital compliance and traceability, risk management tools, and circular bioeconomy models — precisely the areas where EU grant programmes tend to follow policy priorities closely. Official sources: European Commission, Evaluation of the Nitrates Directive (July 15, 2026): https:\u002F\u002Fenvironment.ec.europa.eu\u002Fpublications\u002Fnitrates-directive-evaluation_en European Parliament Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development (AGRI), July 14, 2026 session Council of the EU, Agriculture and Fisheries Council, July 13, 2026 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.",{"nodes":12,"documentStyle":604},[13,18,37,42,55,59,74,87,92,105,110,123,127,140,153,158,171,176,189,194,207,212,225,229,242,255,260,273,277,290,303,308,321,325,338,351,355,368,381,387,403,408,479,486,492,504,516,532,551,556,567,578,584,599],{"type":14,"id":15,"nodes":16,"paragraphData":17},"PARAGRAPH","506611993",[],{},{"type":14,"id":19,"nodes":20,"style":33,"paragraphData":34},"cavpm1843",[21],{"type":22,"id":23,"nodes":24,"textData":25},"TEXT","",[],{"text":26,"decorations":27},"Europe's agricultural policy machine has shifted into a higher gear this July. As Ireland took over the rotating Presidency of the Council of the EU, Agriculture Minister Martin Heydon used his first appearances before the European Parliament to lay out an ambitious six-month agenda: a partial deal on the post-2027 Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), real progress on simplification, and closer alignment between environmental ambition and farm competitiveness.",[28],{"type":29,"colorData":30},"COLOR",{"background":31,"foreground":32},"transparent","rgb(0, 0, 0)",{},{"textStyle":35},{"textAlignment":36},"AUTO",{"type":14,"id":38,"nodes":39,"paragraphData":40},"j76as1845",[],{"textStyle":41},{"textAlignment":36},{"type":14,"id":43,"nodes":44,"style":52,"paragraphData":53},"jh9u61846",[45],{"type":22,"id":23,"nodes":46,"textData":47},[],{"text":48,"decorations":49},"For agrifood entrepreneurs, researchers, and investors, these are not abstract Brussels debates. They are early signals of where funding priorities, compliance requirements, and market opportunities are heading over the next CAP cycle.",[50],{"type":29,"colorData":51},{"background":31,"foreground":32},{},{"textStyle":54},{"textAlignment":36},{"type":14,"id":56,"nodes":57,"paragraphData":58},"gubdq2031",[],{},{"type":60,"id":61,"nodes":62,"style":70,"headingData":71},"HEADING","s37vh1848",[63],{"type":22,"id":23,"nodes":64,"textData":65},[],{"text":66,"decorations":67},"A Partial Deal on the Future CAP",[68],{"type":29,"colorData":69},{"background":31,"foreground":32},{},{"level":72,"textStyle":73},2,{"textAlignment":36},{"type":14,"id":75,"nodes":76,"style":84,"paragraphData":85},"ajyun1850",[77],{"type":22,"id":23,"nodes":78,"textData":79},[],{"text":80,"decorations":81},"\"Our central priority is to progress as far as possible the discussions on the future of the CAP post-2027, with a view to achieving at least a partial general approach on the proposed CAP Regulation.\"",[82],{"type":29,"colorData":83},{"background":31,"foreground":32},{},{"textStyle":86},{"textAlignment":36},{"type":14,"id":88,"nodes":89,"paragraphData":90},"yoa0g1852",[],{"textStyle":91},{"textAlignment":36},{"type":14,"id":93,"nodes":94,"style":102,"paragraphData":103},"of2tg1853",[95],{"type":22,"id":23,"nodes":96,"textData":97},[],{"text":98,"decorations":99},"That was Heydon's message to the European Parliament's Agriculture Committee on July 14, as Ireland set out to secure a Partial General Approach on the future CAP Regulation before its mandate ends in December. The full financial architecture cannot be locked in until the EU agrees its 2028–2034 long-term budget, but Dublin wants to lock in as much of the policy substance as possible in the meantime — food security, income support, competitiveness, and rural resilience, all delivered through a framework that is \"simpler for farmers and other CAP beneficiaries to engage with.\"",[100],{"type":29,"colorData":101},{"background":31,"foreground":32},{},{"textStyle":104},{"textAlignment":36},{"type":14,"id":106,"nodes":107,"paragraphData":108},"8r2k81855",[],{"textStyle":109},{"textAlignment":36},{"type":14,"id":111,"nodes":112,"style":120,"paragraphData":121},"dakv61856",[113],{"type":22,"id":23,"nodes":114,"textData":115},[],{"text":116,"decorations":117},"MEPs pushed back on one central tension: how much flexibility can Member States get before the CAP stops being a common policy at all. Several warned that excessive national discretion risks uneven conditions for farmers across the bloc and a de facto renationalisation of the policy — a debate that will directly shape how future national CAP Strategic Plans are designed, and how much room individual countries have to tailor support schemes to their own farming structures.",[118],{"type":29,"colorData":119},{"background":31,"foreground":32},{},{"textStyle":122},{"textAlignment":36},{"type":14,"id":124,"nodes":125,"paragraphData":126},"1vziz2071",[],{},{"type":60,"id":128,"nodes":129,"style":137,"headingData":138},"c6va31858",[130],{"type":22,"id":23,"nodes":131,"textData":132},[],{"text":133,"decorations":134},"Simplification Is the Word of the Season",[135],{"type":29,"colorData":136},{"background":31,"foreground":32},{},{"level":72,"textStyle":139},{"textAlignment":36},{"type":14,"id":141,"nodes":142,"style":150,"paragraphData":151},"m1w461860",[143],{"type":22,"id":23,"nodes":144,"textData":145},[],{"text":146,"decorations":147},"Simplification came up in nearly every session this month, and it is starting to produce concrete results rather than just promises:",[148],{"type":29,"colorData":149},{"background":31,"foreground":32},{},{"textStyle":152},{"textAlignment":36},{"type":14,"id":154,"nodes":155,"paragraphData":156},"b9rbv1862",[],{"textStyle":157},{"textAlignment":36},{"type":14,"id":159,"nodes":160,"style":168,"paragraphData":169},"92ve91863",[161],{"type":22,"id":23,"nodes":162,"textData":163},[],{"text":164,"decorations":165},"The Commission's first comprehensive evaluation of the 1991 Nitrates Directive, published July 15, concluded the legislation remains effective — but flagged real scope to cut administrative burden, particularly for small farms, while preserving environmental gains. The evaluation estimates the Directive's benefits at €10–22 billion a year against €2.8–3.1 billion in implementation costs.",[166],{"type":29,"colorData":167},{"background":31,"foreground":32},{},{"textStyle":170},{"textAlignment":36},{"type":14,"id":172,"nodes":173,"paragraphData":174},"fjcsw1865",[],{"textStyle":175},{"textAlignment":36},{"type":14,"id":177,"nodes":178,"style":186,"paragraphData":187},"f5sz61866",[179],{"type":22,"id":23,"nodes":180,"textData":181},[],{"text":182,"decorations":183},"The EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) also moved forward on July 13, with the Commission narrowing the list of covered products (removing items like cattle hides and soybeans for sowing, while adding soluble coffee and certain palm oil derivatives) and adopting technical rules for the EUDR Information System, including simplified declarations for micro and small operators. The regulation now applies from December 30, 2026 for large and medium operators, with micro and small operators following in mid-2027.",[184],{"type":29,"colorData":185},{"background":31,"foreground":32},{},{"textStyle":188},{"textAlignment":36},{"type":14,"id":190,"nodes":191,"paragraphData":192},"ukybt1868",[],{"textStyle":193},{"textAlignment":36},{"type":14,"id":195,"nodes":196,"style":204,"paragraphData":205},"lgs2b1869",[197],{"type":22,"id":23,"nodes":198,"textData":199},[],{"text":200,"decorations":201},"Ireland also flagged progress on the food and feed safety Omnibus package and the environmental omnibus proposals as priorities before year-end — part of a broader push Heydon described as being \"about achieving our objectives in a smarter, more practical and more coherent way,\" not about lowering standards.",[202],{"type":29,"colorData":203},{"background":31,"foreground":32},{},{"textStyle":206},{"textAlignment":36},{"type":14,"id":208,"nodes":209,"paragraphData":210},"17doa1871",[],{"textStyle":211},{"textAlignment":36},{"type":14,"id":213,"nodes":214,"style":222,"paragraphData":223},"kizww1872",[215],{"type":22,"id":23,"nodes":216,"textData":217},[],{"text":218,"decorations":219},"For companies building compliance, traceability, or reporting tools, this steady stream of simplification measures is worth tracking closely — each revision changes what documentation, monitoring, or certification systems the market will actually need.",[220],{"type":29,"colorData":221},{"background":31,"foreground":32},{},{"textStyle":224},{"textAlignment":36},{"type":14,"id":226,"nodes":227,"paragraphData":228},"feij62113",[],{},{"type":60,"id":230,"nodes":231,"style":239,"headingData":240},"5wyni1874",[232],{"type":22,"id":23,"nodes":233,"textData":234},[],{"text":235,"decorations":236},"Livestock, Protein, and the Bioeconomy",[237],{"type":29,"colorData":238},{"background":31,"foreground":32},{},{"level":72,"textStyle":241},{"textAlignment":36},{"type":14,"id":243,"nodes":244,"style":252,"paragraphData":253},"c5tfw1876",[245],{"type":22,"id":23,"nodes":246,"textData":247},[],{"text":248,"decorations":249},"The Commission's recently published Livestock Strategy and Protein Action Plan got their first political debate at the Agriculture Council on July 13. The Protein Action Plan sets a target of raising the EU-produced share of feed protein to 35% by 2035, through expanded domestic production and processing, stronger local supply chains, and more research and innovation — a clear opening for companies working on alternative proteins, feed innovation, and supply chain traceability.",[250],{"type":29,"colorData":251},{"background":31,"foreground":32},{},{"textStyle":254},{"textAlignment":36},{"type":14,"id":256,"nodes":257,"paragraphData":258},"vpdq91878",[],{"textStyle":259},{"textAlignment":36},{"type":14,"id":261,"nodes":262,"style":270,"paragraphData":271},"vevuw1879",[263],{"type":22,"id":23,"nodes":264,"textData":265},[],{"text":266,"decorations":267},"Ireland is also making the bioeconomy a flagship theme of its Presidency, including hosting a Global Bioeconomy Summit in Dublin on October 20–21. A coalition of seven Central and Eastern European Member States (the Visegrád Group plus Bulgaria, Croatia, and Romania) used the same Council meeting to push for stronger cross-border cooperation on biomass processing, circular resource use, and joint drought-management research — signalling growing regional appetite for bioeconomy investment and research partnerships.",[268],{"type":29,"colorData":269},{"background":31,"foreground":32},{},{"textStyle":272},{"textAlignment":36},{"type":14,"id":274,"nodes":275,"paragraphData":276},"z5c4a2152",[],{},{"type":60,"id":278,"nodes":279,"style":287,"headingData":288},"y65rv1881",[280],{"type":22,"id":23,"nodes":281,"textData":282},[],{"text":283,"decorations":284},"Rising Input Costs: The ETS-Fertiliser Connection",[285],{"type":29,"colorData":286},{"background":31,"foreground":32},{},{"level":72,"textStyle":289},{"textAlignment":36},{"type":14,"id":291,"nodes":292,"style":300,"paragraphData":301},"us5r31883",[293],{"type":22,"id":23,"nodes":294,"textData":295},[],{"text":296,"decorations":297},"A less visible but potentially significant development for farm economics: the EU's Emissions Trading System (ETS) is being revised, and free allowances for fertiliser production are being phased down as the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) takes over. Free allocation for EU fertiliser producers drops from 97.5% of the reference level in 2026 to 51.5% by 2030, before disappearing entirely in 2034. The direct consequence for farmers is the risk of higher fertiliser prices, as producers pass on rising carbon costs — while CBAM is intended to apply an equivalent carbon cost to imports, so the net effect will depend on how well it levels the playing field.",[298],{"type":29,"colorData":299},{"background":31,"foreground":32},{},{"textStyle":302},{"textAlignment":36},{"type":14,"id":304,"nodes":305,"paragraphData":306},"x13si1885",[],{"textStyle":307},{"textAlignment":36},{"type":14,"id":309,"nodes":310,"style":318,"paragraphData":319},"euxl91886",[311],{"type":22,"id":23,"nodes":312,"textData":313},[],{"text":314,"decorations":315},"This is exactly the kind of cost pressure that makes efficient nutrient management, circular fertiliser alternatives, and precision input technologies more commercially relevant, not less.",[316],{"type":29,"colorData":317},{"background":31,"foreground":32},{},{"textStyle":320},{"textAlignment":36},{"type":14,"id":322,"nodes":323,"paragraphData":324},"rhkga2191",[],{},{"type":60,"id":326,"nodes":327,"style":335,"headingData":336},"u74jn1888",[328],{"type":22,"id":23,"nodes":329,"textData":330},[],{"text":331,"decorations":332},"Crisis Tools and Risk Management Are Getting an Upgrade",[333],{"type":29,"colorData":334},{"background":31,"foreground":32},{},{"level":72,"textStyle":337},{"textAlignment":36},{"type":14,"id":339,"nodes":340,"style":348,"paragraphData":349},"h0vu11890",[341],{"type":22,"id":23,"nodes":342,"textData":343},[],{"text":344,"decorations":345},"Seven Member States also used the July Council meeting to press for a more flexible CAP crisis toolkit: higher public support rates for insurance and mutual funds (up from 70% to 90%), faster crisis payments, a lower loss threshold for triggering the EU's safety net, and a proposed European-level reinsurance mechanism for systemic agricultural risk. Agriculture Commissioner Christophe Hansen acknowledged the pressure from more frequent extreme weather events and confirmed the Commission is already studying EU-level risk-financing mechanisms with the European Investment Bank. Farmers and agri-insurtech providers alike should expect this framework to keep evolving through the CAP negotiations.",[346],{"type":29,"colorData":347},{"background":31,"foreground":32},{},{"textStyle":350},{"textAlignment":36},{"type":14,"id":352,"nodes":353,"paragraphData":354},"ut3mc2229",[],{},{"type":60,"id":356,"nodes":357,"style":365,"headingData":366},"2hk0a1892",[358],{"type":22,"id":23,"nodes":359,"textData":360},[],{"text":361,"decorations":362},"What This Means for AgriFood Startups and Researchers",[363],{"type":29,"colorData":364},{"background":31,"foreground":32},{},{"level":72,"textStyle":367},{"textAlignment":36},{"type":14,"id":369,"nodes":370,"style":378,"paragraphData":379},"tt6x71894",[371],{"type":22,"id":23,"nodes":372,"textData":373},[],{"text":374,"decorations":375},"Taken together, July's developments point to a CAP that will be more outcome-focused, more digitally administered, and more attentive to both cost pressure and climate risk. 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agricultural innovation ecosystem that can accelerate the transition toward sustainable agriculture and resilient food systems.",[],{},{"level":514,"textStyle":566},{"textAlignment":485},{"type":60,"id":568,"nodes":569,"style":575,"headingData":576},"m0vme9159",[570],{"type":22,"id":23,"nodes":571,"textData":572},[],{"text":573,"decorations":574},"Through knowledge sharing, events, and ecosystem building, Agriventures helps ensure that promising agritech innovations can scale and reach farmers, food producers, and global markets.",[],{},{"level":514,"textStyle":577},{"textAlignment":485},{"type":14,"id":579,"nodes":580,"style":581,"paragraphData":582},"7p0ov14496",[],{},{"textStyle":583},{"textAlignment":485},{"type":533,"id":585,"nodes":586,"buttonData":587},"nx55n14622",[],{"containerData":588,"type":435,"styles":592,"text":595,"link":596},{"width":589,"alignment":540,"spoiler":590,"height":591,"textWrap":4},{"size":539},{},{},{"buttonSize":544,"background":593},{"type":29,"color":594},"#1E4659","Donate for our mission",{"url":597,"target":438,"rel":598},"https:\u002F\u002Fdonate.stripe.com\u002FcNiaEW0rHadWdEa0mS4wM01",{"noreferrer":4},{"type":14,"id":600,"nodes":601,"paragraphData":602},"s51zy14716",[],{"textStyle":603},{"textAlignment":36},{},{"image":606},{"url":607,"altText":7},"wix:image:\u002F\u002Fv1\u002F013261c3c9bb41659d03a9a3c0305612.jpg\u002F013261c3c9bb41659d03a9a3c0305612.jpg#originWidth=980&originHeight=686","2026-07-19T17:12:41.834Z",[],[611,615],{"_id":612,"label":613,"slug":614},"cbecd352-91ee-4a79-8d7a-4361217b7511","News","news",{"_id":616,"label":617,"slug":618},"7a0b69d8-2238-4b96-b124-894fb4fa6a61","Sustainable & Circular Agrifood","sustainable-circular-agrifood","https:\u002F\u002Fxpsc9qx4zmq8jvdz5c8j.agriventures.co\u002Fpost\u002Fireland-s-eu-presidency-puts-cap-reform-and-simplification-center-stage-what-it-means-for-agrifood","en","1cd362a1-09ac-4de4-951b-bf76d96262ce",false,[],[],[],[627,653,680,700,720,740],{"_id":628,"title":629,"slug":630,"excerpt":631,"contentText":632,"featuredMedia":633,"firstPublishedDate":636,"lastPublishedDate":636,"hashtags":637,"tags":638,"url":648,"language":620,"memberId":649,"pinned":622,"featured":622,"commentingEnabled":4,"translations":650,"categoryIds":651,"relatedPostIds":652},"ab11000e-1455-4ca2-b377-da6951948e35","SAFE-AGRI Workshop Brings Together Stakeholders to Shape Responsible Innovation in the Agri-Food Sector","safe-agri-workshop-brings-together-stakeholders-to-shape-responsible-innovation-in-the-agri-food-sec","Co-creation Workshop: \"Security and Innovation in Agri-Food Technologies: Digitalisation, Automation, Data Management and Security Assessment\" Following the successful launch of the SAFE-AGRI project, Agriventures has taken another important step towards advancing responsible innovation in the agri-food sector by delivering its first stakeholder co-creation workshop on July 6. The event brought together more than 15 participants representing academia, research organisations, technology...","Co-creation Workshop: \"Security and Innovation in Agri-Food Technologies: Digitalisation, Automation, Data Management and Security Assessment\" Following the successful launch of the SAFE-AGRI project, Agriventures has taken another important step towards advancing responsible innovation in the agri-food sector by delivering its first stakeholder co-creation workshop on July 6. The event brought together more than 15 participants representing academia, research organisations, technology providers, agricultural businesses, industry associations, innovation experts and other key stakeholders. The workshop created a collaborative environment for knowledge exchange, interdisciplinary dialogue and forward-looking discussions on the future of digital and hardware technologies in agriculture. The programme combined expert presentations with an interactive foresight and co-creation session designed under the principles of Responsible Research and Innovation (ORRI). Participants explored the opportunities and challenges associated with emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence, autonomous agricultural systems, smart sensors, cloud-based infrastructures, data governance, cybersecurity and technologies with dual-use potential. The practical part of the workshop focused on three foresight scenarios, each presenting a plausible challenge for the agri-food sector in the coming decades. Working in multidisciplinary groups, participants analysed potential risks, identified vulnerabilities, reflected on ethical and societal implications, and proposed practical mitigation measures. The discussions addressed key topics such as operational resilience, food security, cybersecurity, critical digital infrastructures, data sovereignty, technological dependencies and the responsible governance of innovative technologies. The scenario-based methodology encouraged participants to examine complex issues from multiple perspectives while applying the ORRI framework of anticipation, inclusion, reflexivity and responsiveness. Through collaborative analysis and prioritisation of proposed measures, the workshop generated valuable insights that will directly contribute the project's forthcoming activities. Beyond the technical discussions, the workshop also provided an excellent opportunity for participants from different sectors to establish new connections, exchange experiences and strengthen collaboration across the innovation ecosystem. The networking session highlighted the importance of cross-sector dialogue in addressing emerging technological and societal challenges affecting the future of agriculture. The outcomes of the workshop reaffirm the value of participatory approaches in shaping resilient, secure and responsible innovation. By actively engaging diverse stakeholder communities, SAFE-AGRI continues to build a strong foundation for developing practical guidance that supports the safe adoption of advanced digital and hardware technologies across the European agri-food sector. As the project progresses, the knowledge and recommendations generated during this workshop will inform the next stages of the SAFE-AGRI initiative, contributing to evidence-based policy recommendations, practical tools and collaborative solutions that promote trustworthy, sustainable and secure technological innovation in agriculture. Want to learn more about the SAFE-AGRI initiative? Read our previous article about the project's official launch here: https:\u002F\u002Fagriventures.co\u002Fupdates\u002Fsafe-agri-initiative-officially-kicks-off Explore funding opportunities matched to your innovation, or get in touch with our team to discuss how AgriVentures can support your next step. 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. Safe-Agri is funded within the framework of the REINFORCING project. REINFORCING has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon Europe research and innovation programme under Grant Agreement No. 101094687. The project is supported by the European Research Executive Agency (REA). Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union, the REA, or the REINFORCING consortium. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.",{"image":634},{"url":635,"altText":629},"wix:image:\u002F\u002Fv1\u002Fe54875_882b6fd55c1b4941a99b407d23e88f8a~mv2.png\u002FIMG_7795.HEIC#originWidth=4032&originHeight=3024","2026-07-09T07:58:44.787Z",[],[639,640,644],{"_id":612,"label":613,"slug":614},{"_id":641,"label":642,"slug":643},"b759c01d-1f8c-4d93-993b-c82e8285d11d","Agriventures updates","agriventures-updates",{"_id":645,"label":646,"slug":647},"c91dd194-3b18-4a7a-90a6-50ead08c2a48","Digital Farming","digital-farming","https:\u002F\u002Fxpsc9qx4zmq8jvdz5c8j.agriventures.co\u002Fpost\u002Fsafe-agri-workshop-brings-together-stakeholders-to-shape-responsible-innovation-in-the-agri-food-sec","af8843a1-fdf7-4a06-91ed-f5fad4c86c5c",[],[],[],{"_id":654,"title":655,"slug":656,"excerpt":657,"contentText":658,"featuredMedia":659,"firstPublishedDate":662,"lastPublishedDate":662,"hashtags":663,"tags":664,"url":675,"language":620,"memberId":676,"pinned":622,"featured":622,"commentingEnabled":4,"translations":677,"categoryIds":678,"relatedPostIds":679},"915db5f4-aea2-4304-8e7c-27e8167061c0","Agriventures member spotlight: The Good Club achieves a major milestone with its ESG impact reporting methodology ","agriventures-member-spotlight-the-good-club-achieves-a-major-milestone-with-its-esg-impact-reportin","We are proud to celebrate an important achievement by our member The Good Club, which has successfully validated the methodology behind its ESG Impact Reporting through an independent assessment by Bureau Veritas. This milestone marks an important step in transforming an innovative concept into a trusted solution that businesses can confidently adopt. From Innovation to Market-Ready Solution Building a new product requires more than a great idea. It takes continuous testing, validation,...","We are proud to celebrate an important achievement by our member The Good Club, which has successfully validated the methodology behind its ESG Impact Reporting through an independent assessment by Bureau Veritas. This milestone marks an important step in transforming an innovative concept into a trusted solution that businesses can confidently adopt. From Innovation to Market-Ready Solution Building a new product requires more than a great idea. It takes continuous testing, validation, collaboration with early adopters to create a solution that delivers real value. Following the successful validation of its methodology, The Good Club has now completed its first ESG Impact Report for a pilot company - demonstrating how employee benefit programmes can generate measurable environmental and social impact while supporting more sustainable purchasing decisions. Supporting local producers through better employee benefits The Good Club is rethinking employee benefits by connecting companies with carefully assessed local farmers and food producers. Through its platform, employees gain access to high-quality, locally produced food, while businesses strengthen their sustainability performance and contribute to shorter, more resilient food supply chains. By supporting responsible producers and encouraging local purchasing, the platform helps generate positive impacts for businesses, consumers, and the agri-food ecosystem alike. At Agriventures, our mission is to help startups and innovative companies transform promising ideas into market-ready solutions that generate real impact across the agri-food sector. We are proud to have supported The Good Club in reaching this important milestone and look forward to seeing its platform continue connecting businesses with local producers, strengthening short food supply chains, and making healthy, sustainably produced food more accessible. Congratulations to the entire The Good Club team on this achievement—we wish you continued success as you scale your impact. \n 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.",{"image":660},{"url":661,"altText":655},"wix:image:\u002F\u002Fv1\u002F1cd362_5299ef621cfb4179b8fd889f4a95dce8~mv2.png\u002Fimage.png#originWidth=1280&originHeight=720","2026-06-26T09:33:52.982Z",[],[665,666,667,671],{"_id":612,"label":613,"slug":614},{"_id":641,"label":642,"slug":643},{"_id":668,"label":669,"slug":670},"f9f2e1a0-44fd-4c5b-a217-b40339fe390e","Our Focus","our-focus",{"_id":672,"label":673,"slug":674},"35d9c4dd-a7c1-46c3-b814-5dfecce7c382","Women in Agrifood","women-in-agrifood","https:\u002F\u002Fxpsc9qx4zmq8jvdz5c8j.agriventures.co\u002Fpost\u002Fagriventures-member-spotlight-the-good-club-achieves-a-major-milestone-with-its-esg-impact-reportin","ac0c59a4-e1e1-4399-9f88-500dac6c8de7",[],[],[],{"_id":681,"title":682,"slug":683,"excerpt":684,"contentText":685,"featuredMedia":686,"firstPublishedDate":689,"lastPublishedDate":689,"hashtags":690,"tags":691,"url":696,"language":620,"memberId":676,"pinned":622,"featured":622,"commentingEnabled":4,"translations":697,"categoryIds":698,"relatedPostIds":699},"d393b4f8-459b-4247-be62-9f132b1dd845","Agriventures member spotlight: Smart Farm Robotix and the vision for the future of autonomous farming","agriventures-member-spotlight-smart-farm-robotix-and-the-vision-for-the-future-of-autonomous-farmin","How can artificial intelligence and robotics help farmers overcome one of agriculture’s most persistent challenges? In a recent interview with the Center for Data Innovation, Rossen Kolev discussed how Bulgarian agri-tech startup Smart Farm Robotix is developing autonomous robotic solutions designed to transform weed management for small and medium-sized farms. Tackling a major challenge in Agriculture Weed control remains one of the most labour-intensive and costly activities in agriculture,...","How can artificial intelligence and robotics help farmers overcome one of agriculture’s most persistent challenges? In a recent interview with the Center for Data Innovation, Rossen Kolev discussed how Bulgarian agri-tech startup Smart Farm Robotix is developing autonomous robotic solutions designed to transform weed management for small and medium-sized farms. Tackling a major challenge in Agriculture Weed control remains one of the most labour-intensive and costly activities in agriculture, particularly for organic producers who cannot rely on conventional herbicides. According to Kolev, many existing robotic solutions are either too expensive or designed for the large, flat fields common in Northern Europe, making them less suitable for the diverse terrain found across Southern and Eastern Europe. To address this gap, Smart Farm Robotix has developed an autonomous field robot that combines computer vision, artificial intelligence, and robotics to identify and remove weeds with high precision while operating in real farming conditions. AI and Robotics supporting sustainable farming The company’s approach focuses on reducing manual labour requirements while supporting more sustainable agricultural practices. By using AI-powered identification systems and autonomous navigation, the robot can distinguish weeds from crops and perform targeted interventions without relying on chemical herbicides. This technology has particular relevance for organic farming, aromatic and medicinal crops, and other production systems where weed management remains a significant operational challenge. A Growing Bulgarian Innovation Success Story Founded in Bulgaria, Smart Farm Robotix has become one of the region’s most promising agri-tech ventures, demonstrating how advanced technologies developed in Central and Eastern Europe can address global agricultural challenges. The company is focused on creating accessible and scalable robotic solutions that can support farmers facing labour shortages, rising costs, and increasing sustainability requirements. The interview highlights a broader trend across agriculture: the convergence of artificial intelligence, automation, and precision farming technologies that are helping producers improve efficiency while reducing environmental impact. Read the full Interview The complete interview with Rossen Kolev is available through the Center for Data Innovation. 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.",{"image":687},{"url":688,"altText":682},"wix:image:\u002F\u002Fv1\u002Fnsplsh_574437426f7150726a5945~mv2.jpg\u002FMale%20mechanical%20engineer%20with%20sustainable%20agricultural%20robot%20in%20field.jpg#originWidth=5472&originHeight=3648","2026-06-26T09:32:59.850Z",[],[692,693,694,695],{"_id":612,"label":613,"slug":614},{"_id":641,"label":642,"slug":643},{"_id":645,"label":646,"slug":647},{"_id":668,"label":669,"slug":670},"https:\u002F\u002Fxpsc9qx4zmq8jvdz5c8j.agriventures.co\u002Fpost\u002Fagriventures-member-spotlight-smart-farm-robotix-and-the-vision-for-the-future-of-autonomous-farmin",[],[],[],{"_id":701,"title":702,"slug":703,"excerpt":704,"contentText":705,"featuredMedia":706,"firstPublishedDate":709,"lastPublishedDate":709,"hashtags":710,"tags":711,"url":716,"language":620,"memberId":676,"pinned":622,"featured":622,"commentingEnabled":4,"translations":717,"categoryIds":718,"relatedPostIds":719},"4041f0e2-4b25-43a7-9f81-4d2c38ea7a2d","Circular voices wraps up: Explore the farmer's stories on circularity, Toolkits and inspiration that continue beyond the project ","circular-voices-wraps-up-explore-the-farmer-s-stories-on-circularity-toolkits-and-inspiration-that","As June marks the official conclusion of the Circular Voices initiative, we would like to thank everyone who contributed to making this journey possible—from farmers and entrepreneurs to researchers, facilitators, and ecosystem partners across Bulgaria and Spain. While the project has reached its final chapter, its results are only beginning to create lasting impact. Capturing the voices behind circular agriculture Circular Voices was created to uncover, document, and amplify inspiring...","As June marks the official conclusion of the Circular Voices initiative, we would like to thank everyone who contributed to making this journey possible—from farmers and entrepreneurs to researchers, facilitators, and ecosystem partners across Bulgaria and Spain. While the project has reached its final chapter, its results are only beginning to create lasting impact. Capturing the voices behind circular agriculture Circular Voices was created to uncover, document, and amplify inspiring examples of circular agriculture and innovation. Rather than focusing solely on technologies, the project placed farmers and practitioners at the centre, showcasing the people, ideas, and practical solutions driving the transition towards more resilient food systems. Throughout the project, we explored real examples of circular practices, highlighted local innovations, and facilitated knowledge exchange between stakeholders working towards a more sustainable future for agriculture. Practical Resources Available for Everyone One of the project's key ambitions was to ensure that its knowledge remains openly accessible beyond its lifetime. Visitors to the Circular Voices website can now explore a growing collection of resources, including: Practical  Toolkit; Inspiring Farmer Stories from Bulgaria and Spain; Best practice examples and innovation case studies; Communication materials and project publications; Whether you are looking for practical inspiration, examples of circular business models, or tools to assess sustainable farming, these resources are freely available to anyone. Continuing the Conversation Circular Voices has shown that some of the most powerful innovations begin with collaboration, dialogue, and the willingness to share experiences. We hope the stories collected throughout the project will continue inspiring farmers, startups, researchers, and organisations to explore circular approaches that strengthen both agricultural resilience and rural communities. Explore the Project Results All project resources are available free of charge at: 👉 https:\u002F\u002Fcircular.agriventures.co\u002F 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.",{"image":707},{"url":708,"altText":702},"wix:image:\u002F\u002Fv1\u002F1cd362_14a058db7b034747b67aca19dba58833~mv2.jpg\u002F%D0%BA%D1%80%D1%8A%D0%B3%D0%BE%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%BF%D1%80%D0%B0%D0%BA%D1%82%D0%B8%D0%BA%D0%B8(42of216).jpg#originWidth=4500&originHeight=3000","2026-06-26T09:29:24.401Z",[],[712,713,714,715],{"_id":612,"label":613,"slug":614},{"_id":616,"label":617,"slug":618},{"_id":641,"label":642,"slug":643},{"_id":668,"label":669,"slug":670},"https:\u002F\u002Fxpsc9qx4zmq8jvdz5c8j.agriventures.co\u002Fpost\u002Fcircular-voices-wraps-up-explore-the-farmer-s-stories-on-circularity-toolkits-and-inspiration-that",[],[],[],{"_id":721,"title":722,"slug":723,"excerpt":724,"contentText":725,"featuredMedia":726,"firstPublishedDate":729,"lastPublishedDate":729,"hashtags":730,"tags":731,"url":736,"language":620,"memberId":676,"pinned":622,"featured":622,"commentingEnabled":4,"translations":737,"categoryIds":738,"relatedPostIds":739},"8e2f7f20-07d9-432b-bb9c-93a9e6f373c0","Agriventures wins Gold at the Facilitation Impact Awards 2026 ","agriventures-wins-gold-at-the-facilitation-impact-awards-2026","We are delighted to announce that Agriventures has been awarded the Gold Award at the Facilitation Impact Awards (FIA) 2026 for its Circular Voices initiative—an international recognition presented by the International Association of Facilitators (IAF) to projects that achieve exceptional impact through facilitative methodologies. This milestone is particularly significant as Circular Voices is the first Bulgarian initiative to receive this prestigious international recognition, selected...","We are delighted to announce that Agriventures has been awarded the Gold Award at the Facilitation Impact Awards (FIA) 2026 for its Circular Voices initiative—an international recognition presented by the International Association of Facilitators (IAF) to projects that achieve exceptional impact through facilitative methodologies. This milestone is particularly significant as Circular Voices is the first Bulgarian initiative to receive this prestigious international recognition, selected among thousands of submissions from around the world. Recognising the Power of Collaboration Developed by Agriventures in partnership with U Grow Academy and supported by the Circular Food Systems Network, Circular Voices set out to discover, document, and amplify inspiring examples of circular agriculture and innovation across Bulgaria and Spain. Together with our Spanish partner ALBERIZAS CEUTA SL, led by Sonsoles Jiménez, we worked alongside farmers, entrepreneurs, and innovators to capture practical stories demonstrating how circular approaches can strengthen resilience, create new business opportunities, and inspire change across the agri-food sector. More Than a Project - A Process that creates impact The Facilitation Impact Awards recognise initiatives where facilitation becomes a driver of meaningful change. Throughout Circular Voices, we created spaces where farmers, researchers, businesses, and innovation actors could exchange experiences, learn from one another, and co-create knowledge. The resulting farmer stories, practical toolkits, and communication resources continue to inspire organisations well beyond the project's duration. This award recognises not only the project's results, but also the collaborative process that made those results possible. A Shared achievement This recognition belongs to everyone who contributed to the journey. We sincerely thank our partners at U Grow Academy, especially Dilyana Dragomirova for her trust and partnership, and Ralitsa Lyubenova for designing and facilitating an outstanding collaborative process. We are equally grateful to the Circular Food Systems Network for recognising and supporting the initiative, to our partners at ALBERIZAS CEUTA SL, and to every farmer and innovator who generously shared their experiences. Finally, we thank the Agriventures team—Dilyana Kutsarova, Mariya Hristova, Ivaylo Yankov, and Roza Mitova—whose dedication made this achievement possible. Looking Ahead Winning the Gold Facilitation Impact Award reinforces Agriventures' mission to create meaningful impact through innovation, collaboration, and community building. As Circular Voices officially concludes, its legacy continues through the freely available farmer stories, practical toolkits, and knowledge resources available on the project website, inspiring the next generation of circular agriculture initiatives across Europe. This recognition motivates us to continue developing projects that bring people together, transform knowledge into action, and accelerate sustainable innovation throughout the agri-food sector. Explore the project results All project resources are available free of charge at: 👉 https:\u002F\u002Fcircular.agriventures.co\u002F 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.",{"image":727},{"url":728,"altText":722},"wix:image:\u002F\u002Fv1\u002F5fcabf_635a77336acc404da14d394a9124cc74~mv2.png\u002Fimage.png#originWidth=1276&originHeight=718","2026-06-26T09:28:18.953Z",[],[732,733,734,735],{"_id":612,"label":613,"slug":614},{"_id":616,"label":617,"slug":618},{"_id":641,"label":642,"slug":643},{"_id":668,"label":669,"slug":670},"https:\u002F\u002Fxpsc9qx4zmq8jvdz5c8j.agriventures.co\u002Fpost\u002Fagriventures-wins-gold-at-the-facilitation-impact-awards-2026",[],[],[],{"_id":741,"title":742,"slug":743,"excerpt":744,"contentText":745,"featuredMedia":746,"firstPublishedDate":749,"lastPublishedDate":749,"hashtags":750,"tags":751,"url":759,"language":620,"memberId":621,"pinned":622,"featured":622,"commentingEnabled":4,"translations":760,"categoryIds":761,"relatedPostIds":762},"6b54eabf-7dfe-4071-835a-a35cd28eaa9f","Agriventures Joins SYSARM: Helping Europe’s Farmers ","agriventures-joins-sysarm-helping-europe-s-farmers","Every farmer already knows how to manage risk day to day — weather, prices, supply chains, you name it. What most don’t have is a way to see how all of those risks connect, and how a decision made today can come back to bite (or help) them two seasons from now. That’s the gap SYSARM is here to close, and Agriventures has just signed on as a core partner to help make it happen. On 27–28 May, our team — represented by Ivaylo Yankov — joined partners from Italy, Romania, Bulgaria and Poland in...","Every farmer already knows how to manage risk day to day — weather, prices, supply chains, you name it. What most don’t have is a way to see how all of those risks connect, and how a decision made today can come back to bite (or help) them two seasons from now. That’s the gap SYSARM is here to close, and Agriventures has just signed on as a core partner to help make it happen. On 27–28 May, our team — represented by Ivaylo Yankov — joined partners from Italy, Romania, Bulgaria and Poland in Naples for the official launch of SYSARM, a new EU-funded project (Erasmus+ Forward-Looking, 30 months) aimed squarely at one big problem: most of Europe’s farmers have never had access to structured training in how to manage risk as a system, not just a series of one-off problems. Why this matters The numbers behind this project are honestly a bit startling. Across the EU, 72% of farm managers have no formal agricultural education at all — and in some countries that figure climbs above 94%. At the same time, the sector is ageing fast: more than half of farm managers in some countries are over 55, while fewer than 1 in 8 are under 40 across the EU. Put plainly, an entire generation is running increasingly complex farms on instinct and inherited know-how, with very few structured tools to fall back on when things go sideways. SYSARM’s response is refreshingly practical: build the tools that don’t exist yet, and make sure they actually reach the people who need them. What’s being built Over the next two and a half years, the consortium will roll out a free online course, an interactive farm simulator, and a set of bite-sized “micro-credentials” — short, recognised certifications that farmers and advisors can stack up without committing to a full degree. Think less “go back to university” and more “learn the thing you actually need, on your phone, in the time you have.” There’s also a serious-games element in the mix, developed with specialists from the Centre for Systems Solutions, designed to make tricky systems-thinking concepts feel more like a strategy game than a lecture — because let’s be honest, that’s how most people actually learn best. The project starts from a position of strength: it scored 88\u002F100 in the European Commission’s evaluation, with reviewers specifically praising the consortium’s mix of expertise and its alignment with the EU’s Green Deal and digital skills agenda. Where Agriventures comes in Agriventures isn’t just along for the ride — we’re co-leading the part of the project that turns good training into lasting impact. Drawing on our experience in agricultural law, finance, ESG and regenerative farming, our role is twofold: First, we’re building out Regional Learning Alliances — practical networks of training providers, farmer cooperatives and local authorities who will road-test everything SYSARM produces and make sure it actually fits real farms, not just theory. Second, we’re helping the consortium turn this momentum into at least eight new funding proposals (Erasmus+, Horizon Europe, Interreg), so the impact doesn’t stop when this project ends — it becomes the seed for the next wave of opportunities. During the kick-off, Ivaylo also pushed the group on a question we think is critical: who exactly are we building this for? “Agri-food” covers everything from grain farms to dairies to fertiliser producers, and they don’t face the same risks. The consortium agreed — no more one-size-fits-all. The next phase of the project will sharpen exactly who SYSARM serves, country by country and sector by sector, before any tools get built. What’s next The team is now moving from planning into action: mapping regional skill gaps, defining target groups, and starting to shape the curriculum and digital tools. We’ll be sharing updates as the project progresses — including how local farmers, cooperatives and advisors can get involved early. If you’re part of an agricultural cooperative, training organisation or regional network and want to be part of this from the ground up, get in touch with the Agriventures team. This is exactly the kind of project that works best when it’s shaped by the people who’ll actually use it. 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.",{"image":747},{"url":748,"altText":742},"wix:image:\u002F\u002Fv1\u002F1cd362_a523bce74be54d1994777fb86657f261~mv2.jpeg#originWidth=1200&originHeight=1600","2026-06-14T21:08:54.023Z",[],[752,753,754,758],{"_id":641,"label":642,"slug":643},{"_id":612,"label":613,"slug":614},{"_id":755,"label":756,"slug":757},"4df0061f-1f9e-4f0d-8498-4ac293a4fd16","Events","events",{"_id":616,"label":617,"slug":618},"https:\u002F\u002Fxpsc9qx4zmq8jvdz5c8j.agriventures.co\u002Fpost\u002Fagriventures-joins-sysarm-helping-europe-s-farmers",[],[],[],1784489277187]