Frankfurt, Germany, 24 October 2025 - More than 60 start-ups from 18 countries to present visionary solutions – “Rapid Fire Start-up Pitch Competition” with 5,000 Euros in prize money – “DLG.Prototype.Club” – “DLG Expert Stage” – agritechnica.com
(DLG). Agritechnica 2025, the largest agricultural machinery trade fair in the world, will shine a spotlight on startup innovations. From 9 to 15 November in Hanover, Germany, more than 60 exhibiting start-ups from 18 countries will present their technologies and ideas in the agrifood start-ups area in Hall 21. The program offers a wide range of formats—from pitch competitions and panel discussions to networking events and showcases—designed to connect founders with industry experts, investors, and farmers.
A meeting place for decision-making farming professionals, Agritechnica is a breeding ground for innovation. With the start-up area in Hall 21, the trade fair offers start-ups attractive opportunities to present their visions and products to the international agricultural and food industries. The exhibiting companies contribute ideas that address the key challenges facing the future of farming. The entire start-up ecosystem is represented in the hall, from associations and investors to established companies. In addition, various funding programmes will be introduced.
“Agritechnica is where agrifood start-ups move from concept to credibility,” says Christopher Armstrong, Manager – Start-ups & Open Innovation, Agritechnica.
At the centre of the start-up area is the DLG Expert Stage “agrifood start-ups”where founders will showcase their industry shaping technology novel business models and connect with the agtech ecosystem. Visitors can expect fast-paced pitches, engaging discussions, and direct exchange with key players in the agtech sector.
A buzz in Hall 21
There’s a buzz that runs through Hall 21, the kind of creative energy that sets it apart from every other hall at Agritechnica. Visitors often describe it as a place where ideas are not only discussed but actively built, tested, and challenged.
“This is well reflected in the PTx Challenge, which is part of DLG.prototype.club where we actively present new solutions. On Thursday, we’ve organized a hackathon where software developers will be coding solutions live,” explains Armstrong.
Visitors will encounter patented technologies, clever engineering solutions, and prototypes developed in close dialogue with farmers and manufacturers.
“It’s not just the energy of innovation; it’s the feeling that something genuinely new is being built, tested, and refined right in front of you,” concludes Armstrong.
Programme Highlights
Monday, 10 November 2025
DLG.Prototype.Club
Young developers and start-ups present solutions to digital challenges in agriculture. The challenge was defined by leading exhibitors AGCO and Trimble, through their joint innovation platform PTx. It focuses on autonomy, precision farming, connectivity, and sustainability. Finalists will showcase their prototypes live at Agritechnica.
Tuesday, 11 November 2025 | from 15:30
ERNTEpreneurship made in Lower Saxony x de:hub
Networking event with investors, entrepreneurs, start-ups, and policymakers from Lower Saxony and the de:hub ecosystem.
Wednesday, 12 November 2025
Investor Day: Rapid Fire Start-up Pitch Competition
Supported by Rentenbank and co-organised by Rootcamp, this pitch event features over 50 start-ups competing for 5,000 Euros. Includes international collaboration projects and investor panels. The day ends with an evening networking event.
Thursday, 13 November 2025
DLG Open Innovation Showcase
Organisations such as Friends of Digital Farming, Bosch, and Agro Innovation Lab share best practices and explore how start-ups are contributing to agricultural digitalisation.
More information: hackathon
Friday, 14 November 2025
DLG Tradition Meets Start-up
Start-ups and farmers present examples of successful collaboration. A panel discussion hosted by SAM DIMENSION highlights practical solutions developed through close cooperation. Attendees can win tickets to the Young Farmers’ Party and exclusive Agritechnica merchandise.
Agritechnica is the world’s leading trade fair for agricultural machinery and innovation. Organised by the DLG (German Agricultural Society), the event will host around 2,700 exhibitors from 52 countries and expects 430,000 visitors. Under the guiding theme “Touch Smart Efficiency”, Agritechnica 2025 will showcase technologies across the agricultural value chain—from machinery and automation to digital farming and sustainable practices.
To support mobile planning, the Agritechnica app is available for iOS and Android.
Media contact:
Malene Conlong
Tel: +49 6924788237
Email: M.conlong@dlg.org
About DLG
With more than 31,000 members, DLG is a politically independent and non-profit organisation. DLG draws on an international network of some 3,000 food and agricultural experts. DLG operates with subsidiaries in 10 countries and also organizes over 30 regional agricultural and livestock exhibitions worldwide. DLG’s leading international exhibitions, EuroTier for livestock farming and Agritechnica for agricultural machinery, which are held every two years in Hanover, Germany, provide international impetus for the local trade fairs. Headquartered in Frankfurt, Germany, DLG conducts practical trials and tests to keep its members informed of the latest developments. DLG’s sites include DLG's International Crop Production Centre, a 600-hectare test site in Bernburg-Strenzfeld, Germany and the DLG Test Centre, Europe's largest agricultural machinery test centre for Technology and Farm Inputs, located in Gross-Umstadt, Germany. DLG bridges the gap between theory and practice, as evidenced by more than 40 working groups of farmers, academics, agricultural equipment companies and organisations that continually compare advances in knowledge in specific areas such as irrigation and precision farming.
