Latest News & Insights
Stay informed with the latest developments, insights, and announcements from the AgriVentures ecosystem.
Japan Joins Horizon Europe: What It Means for Agrifood Funding and Innovation in the EU
On July 31, 2026, Japan signed its formal association agreement with Horizon Europe, the EU's €93.5 billion research and innovation programme. The signing follows negotiations concluded by the European Commission and the Government of Japan in December 2025, and it makes Japan the latest — and one of the most significant — countries to join the Horizon Europe network, alongside South Korea, Switzerland, Canada, the UK, and New Zealand. For agrifood startups, farmers, and researchers already...
Funding the Future of Food
A Guide to Agrifood Startup Financing in Europe (2026) Europe's agrifood sector is under pressure from every direction: climate volatility, labor shortages, tightening environmental regulation, and a food system still responsible for roughly a third of global emissions. That pressure has turned into one of the most active funding corridors on the continent. Between EU-level research grants, national innovation agencies, dedicated agrifood venture funds, and a growing bench of sector-specific...
ONDO Brings Automated Subsurface Drip Irrigation to 150+Hectares of Bulgarian Orchards
ONDO, the irrigation automation company, has completed one of its most extensive projects to date: a fully automated subsurface drip irrigation system covering more than 150 hectares of almond and plum orchards across three farms in Bulgaria, all belonging to the same producer. The three sites are a 100-hectare almond orchard in Drachevo, Burgas Province; a 25-hectare plum orchard in Voden, Yambol Province; and a 25-hectare almond orchard in Kamen, Sliven Province. A turnkey system, built from...
Funding US Opportunities in Agriculture: Where Farmers Can Find Support in 2026
One question we hear constantly from the Agriventures team's conversations with growers and ranchers is simple: where's the money? Between rising input costs, equipment upgrades, and the push toward more sustainable practices, funding can make the difference between a plan on paper and a plan in the ground. The good news is that 2026 brings a substantial pool of federal, state, and private funding for agriculture — Congress has set the USDA's budget at $26.65 billion for the fiscal year, and...
Our Member UHT Breaks Ground on €11.8 Million Center of Competence for Agri-Food Systems and Bioeconomy
A symbolic groundbreaking ceremony for the Center of Competence "Agri-Food Systems and Bioeconomy" took place in the courtyard of the University of Food Technologies (UHT) — and we're proud that UHT is one of Agriventures' members. The project is funded under the "Scientific Research, Innovation and Digitalization for Smart Transformation" Programme 2021–2027, with a total budget exceeding €11.8 million. The new center will create modern scientific infrastructure designed to meet the challenges...
Sofia Is Calling: Why Agriventures Connect 3.0 Is the Stage International Agri-Food Innovators Can't Afford to Miss
20 April 2027 | Sofia, Bulgaria Central and Eastern Europe has quietly become one of the most interesting growth stories in agriculture, food, and technology - and on 20 April 2027, that story gets its biggest stage yet. Agriventures Connect 3.0 opens in Sofia, and early access is now live for sponsors, speakers, and partners who want in before the room fills up. A Track Record Worth Building On Connect 2.0 wasn't a pilot - it was proof. Over 200 participants from 15 countries filled the room...
Introducing Agriventures Projects: A new home for our Innovation portfolio
We're excited to announce the launch of AgriVentures Projects - a dedicated space where you can follow the EU-funded initiatives, partnerships, and field pilots that AgriVentures is driving across the agrifood sector. Until now, our work on individual projects lived scattered across updates and case studies. Projects brings it all together in one portfolio, so startups, farmers, researchers, and partners can see exactly how AgriVentures turns funding into real-world impact. What you'll find...
Closing the digital gap in agriculture: An interview with Mariya Hristova
On July 6, SAFE AGRI brought together farmers, technologists, lawyers and cybersecurity experts in Bulgaria for a day dedicated to security and innovation in digital and hardware agri-food technologies. The event, organized by Agriventures under the REINFORCING project, moved through five parts: an introduction to Agriventures and the SAFE-AGRI initiative, a look at digital technologies and data in agriculture and food, the hidden vulnerabilities of digital agriculture, cybersecurity and the...
Ireland's EU Presidency Puts CAP Reform and Simplification Center Stage - What It Means for AgriFood Innovators
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,...
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