Press and News Fondazione Agritech and the Alliance join forces as ecosystem enablers to unlock scientific agri-food innovation
Fondazione Agritech (Agritech) and the Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT, through the CGIAR Accelerate for Impact Platform (A4IP), are proud to announce a new strategic partnership aimed at fostering international cooperation, strengthening innovation ecosystems, and accelerating the global market integration of Italian startups in the agri-food sector.
Formalized under a Memorandum of Understanding, this partnership will leverage the complementary strengthens and networks of both organizations in research and entrepreneurship support to unlock new opportunities for innovation and valorize Italian excellence and talent at the global level. The collaboration is closely aligned with the strategic priorities of Sistema Italia, focusing on enhancing integrated innovation ecosystems in high-potential regions.
The joint activities under this partnership include:
- Support Italian startups in scaling to new international markets as part of the engagement framework of Sistema Italia
- Collaborate with the pool of technical experts from universities and research centers to co-design innovation challenges and core accelerator programs, defining priority project areas
- Connect startups with specialists for tailored technical assistance and training, providing access to Agritech’s Living Labs for product testing and validation, and facilitating investment opportunities, and
- Advance technology transfer and joint research and development projects to address critical challenges in the agri-food sector.
As ecosystem enablers and global connectors, Agritech and A4IP are committed to translating scientific discovery into scalable, market-ready solutions. Through this MoU, both organizations reaffirm their dedication to catalyzing international cooperation and knowledge exchange, building bridges between research, entrepreneurship, and policy.
The first initiative under this new partnership will be the launch of AgriTech4Tunisia Innovation Challenge, a one-year pilot project supporting both national and international innovators in developing and deploying context-specific, tech-enabled solutions tailored to the needs of Tunisian agriculture. The project will serve as a model for future collaborative ventures in emerging markets.
Stay tuned for updates on its launch this fall.
About Fondazione AgriTech
National Research Centre for Agricultural Technologies (Agritech) is a structured organization which counts 47 founders reflecting the highest level of integration among a broad diversity of participating research institutions and private Companies. Agritech acts as the Hub managing complex projects focused on advanced technologies and facilitating deployment of research to national and international business contests. Agritech therefore plays a strategic role in the effectiveness of technology transfer based on sustainable development. For more information
About Alliance of Bioversity International & CIAT
The Alliance of Bioversity International and the International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT) delivers research-based solutions that harness agricultural biodiversity and sustainably transform food systems to improve people’s lives. Alliance solutions address the global crises of malnutrition, climate change, biodiversity loss, and environmental degradation.
The Alliance is part of CGIAR, a global research partnership for a food-secure future. CGIAR works for a world with sustainable and resilient food, land, and water systems that deliver diverse, healthy, safe, sufficient, and affordable diets and ensure improved livelihoods and greater social equality within planetary and regional environmental boundaries. Our mission is to deliver science and innovation that advance the transformation of food, land, and water systems in a climate crisis. For more information
About the CGIAR Accelerate for Impact Platform (A4IP)
CGIAR Accelerate for Impact Platform (A4IP) - an initiative of the Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT of CGIAR - is the venture space that leverages CGIAR’s legacy in research and innovation to co-design, accelerate, and de-risk the development and deployment of science-based technology-driven solutions for sustainable agriculture and climate action. A4IP pioneers entrepreneurial models that bring research products from lab to market, boost demand for CGIAR science, and strengthen its function in the innovation ecosystem. The initiative plays a catalytic role for entrepreneurial scientists, start-ups, and other strategic partners driving agri-, food-, and climate-tech innovation that will make our agri-food systems healthier, more equitable, and more sustainable, while contributing towards the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
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