Breakout Sessions Alongside the Main Programme

10.50am – 11.20am

Start-up Pitching Session: Innovations in Optimisation, Crop Protection, & Sustainable Supply Chains

In our first rapid-fire showcase in the Start-Up Arena, you’ll hear from companies redefining resilience from farm to fork. Discover groundbreaking advancements in trait discovery, bio-solutions, plant protection, and tracking corporate social responsibility progress across the entire value chain.

Speakers:
Thierry Laval, General Secretary, FOODPILOT
Elén Faxö, CEO, OLSARO
Doris Gusenbauer, Business Development, ENSEMO
Philippe Hervé, CBO, GREENIMPULSE
Femi Aiki, Co-Founder & CEO, FOODLOCKER
Guadaluna Chaer, Co-Founder & CEO, LUXEED ROBOTICS
Giacomo Bastianelli, Founder, RAINBOW CROPS
Mary Ellis, CEO, PHEROSYN

11.30am – 12.10pm

EBRD AgVenture 2024: Discover the Innovators of the EBRD Agrifood Tech Competition

Join the finalists of the EBRD AgVenture 2024 competition to explore innovative green solutions from agri-food start-ups from the EBRD’s Countries of operation: from Eastern Europe, Western Balkans, North Africa, and Central Asia. With a focus on sustainable and climate-smart food systems, these entrepreneurs will share their transformative concepts designed to improve the global food and agriculture value chain and compete to receive the top spot in the competition.

EBRD AgVenture supported by Spain through the EBRD’s High-Impact Partnership on Climate Action – HIPCA (also supported by Austria, Canada, Finland, the Netherlands, South Korea, Switzerland, the Taiwan ICDF, the United Kingdom and the United States of America).

Moderator:
Nemanja Grgic, Associate Director, Agribusiness Advisory, EBRD

Judges:
Ervin Luga, Associate Director, Head of VCIP, EBRD
Natalia Zhukova, Director, Head of Agribusiness, EBRD
Andrew D. Ive, Founder & Managing General Partner, BIG IDEA VENTURES

Speakers:
Abanob Saad, Business Development Director, CROPSA (Egypt)
Ahmad Altawafsheh, CEO and Founder, ALGEBRA INTELLIGENCE (Jordan)
Jelena Pejic, CTO, BEEHOLD (Serbia)
Ambrus Vancso Pal, CEO, PROOFMINDER (Hungary)
Evgeny Savin, Director, GREEN GROWTH (Latvia)
Atahan Çiftçi, Head of Business Development, FARMOLOG (Turkiye)

1.10pm – 1.50pm

Measure & Model: Achieving Soil Carbon Removals at Scale with Digital MRV

Join Agreena for an in-depth exploration of state-of-the-art technologies in measuring and documenting soil carbon sequestration and emission reduction in agriculture.  The session includes a presentation and panel discussion on monetising and scaling regenerative farming practices. Discover innovations that help farmers and stakeholders to accurately track and enhance the environmental impact of agricultural practices for sustainable outcomes.

Host:
Simon Haldrup, CEO, Agreena

Speakers:
Tom Blower, CPO, AGREENA
Edward Reynolds, Regen Farmer
Marcelo Valadares Galdos, Senior Program Innovation Lead, AGREENA

2:00pm – 2.30pm

Bridging Science to Market: Presenting Agri-Tech Innovations from CGIAR Research

Collaboration across science and the market will ensure stronger solutions that are anchored to the latest scientific advancements and driven by local demand. CGIAR, the global research partnership for a food-secure future, spotlights how its research activities are generating agri-technologies primed for opportunities to reach impact at scale: through innovative partnerships, acceleration, and more. Join this mini-pitch session to discover the tip-of-the-iceberg of CGIAR’s solutions in Artificial Intelligence, Monitoring, Crop Protection, and more.

Hosts:
Megan Steele, Innovation Ecosystem Engagement, ACCELERATE FOR IMPACT PLATFORM
Javier Mateo Vega, Global Director, Partnerships & Communication, ALLIANCE / CGIAR

Speakers:
David Guerena, Scientist, ARTEMIS
Christian Bunn, Scientist, Climate Action, ACLIMATAR
Chris Kettle, Principal Scientist, CGIAR/MY FARM TREES
Juan Mora, Research Associate, Crops for Nutrition and Health, TUMAINI
Tiffany Talsma, Research Team Leader, Digital Inclusion, ALLIANCE / CGIAR

3.40pm – 4.20pm

Cultivating Innovation: Start-ups Shaping the Future of AgTech

Join Cultivator and their cohort for an impactful session with leaders from the Canadian and UK start-up landscapes. Discover cutting-edge innovations and products through rapid-fire pitches from emerging start-ups. Gain valuable insights into the future of these vital geographies and the forefront of farm gate innovation.

Host:
Matt Brennan, Program Manager, CULTIVATOR POWERED BY CONEXUS

Speakers:
Michael Riedijk, CEO, LUCENT BIOSCIENCE
Rob Saik, CEO, AGVISORPRO
Michael Cully, CEO, SUSTERRE
Logan Skori, CEO, AGGENE
Darren Anderson, CEO, VIVE CROP PROTECTION
Karen Schuett, CEO, LIVESTOCK WATER RECYCLING
Sean O’Connor, CEO, 4AG
Tayab Soomro, CEO, PATHOSCAN
Alicia Showering, CEO, BUGBIOME
Casey Woodward, CEO, AGRISOUND
Bianca Forte, Business Development Director, SUGAROX

4.30pm – 5.10pm

De-Risking Investment and Accelerating Innovation: Shaping the Future of Farming

Join us to discover how Warwick Agri-Tech is working with industry to support technology developers to bridge the TRL “valley of death,” accelerate innovation, and support technology adoption for growers, including real industrial use cases.

Host:
Alicia Feledziak, Warwick Agri-Tech, UNIVERSITY OF WARWICK

Speakers:
Garry Myatt, MAN GROUP
Chris Chavasse, Founder & CEO, MUDDY MACHINES
Jamie Dewhurst, Director, J&A GROWERS
Emilio Loo Monardez, Principal Engineer, WMG, UNIVERSITY OF WARWICK

5.20pm – 6.00pm

Transforming Agtech Innovation Through Public-Private Research Collaboration

Complex global challenges demand innovative solutions. Public-private partnerships have emerged as a critical mechanism for advancing research and development. Whether you’re a researcher, policymaker, or industry leader, this panel will show how public-private partnerships are transforming the research landscape and driving breakthroughs in science and technology.

Host:
Jill Tregemba, Agribusiness Manager and R&D Lead, WYOMING BUSINESS COUNCIL

Speakers:
Doug Miyamoto, Director, WYOMING DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Parag Chitnis, VP of Research & Economic Development, UNIVERSITY OF WYOMING
Angela Ver Ploeg, Sr. Director of Corporate Engagement, UNIVERSITY OF WYOMING
Wendy Lopez, Business Recruitment Manager, WYOMING BUSINESS COUNCIL

9.50am – 10.20am

Start-up Pitching Session: AI-Driven Crop Management, Precision Weed Control, & Advanced Genomic Solutions

In our second rapid-fire showcase, hear from start-up companies who are advancing crop management and precision agriculture through AI-driven weed control, satellite-powered insights, and innovative genome editing solutions.

Speakers:
Cecy Price, Co-Founder & CEO, BIOGRAPHICA
Swapnil (Neil) Jadhav, Founder & CEO, MAP MY CROP
Umear Naseem, Founder & CEO, APLEX BIO
Rosaria Campilongo, CEO, PFBIO
Gregor Perich, CEO & Co-Founder, TERENSIS
Jacob Morén, COO, IMPROVIN’
Simon Caulier, CTO & Founder, BIOCSOL
Paul Rutten, Co-Founder, CONCERT BIO
Jorik Bremer, Director of Sales, HUDSON RIVER BIOTECHNOLOGY

10.30am – 11:10am

Unlocking High-Resolution Data: Transforming Supply Chains and Mitigating Climate Impact

Explore how high-resolution weather data is transforming supply chains and mitigating climate impact. Learn strategies for optimising agricultural forecasting and reducing environmental impact across the agri-food supply chain. Meteomatics, a leading weather data provider, delivers insights in delivering precise and adaptable data solutions empowering start-ups and industry leaders worldwide to make informed decisions and drive sustainable innovation.

Host:
Chris Rees, Senior Partnerships Manager, METEOMATICS

Speakers:
Lénaïc Grignard, Manager Strategic Initiatives, INTELLYNC an AB AGRI-COMPANY
Michael Bruniaux, CEO, SENCROP
Gregor Perich, Co-Founder & CEO, TERENSIS
Candice Thompson, Customer Success Manager, Meteomatics

11.40am – 12.20pm

Stewarding Nature Through the Value Chain: Innovations, Metrics, and Strategy

Nature and water are becoming a critical focus on the corporate sustainability agenda. Sectors from finance to diversified energy are recognising its importance, and integrating topics including deforestation, nature positive and water stewardship into their strategic planning and risk management. This session will explore major corporate needs, and highlight best practices in the value chain. Innovations in data management and nature tech adoption will be discussed which address environmental impact, uncover new income streams, and mitigate risk.

Host:
Charles Hendersen, Climate Partner and Nature Lead, ERM

Speakers:
Evan Paul, Senior Director, Innovation for Nature, SALESFORCE
Kat Bruce, Founder and Director, NATURE METRICS
Giles D’Souza, Strategic Business Lead in Remote Sensing and GIS, PLANET ER

12.30pm – 1.10pm

Accelerating Regenerative Farming with AI: Venture Pitch Showcase

Discover the future of regenerative farming with AI. Five innovative ventures will pitch their solutions, followed by a networking session. Connect with industry leaders and explore cutting-edge technologies transforming sustainable agriculture.

Hosts:
Christopher Roll, AES Manager, EY
Harry Wright, Founder and Director, BRIGHT TIDE

Speakers:
Imtiaz Shams, CEO/Founder, FLOX
Ed Hill, CSO & Co-Founder, MATERRA
Sivam Krish, CEO, GOMICRO
Philip Odino, CEO, PEPEA CAPITAL

2.20pm – 3.00pm

Growing Your AgriFoodTech Startup: Global Scale-Up, Partnerships, and Customer Acquisition

Hear from start-ups who are growing their businesses globally, as they discuss challenges with corporate engagement, cross border sales and consumer sentiment.

Host:
Daan Wilms van Kersbergen, Investment Director, THE YIELD LAB EUROPE

Speakers:
Leandro Sabignoso, CEO, AURAVANT
Geza Toth, CEO, CARBONSPACE
David Benito-Alifonso, CEO, GLAIA
Antoine Drevelle, CEO, KAPSERA