Dedicated exhibition area “agrifood startups” with entrepreneurial startup solutions in Hall P11 - also live demonstrations of the “DLG-Prototype.Club” where software engineers present product concepts in challenges set by exhibitors
(DLG). At Agritechnica 2023, organizer DLG (German Agricultural Society), as part of its aim to support technological progress in agriculture, will be providing a platform for more than 60 innovative agriculture and food startups from 17 countries in the "agrifood startups" area that is shared with "DLG.Prototype.Club", a platform for innovative digital talents and startups, who will develop working prototypes for industry challenges in a 14-day developer sprint before and during the trade fair.
"Shape the future of agriculture" - startup venue in Hall 11
An international venue for the start-up scene, Agritechnica‘s "agrifood startups" zone is located in Pavilion P11, Stand D41, north of Hall 11. Some 64 startups from 17 countries across three continents are represented.
The German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action (BMWK) will be promoting the participation of young innovative companies from Germany. With the 'agrifood startups', the DLG offers new company ventures the opportunity to present novel solutions to a large audience, addressing future challenges in agriculture
"The 'agrifood startups' area is the definitive venue for both startups and strong partners from agriculture, agribusiness and the food industry. In the busy hallways of Hall 11, we will be offering a range of attractive opportunities to present new ideas that serve the development of agriculture and to establish relevant networks, as well as to identify appropriate investors," says Timo Zipf, Agritechnica Project Manager
"With this enhanced startup format, Agritechnica is once again demonstrating its leadership in agricultural innovation, which serves as inspiration to visitors for the agriculture of tomorrow at the world's leading trade fair," adds Zipf.
The startup companies hail from Austria, Belgium, Canada, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Iran, Israel, Pakistan, Poland, Sweden, Switzerland and the US.
Practical farmers present problems in daily sessions
On the expert stage for “agrifood startups”, every day between 11:30 a.m. and 12:00 noon, in a series of “impulse talks”, practical farmers from all over the world will be presenting farm issues. The aim is to seek pinpoint technical solutions that are needed.
Between 12 noon and 2 p.m., start-up companies will present their solutions in a "Lunchtime Start-up Pitch Session".
On Tuesday, November 14, from 2 to 3 p.m., French startups will present their business ideas and technical solutions on stage as part of the International Farmers Day, a day dedicated to selected countries, this year France and Poland. At 16:00 startups from lower Saxony, the federal state of Hanover, will be networking in a German event called “ERNTEpreneurship”, a play on words since “Ernte” means harvest.
Wednesday, November 15, an "Investor Day" will be held, where, in the morning session, new enterprises can receive helpful tips on how to present business ideas optimally to investors. In the afternoon, investors and venture capitalists (VC) will be available in networking sessions that can then be further intensified at the "Start-up-Evening". Participating investors include Regenerate Ventures, Bayer, Yara and Claas.
“DLG.Prototype.Club” - “Challenge. Collaborate. Create.”
For software engineers and interested start-ups, the DLG is once again offering a “Live Developer Challenge” with the DLG.Prototype.Club to solve digital challenges in agriculture. Digital solutions are critical to solving the major challenges facing the agriculture, such as food security, climate change and sustainability.
In the run-up to the trade fair, several Agritechnica exhibitors and partners will be formulating a particular technical challenge. The DLG.Prototype.Club will select 10 to 15 teams of software developers, engineers and start-ups to solve the challenges. Two weeks prior to Agritechnica 2023, the teams enter a “rapid prototyping phase” in which prototypes are developed to solve the technical task. Five to six teams will present their fully functional prototypes together with a proposal for a business plan to the challenge partner in Hall 11 in the “agrifood start-ups” area during Agritechnica as part of “Pitches” on November 12 and 13 in the afternoon between 3 p.m. and 6 p.m.
“Digital solutions can give companies a competitive advantage and ensure market growth. However, conventional research and development activities in companies are associated with high capital requirements and long lead times,” says Christopher Armstrong, project manager of the DLG.Prototype.Club. “The solution is ‘open innovation’. With the DLG.Prototype.Club, companies can bring their ideas to market more quickly in a more efficient and cost-effective process,” he adds.
Several teams with the following companies will compete as challenge partners:
• Claas and the Fraunhofer Institute IGD (pitch on November 12):
The cabin of tomorrow as an agricultural control center (visualization & interaction through UX/UI for the on-board computer).
• AGCO (pitch November 13): Multi-route optimization for autonomous infield machine collaboration.
AGRAMONITOR, a leading software supplier for farmers and agribusiness professionals, is providing support for DLG.Prototype.Club at Agritechnica 2023.
For further information on the „DLG.Prototype.Club.” please contact Chris Armstrong, DLG, E-Mail: c.armstrong@dlg.org
