Open Innovation & Challenge-Based Program

Unigrà is an Italian agro-food group founded in 1972 by Luciano Martini. It has always been operating in the food industry to develop products and solutions intended for professionals and final consumers. Today, Unigrà is an important international enterprise, employing more than 1,150 people and exporting 40% of its production; it has five plants (three in Italy, 1 in Brazil and 1 in Malaysia), 20 foreign subsidiaries and a large network of distributors and importers. Through its various brands, the company offers high-end raw materials, goods for resale and finished products across all channels: industrial, artisan, Ho.Re.Ca. and retail. For many of their formulations, emulsifiers are used and technically needed to stabilize emulsions and modulate viscosity of formulations, but this is sometimes challenging to obtain.

We are looking for clean label, innovative emulsifiers that are: Sustainable: short supply chain, local or circular Minimal processing, high technological input→ can be plant based, derive from any kind of fermentation, as well as from cellular agriculture Functional → can replace existing emulsifiers in one or more of the following food categories: Margarines Bakery Chocolate and compounds Whipping creams Ice creams Any other Unigrà product category In liquid or powdered form

PasiSera develops hardware and software solutions for standardized underground greenhouse systems that enable year-round, energy-independent food production. By combining passive climate control with advanced sensing and predictive technologies, the company helps farmers reduce energy consumption, mitigate climate risks, and achieve more stable yields.

One of the main challenges in protected agriculture is ensuring precise, real-time monitoring of crop health and environmental conditions to improve productivity, resource efficiency and resilience.

We are looking for innovative solutions that provide:

-Real-time plant-level monitoring of crop health, growth, and nutrient requirements
-Advanced sensing technologies for monitoring micro-environmental conditions
-AI-powered analytics and predictive models for early-warning alerts and decision support
-Solutions that improve yield predictability and reduce production risks
-Technologies supporting nutrient recycling, water circularity, and regenerative farming practices
-Digital tools that enhance traceability and reliable data sharing
-Applications for greenhouse, vertical farming, hydroponic, aquaponic, and regenerative agriculture systems

Particular interest will be given to solutions addressing:

-Smart Farming
-Protein Diversification
-Traceability and Reliable Data Sharing
-Nutrient Recycling
-Circular Water Management
-Vertical Farming
-Hydroponics and Aquaponics
-Regenerative Agriculture

The ideal solution should contribute to more efficient, resilient, and data-driven food production systems.

Fruveg Farms is a Ghana-based agribusiness dedicated to producing premium dried fruits and fresh produce while supporting smallholder farmers through sustainable and inclusive agricultural practices. The company is committed to reducing food waste, promoting circular economy solutions, and building resilient food systems.

One of the key challenges faced by Fruveg Farms is the high level of post-harvest losses affecting fruits and vegetables, which impacts farmer incomes, operational efficiency, and environmental sustainability. Limited access to affordable smart farming technologies, reliable farm-level data, traceability systems, and scalable monitoring solutions further constrains productivity and market access.

We are looking for innovative solutions that can support:

-Reduction of post-harvest losses across the agrifood value chain
-Farm-to-market traceability and secure data sharing
-Smart farming and climate-resilient agriculture practices
-Digital monitoring systems for production, quality assurance, and sustainability reporting
-Farmer inclusion, training, and access to digital tools
-Resource valorization and circular economy approaches
-Conversion of agricultural by-products (e.g., pineapple leaves and fruit peels) into value-added products such as textiles, compost, detergents, animal feed, or other innovative applications

Particular interest will be given to solutions that improve transparency, productivity, export readiness, and environmental performance while creating additional income opportunities for smallholder farmers.

Expected Outcome: A feasibility study / pilot-ready solution that can help Fruveg Farms reduce food waste, strengthen traceability, enhance circularity and build a more resilient and sustainable agrifood ecosystem.

“Fruveg Farms is a Ghana-based agribusiness dedicated to producing premium dried fruits and fresh produce while supporting smallholder farmers through sustainable and inclusive agricultural practices. The company is committed to reducing food waste, promoting circular economy solutions, and building resilient food systems.

One of the key challenges faced by Fruveg Farms is the high level of post-harvest losses affecting fruits and vegetables, which impacts farmer incomes, operational efficiency, and environmental sustainability. Limited access to affordable smart farming technologies, reliable farm-level data, traceability systems, and scalable monitoring solutions further constrains productivity and market access.

We are looking for innovative solutions that can support:

-Reduction of post-harvest losses across the agrifood value chain
-Farm-to-market traceability and secure data sharing
-Smart farming and climate-resilient agriculture practices
-Digital monitoring systems for production, quality assurance, and sustainability reporting
-Farmer inclusion, training, and access to digital tools
-Resource valorization and circular economy approaches
-Conversion of agricultural by-products (e.g., pineapple leaves and fruit peels) into value-added products such as textiles, compost, detergents, animal feed, or other innovative applications

Particular interest will be given to solutions that improve transparency, productivity, export readiness, and environmental performance while creating additional income opportunities for smallholder farmers.

Expected Outcome: A feasibility study / pilot-ready solution that can help Fruveg Farms reduce food waste, strengthen traceability, enhance circularity and build a more resilient and sustainable agrifood ecosystem.”

“Zymbiox develops evidence-based microbial consortia that transform microplastics in agricultural soils into benign substances. Built around the vision of healthy soils for a healthy planet, Zymbiox combines cutting-edge microbial science with regenerative agriculture principles to restore soil functions, protect crop health, and support long-term agricultural productivity.

Agricultural soils are becoming major sinks for microplastic pollution, impairing soil health, water retention, microbial activity, and long-term crop productivity. While Zymbiox provides the core biological technology for degradation, translating laboratory-proven microbial solutions into scalable, field-ready farm applications requires complementary deployment and monitoring capabilities.

We are looking for innovative solutions that provide:

Formulation & Delivery Systems: Bio-based carriers, microencapsulation, or fertigation/irrigation-compatible application methods suitable for field deployment.

On-Site Diagnostics & Soil Sensing: Rapid microplastic detection, field sensors, or digital monitoring platforms to track degradation efficiency and soil recovery metrics.

Pilot & Field-Testing Infrastructure: Agritech hubs, experimental farms, or research trial networks to host co-validation studies.
Synergistic Regenerative Inputs: Bio-stimulants, organic soil amendments, or circular inputs that enhance microbial stability and soil biodiversity.

Particular interest will be given to solutions addressing:

• Microplastic Bioremediation & Soil Restoration
• Smart Agritech & On-Site Soil Diagnostics
• Regenerative Agriculture & Circular Soil Management
• Scalable Field Deployment System

Expected Outcome:

A feasibility study and pilot-ready framework combining Zymbiox’s microbial technology with partner delivery, diagnostic, or field-validation tools for joint testing and eventual commercial deployment.”

“Blue Filter is a Palestinian company specialized in agricultural water treatment. Based in the Gaza Strip, the company has developed an innovative, chemical-free and environmentally friendly filtration technology that removes nitrates and salts from groundwater using plant-derived biofiltration materials. Its mission is to provide farmers with affordable and sustainable solutions that improve irrigation water quality while protecting natural resources.

Farmers worldwide face increasing challenges related to water quality, particularly elevated nitrate and chloride levels in irrigation water. Excessive nitrate contamination can affect crop quality, food safety, and groundwater resources, while high chloride concentrations contribute to soil salinization, reduced crop yields, and long-term land degradation.

Blue Filter has developed a nature-based water treatment technology capable of significantly reducing nitrate and chloride concentrations without the use of electricity or chemical additives. The company is now seeking innovative partners to help advance, optimize, and scale this solution for broader agricultural applications.

We are looking for innovative solutions that can support:

-Improved nitrate and chloride removal efficiency under different water conditions
-Enhanced lifespan and regeneration capacity of bio-based filtration media
-Low-cost, real-time water quality monitoring systems
-IoT and smart sensing technologies for irrigation management
-Scalable and modular treatment systems suitable for both smallholder and commercial farms
-Manufacturing and deployment improvements that reduce costs and increase accessibility

Particular interest will be given to solutions that contribute to sustainable water management, climate-smart agriculture, and decentralized treatment systems for water-scarce regions.

Expected Outcome: A feasibility study / pilot-ready solution that can help Blue Filter scale its technology, improve irrigation water quality, reduce soil degradation, increase agricultural productivity, and expand access to affordable and sustainable water treatment solutions worldwide.”

AlgBe Biotechnology is a biotechnology SME dedicated to unlocking the potential of microalgae through science-based innovation. Building on a proprietary microalgae culture collection and sustainable production approaches, the company develops market-ready solutions for the health, agrifood, and circular economy sectors. Its mission is to create high-value, locally developed microalgae products while contributing to a more sustainable and resource-efficient bioeconomy.

As demand for functional food ingredients and nutraceutical products continues to grow, AlgBe seeks innovative solutions to accelerate the development and industrialization of sustainable microalgae-based products.

We are looking for technologies and expertise that can support:

-Optimization of microalgae cultivation systems, particularly for Spirulina and other cyanobacterial strains;
-Algae biorefinery technologies for the production of high-value ingredients;
-Downstream processing, harvesting, extraction, and purification systems;
-Encapsulation, formulation, and stabilization technologies for bioactive compounds;
-Enhancement of bioavailability and shelf-life of functional ingredients;
-Smart cultivation, monitoring, and process control systems;
-Circular approaches for water, nutrient, and resource management;
-Sustainable production technologies that reduce environmental impact and improve operational efficiency.

Particular interest will be given to solutions that enable the production of microalgal biomass enriched with functional compounds such as selenium, zinc, magnesium, antioxidants, peptides, and other bioactive molecules with applications in the food, nutraceutical, and health sectors.

Expected Outcome: A feasibility study and pilot-ready solution for the sustainable production, processing, and commercialization of innovative microalgae-based ingredients, supporting the industrial scale-up of high-value functional foods and nutraceutical products.

“Regalion Molecular is committed to developing innovative and environmentally friendly solutions that create value for customers while contributing to a more sustainable future. The company strives to deliver excellence across its services and technologies, continuously seeking to transform scientific innovation into scalable industrial applications.

As the company advances the development of its proprietary nanomaterial production technology, a key challenge is scaling the process from laboratory validation to pilot-scale manufacturing while maintaining product quality, consistency, and economic viability.

We are looking for innovative solutions that can support:

-Access to advanced testing and characterisation infrastructure, including techniques such as Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM), X-Ray Diffraction (XRD), and other relevant analytical methods;
-Cost-effective approaches for quality control and batch-to-batch consistency verification;
-Process engineering expertise for scaling laboratory processes to industrial pilot-plant level;
-Design, optimisation, and integration of Ultrasonic Cavitation and Tangential Flow Filtration (TFF) systems;
-Process simulation, digital twins, and scale-up methodologies;
-Manufacturing optimisation and operational efficiency improvements;
-Strategies to reduce capital expenditure and facilitate industrial deployment.

Particular interest will be given to solutions that combine technical feasibility, scalability, sustainability, and cost-effectiveness while supporting the transition from research and development to commercial production.

Expected Outcome: A feasibility study / pilot-ready design for an industrial-scale production process, including advanced quality characterisation methodologies, process engineering recommendations, and a roadmap for the successful deployment of a pilot manufacturing facility.”

BCF Life Sciences is a European biotechnology company and pioneer in the circular bioeconomy, specialising in the extraction and valorisation of free amino acids and keratin from poultry feathers through proprietary biotechnological processes. Since 1986, the company has been developing sustainable ingredients for the human, animal, and plant health sectors, transforming agricultural by-products into high-value solutions.

As demand grows for more targeted and efficient biostimulants, BCF Life Sciences seeks innovative solutions to develop stable, crop-specific formulations based on its proven Leafamine® technology.

Challenge 1 (#9) – Stable, Crop-Specific Formulations for Free Amino Acid Biostimulants

We are looking for technologies and expertise that can support:

-Development of stable formulations combining free amino acids with micronutrients and other functional ingredients;
-Characterisation of formulation stability under different pH, temperature, and storage conditions;
-Crop- and stress-specific biostimulant formulation design;
-Compatibility studies between amino acids, micronutrients, and biological compounds;
-Advanced formulation science for agricultural biostimulants;
-Pilot-scale validation and formulation protocols suitable for industrial implementation.

Particular interest will be given to solutions that improve product stability, shelf-life, and efficacy while enabling faster development of next-generation biostimulants tailored to specific crops and environmental conditions.

Expected Outcome: A feasibility study and pilot-ready formulation strategy for stable, crop-specific free amino acid biostimulants that can be validated and scaled for commercial production.

Challenge 2 (#10) – Quantifying the Regenerative Agriculture Impact of Free Amino Acids

We are looking for innovative solutions that can support:

• Quantification of fertiliser, water, and input-use efficiency enabled by free amino acid biostimulants;
• Assessment of soil health improvements, microbial activity, and biodiversity;
• Measurement of soil carbon sequestration and greenhouse gas reduction potential;
• Development of environmental and ESG performance indicators;
• Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) methodologies for biostimulant applications;
• Field trial design and data analysis to validate regenerative agriculture impacts.

Particular interest will be given to solutions that generate measurable evidence supporting the contribution of free amino acid biostimulants to climate-smart agriculture, soil restoration, and sustainable food production.

Expected Outcome: A feasibility study and pilot-ready assessment framework to quantify the environmental, agronomic, and regenerative agriculture impacts of free amino acid biostimulants, supporting future product positioning, sustainability reporting, and market adoption.

BCF Life Sciences is a European biotechnology company and pioneer in the circular bioeconomy, specialising in the extraction and valorisation of free amino acids and keratin from poultry feathers through proprietary biotechnological processes. Since 1986, the company has been developing sustainable ingredients for the human, animal, and plant health sectors, transforming agricultural by-products into high-value solutions.

As demand grows for more targeted and efficient biostimulants, BCF Life Sciences seeks innovative solutions to develop stable, crop-specific formulations based on its proven Leafamine® technology.

Challenge 1 (#9) – Stable, Crop-Specific Formulations for Free Amino Acid Biostimulants

We are looking for technologies and expertise that can support:

-Development of stable formulations combining free amino acids with micronutrients and other functional ingredients;
-Characterisation of formulation stability under different pH, temperature, and storage conditions;
-Crop- and stress-specific biostimulant formulation design;
-Compatibility studies between amino acids, micronutrients, and biological compounds;
-Advanced formulation science for agricultural biostimulants;
-Pilot-scale validation and formulation protocols suitable for industrial implementation.

Particular interest will be given to solutions that improve product stability, shelf-life, and efficacy while enabling faster development of next-generation biostimulants tailored to specific crops and environmental conditions.

Expected Outcome: A feasibility study and pilot-ready formulation strategy for stable, crop-specific free amino acid biostimulants that can be validated and scaled for commercial production.

Challenge 2 (#10) – Quantifying the Regenerative Agriculture Impact of Free Amino Acids

We are looking for innovative solutions that can support:

Quantification of fertiliser, water, and input-use efficiency enabled by free amino acid biostimulants;
Assessment of soil health improvements, microbial activity, and biodiversity;
Measurement of soil carbon sequestration and greenhouse gas reduction potential;
Development of environmental and ESG performance indicators;
Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) methodologies for biostimulant applications;
Field trial design and data analysis to validate regenerative agriculture impacts.

Particular interest will be given to solutions that generate measurable evidence supporting the contribution of free amino acid biostimulants to climate-smart agriculture, soil restoration, and sustainable food production.

Expected Outcome: A feasibility study and pilot-ready assessment framework to quantify the environmental, agronomic, and regenerative agriculture impacts of free amino acid biostimulants, supporting future product positioning, sustainability reporting, and market adoption.

Agrozee Organics works on promoting millet-based food systems that combine improved nutrition, stronger farmer livelihoods, and climate resilience. Through its activities, the company aims to increase the use of millets as nutrient-dense and climate-smart crops while creating greater value across the entire millet supply chain.

In India, iron deficiency anemia and poor dietary diversity remain major public health challenges among school-going children, with nearly one in two children affected. At the same time, smallholder millet farmers face low productivity, limited market access, inadequate processing infrastructure, and post-harvest losses, reducing farmer incomes and discouraging millet cultivation. Climate change further increases these pressures through erratic rainfall, droughts, and declining crop resilience.

We are looking for innovative, scalable solutions that can strengthen the millet value chain while simultaneously improving nutrition, farmer prosperity, and climate resilience, including:

Millet-based nutritious food products suitable for children and wider consumer markets
Solutions improving millet processing, storage, preservation, and reduction of post-harvest losses
Technologies or business models that increase farmer productivity and income
Digital or market-access solutions connecting smallholder farmers with processors, buyers, institutions, and consumers
Approaches supporting traceability, quality assurance, and transparent supply chains
Climate-smart farming solutions that improve millet productivity under drought and variable rainfall conditions
Innovative models for integrating millet-based foods into schools, public nutrition programs, retail, and mainstream diets
Circular and resource-efficient approaches that create additional value from millet production and processing

Expected Outcome: A pilot-ready and economically viable solution that demonstrates how millet-based value chains can simultaneously improve access to nutritious foods, increase smallholder farmer incomes, reduce losses, and strengthen resilience to climate change.

Association for Farmers Rights Defense (AFRD) is a Georgian organization supporting farmers and promoting more sustainable, efficient, and resilient agricultural practices. The organization is interested in practical technologies that can help farmers improve productivity, reduce resource use, and respond to the growing environmental and operational challenges faced by modern agriculture.

One of the main challenges is the limited adoption of affordable, intelligent technologies that can support farmers in monitoring crops, automating field operations, reducing input use, and making better decisions in real time.

We are looking for innovative, scalable solutions that combine engineering, robotics, sensing, and artificial intelligence for real-world agricultural applications, including:

Smart agricultural machinery and autonomous field equipment
Robotics for planting, weeding, harvesting, crop care, and other farm operations
Sensor technologies for soil, crop, weather, and environmental monitoring
AI-powered monitoring, diagnostics, and decision-support tools
Precision agriculture solutions that optimize water, fertilizers, pesticides, and energy use
Technologies supporting pest detection, prevention, and reduced pesticide dependency
Solutions that contribute to regenerative agriculture, biodiversity protection, and ecosystem resilience
Clean technologies that reduce waste, emissions, and environmental impact across agricultural operations
Practical systems that can be deployed by small and medium-sized farmers and adapted to local farming conditions

Expected Outcome: A pilot-ready and scalable solution that demonstrates clear improvements in farm productivity, resource efficiency, automation, and environmental performance, with strong potential for deployment in real agricultural settings.

Boland Ferments develops circular food solutions that use fermentation to transform local agricultural side streams into higher-value food products. The company aims to strengthen short supply chains, reduce food loss, and create products that can reach mainstream consumers rather than remaining limited to niche sustainable-food markets.

A key challenge is that significant volumes of agricultural side streams and surplus production remain underutilised, while local food systems often struggle to scale beyond specialised channels. Boland Ferments aims to address both issues through a circular “Know Your Farmer” burger made from locally sourced agricultural side streams and introduced through frituur outlets, a high-volume and widely accessible food-service channel.

We are looking for innovative solutions that can support the development and scale-up of this circular food concept, including:

Technologies for transforming heterogeneous agricultural side streams into safe, consistent, and appealing food ingredients
Fermentation and processing solutions that improve texture, flavour, nutritional value, shelf life, and product stability
Approaches for quality control, food safety, standardisation, and traceability
Resource valorisation and nutrient-recycling technologies
Business models connecting farmers, processors, food-service operators, and consumers
Solutions supporting scalable production and integration into mainstream food-service environments
Approaches for communicating the value of local sourcing, circularity, and short supply chains to consumers
New applications for underutilised agricultural side streams and surplus production

Expected Outcome: A pilot-ready and scalable circular burger concept with a viable production and business model, demonstrating how local agricultural side streams can be valorised into an attractive mainstream food product while reducing food loss and strengthening connections between farmers and consumers.

Matubu Coffee Roastery is a Belgian coffee roaster interested in developing more circular approaches to managing by-products generated during coffee roasting. One of the main side streams is coffee chaff, a lightweight material separated from coffee beans during roasting that currently has limited high-value applications in Europe.

While several potential uses for coffee chaff exist internationally, their adoption in Europe remains limited due to factors such as processing costs, logistics, regulatory requirements, market demand, and uncertain economic viability.

We are looking for innovative, scalable solutions that can recycle or upcycle coffee chaff into valuable products or inputs, including:

New food, feed, agricultural, or bio-based applications for coffee chaff
Technologies for processing, stabilising, or transforming coffee chaff
Resource valorisation and nutrient-recycling solutions
Applications in compost, soil amendments, biochar, biomaterials, or other circular products
Solutions that address storage, transport, and logistics constraints
Approaches that comply with relevant European regulatory and food-safety requirements
Business models that demonstrate clear market potential and economic viability

Expected Outcome: A feasible and scalable circular application for coffee chaff, supported by a clear technical and economic assessment, that can be realistically implemented within the European market.

Sea.Sense (Greentide BV) develops innovative seaweed-based seasonings that make European seaweed more accessible and appealing to mainstream consumers. By combining locally sourced seaweed with crispy grains, seeds, and gastronomic flavours, the company aims to overcome low consumer familiarity with seaweed and integrate it into everyday diets.

Sea.Sense is now exploring the development of a new vegan bacon-style seasoning based on dulse (Palmaria palmata), a red seaweed cultivated in several European countries and known for developing a distinctive umami and bacon-like aroma when dried and heated.

The main challenge is that there is currently no standardized processing method that consistently maximizes these sensory characteristics. Flavour development depends on multiple factors, including raw material quality, drying conditions, moisture content, particle size, and thermal processing parameters.

We are looking for applied research and product-development solutions that can help optimize the flavour potential of dulse, including:

Evaluation of baking, roasting, frying, and other thermal processing methods
Optimisation of drying conditions, moisture levels, and particle size
Identification of processing parameters that maximise bacon-like aroma and flavour
Sensory testing and comparison of different processing approaches
Solutions that preserve clean-label positioning and product stability
Kitchen-scale and pilot-scale validation of the most promising processing protocols

Expected Outcome: A validated and reproducible processing protocol that maximises the natural bacon-like flavour of European-grown dulse and enables its use as a natural vegan bacon flavour ingredient in Sea.Sense crispy seaweed toppings.

Sea.Sense (Greentide BV) is exploring dulse as a promising European marine ingredient for the development of innovative, sustainable food products. While European dulse cultivation is expanding through both onshore and offshore production systems, there is still limited visibility into the economic and operational feasibility of using dulse at commercial scale.

The key challenge is the lack of transparency across the value chain, including raw material availability, processing capacity, logistics, cost structures, and value creation from cultivation through to the final dried ingredient. This makes it difficult to determine whether European dulse can be supplied at a competitive cost for use in mainstream consumer food products.

We are looking for solutions and expertise that can map and assess the complete European dulse value chain, including:

Mapping of European dulse producers and available cultivation capacity
Assessment of raw material volumes, seasonality, and supply reliability
Analysis of drying, processing, storage, and logistics requirements
Evaluation of cost structures across cultivation and processing stages
Identification of technical, logistical, and economic bottlenecks
Assessment of potential value-added applications for dried dulse flakes or powder
Identification of scalable supply-chain models and potential commercial partners
Evaluation of the commercial feasibility of supplying dulse as a food ingredient

Expected Outcome: A clear technical and economic assessment of the European dulse value chain, identifying the most viable supply, processing, and commercialisation pathways. If commercially acceptable cost levels can be achieved, the results will provide the basis for further valorisation of dulse into a natural vegan bacon flavour ingredient.

CropX is a global digital agronomy company that combines real-time soil data, weather insights, aerial imagery, and agronomic analytics to help farmers improve productivity and resource efficiency. As agricultural digitalisation expands across Europe, one of the main barriers to adoption is the fragmentation of Farm Management Information Systems (FMIS), IoT platforms, and region-specific data infrastructures.

The challenge is to create a standardised and scalable integration framework that enables CropX agronomic data to connect seamlessly with European FMIS platforms and specialised local IoT networks. Current systems often use different data structures, communication protocols, and integration approaches, making interoperability complex and slowing down adoption by growers.

We are looking for innovative solutions that can support:

Development of a standardised API or middleware integration layer
Secure, reliable, two-way data exchange between CropX and external FMIS or IoT systems
Harmonisation of different agricultural data formats and protocols
Interoperability with region-specific European farm management platforms
Integration of soil, weather, crop, machinery, sensor, and operational data
Data governance, permissions, privacy, and secure access management
Scalable architecture that can be replicated across different countries and farm systems
Tools that reduce integration complexity and adoption friction for growers and technology providers

Expected Outcome: A pilot-ready and scalable API architecture that demonstrates secure, seamless two-way data exchange between CropX and selected European FMIS or IoT platforms, improving interoperability, reducing adoption barriers, and increasing data transparency across the agricultural value chain.

OceanBites develops innovative marine food solutions and is now preparing to scale its production system while maintaining product quality, cost-efficiency, and sustainability.

One of the main challenges is that current cultivation and harvesting processes still rely heavily on manual operations. This limits production capacity, increases operational costs, and creates barriers to efficient scale-up.

We are looking for innovative solutions and technical partners that can support the development of a production optimisation roadmap, including:

Automation of cultivation and harvesting processes
Technologies that reduce manual handling and labour intensity
Smart monitoring and process-control systems
Sensors and digital tools for real-time production monitoring
Solutions improving water, energy, and nutrient efficiency
Technologies supporting consistent product quality and production reliability
Concepts for scalable, modular, or semi-automated production systems
Feasibility studies and conceptual designs for future production infrastructure
Solutions supporting circular and sustainable resource management

Expected Outcome: A clear, technically and economically feasible roadmap for the next phase of production scale-up, including priority technologies, conceptual designs, and pilot-ready solutions that can improve automation, efficiency, sustainability, and overall production capacity.

W’ICE develops frost protection solutions for vineyards and fruit production, helping growers reduce the risks associated with spring frost events that can significantly affect crop yields and farm income.

One of the main challenges is quantifying the true economic impact of frost damage and translating this into a clear business case for growers. Because frost losses are influenced by multiple variables, it can be difficult to isolate their financial effect and determine realistic willingness-to-pay for protection technologies.

We are looking for solutions and expertise that can support:

Cost-benefit analysis of frost protection technologies
Quantification of spring frost impact on yield, crop value, and grower income
Assessment of return on investment for different grower profiles and production systems
Willingness-to-pay analysis among vineyard and fruit producers
Benchmarking of existing frost protection practices and competing technologies
Market assessment in frost-sensitive wine and fruit-producing regions
Identification of priority international markets and customer segments
Mapping of relevant growers, associations, distributors, and strategic partners
Comparison of regional frost risks, farming practices, and adoption barriers

Expected Outcome: A clear economic and market assessment demonstrating the value proposition of W’ICE’s frost protection solution, including realistic willingness-to-pay insights, priority customer segments, and recommendations for international market expansion.

Green Vapour Solutions is a South African company focused on circular agrifood systems and agricultural waste valorisation. The company aims to transform residues from maize and vegetable production into valuable products that can improve farm profitability, reduce environmental impact, and support more resilient rural economies.

One of the main challenges is that large volumes of agricultural residues remain underutilised or are treated as waste, despite their potential to be converted into useful inputs and bio-based products. At the same time, farmers and processors need solutions that are technically feasible, commercially viable, environmentally sustainable, and suitable for deployment in emerging agricultural markets.

We are looking for innovative solutions that can support:

Conversion of maize and vegetable residues into livestock feed ingredients
Production of organic fertilisers, compost, and soil-improvement products
Biochar and other carbon-based applications
Renewable energy and bioenergy solutions from agricultural residues
Bio-based materials and other high-value circular products
Biotechnology, engineering, and digital solutions for waste valorisation
Technologies for nutrient recovery and recycling
Solutions that reduce greenhouse gas emissions and improve soil health
Scalable systems that can be integrated into farming and maize-processing operations
Business models that create additional revenue streams for farmers and rural communities

Expected Outcome: A technically feasible, economically viable, and scalable solution for converting agricultural residues into higher-value products, with clear potential for integration into Green Vapour Solutions’ operations and replication across South Africa and other emerging agricultural markets.

VIVES, through the Yacon Collective Flanders, is working to strengthen the market position of yacon in Flanders. Despite its attractive nutritional profile and potential as a locally produced crop, yacon remains largely unknown to consumers and is currently sold mainly through short supply chains.

The main challenge is to overcome barriers related to low consumer awareness, fragmented sales channels, limited production scale, high labour costs, product fragility, shelf-life constraints, and the lack of a coordinated market approach.

We are looking for innovative solutions that can support:

Market development and positioning of yacon in Flanders
Consumer acceptance, awareness, and demand generation
Identification of attractive market segments and customer groups
Development of viable and scalable business models
Stronger collaboration across the yacon value chain
Identification and development of suitable distribution and sales channels
Valorisation strategies for both fresh and processed yacon products
Approaches to improve shelf life, product quality, and commercial feasibility
Solutions that can reduce production and processing costs
Strategies that increase value creation and sustainable revenue opportunities for Flemish growers

Expected Outcome:
A clear and commercially viable market development and valorisation strategy for yacon in Flanders, identifying the most promising market segments, positioning, sales channels, business models, and value-chain opportunities. The proposed solution should help increase market uptake, strengthen consumer acceptance, and create sustainable revenue opportunities for Flemish yacon growers.

  ARVALIS is seeking innovative autonomous and highly automated agricultural technologies that can support arable farmers in performing key field operations while reducing reliance on plant protection products and manual labour.

Arable farmers are increasingly required to reduce pesticide use while maintaining crop performance and economic viability. At the same time, labour availability is becoming a significant constraint, particularly for repetitive operations such as sowing, soil preparation and mechanical weed control.

The challenge is therefore to identify autonomous or highly automated technologies capable of carrying out these operations safely, efficiently and reliably under commercial farming conditions.

We are looking for innovative solutions that can support:

Autonomous or highly automated sowing operations

Soil preparation and soil-management activities

Precision mechanical weed control

Reduction or replacement of chemical weed-control practices

Real-time detection and response to field conditions

Machine vision, AI-based perception and decision-making

Autonomous machinery, implements and agricultural robotics

Human-machine collaborative systems

Compatibility with existing agricultural machinery

Reduction of farmers’ workload and time spent on repetitive operations

Safe and reliable operation under commercial farming conditions

Adaptation to different crops, fields and farming systems

Economically viable deployment for arable farms

Expected Outcome:
Identification and assessment of a promising autonomous or highly automated solution and the development of a feasibility study and pilot plan for testing it under real agricultural conditions. The pilot should evaluate technical performance, degree of autonomy, operational requirements, economic viability, safety, reduction in farmer workload and its potential contribution to reducing pesticide use.

Esisipho K is a South African agribusiness involved in vegetable production, livestock farming and meat processing. These activities generate organic residues and by-products that represent both a waste-management challenge and an opportunity to create additional value.

The company already uses biomass-based approaches to transform waste into reusable gas and is interested in strengthening the circularity and efficiency of its agricultural and processing operations.

The challenge is to identify technologies and approaches that can transform agricultural, livestock and meat-processing residues into renewable energy and other useful products while improving resource efficiency and reducing waste.

We are looking for innovative solutions that can support:

Valorisation of livestock and agricultural residues

Improved biogas or biomass-to-energy production

Optimisation of anaerobic digestion or related biological processes

Conversion of processing residues into energy or agricultural inputs

Improved collection, separation and pre-treatment of organic waste

Recovery of nutrients from agricultural residues

Production of digestate, fertilisers or other useful co-products

Monitoring and optimisation of biomass conversion

Reduction of waste-management costs

Reduction of greenhouse-gas emissions

Circular integration between crop, livestock and food-processing operations

Commercially viable approaches suitable for an agricultural SME

Expected Outcome:
A technically and economically feasible solution for increasing the value recovered from Esisipho K’s agricultural and processing residues, accompanied by a pilot approach demonstrating how waste streams can be converted into renewable energy and/or marketable agricultural inputs.

NEX EcoVentures is developing a circular biorefinery platform in Sarawak, Malaysia, using Black Soldier Fly (BSF) bioconversion to transform agro-industrial biomass into higher-value products.

The next challenge is to further optimise and scale this system while increasing the quality, consistency and commercial value of its outputs. Particular opportunities exist in improving BSF conversion efficiency, processing BSF biomass into alternative protein and lipid ingredients and standardising BSF frass as a regenerative agricultural input.

We are looking for innovative solutions that can support:

Optimisation of Black Soldier Fly rearing and bioconversion efficiency

Feedstock preparation and formulation

Improved conversion of agro-industrial biomass

Downstream processing of BSF larvae

Protein extraction, concentration and fractionation

Recovery and upgrading of BSF-derived lipids

Development of high-quality animal-feed or aquaculture ingredients

Standardisation and enhancement of BSF frass

Development of regenerative soil-input applications

Process monitoring and automation

Product-quality control and consistency

Traceability across biomass inputs and biorefinery outputs

Resource- and energy-efficiency improvements

Environmental-performance measurement

Scalable biorefinery process design

Expected Outcome:
A pilot-ready technological or process solution capable of improving the efficiency, consistency or value creation of NEX EcoVentures’ BSF-based biorefinery, with clear technical parameters and a pathway towards commercially scalable production of alternative protein, renewable lipids and/or regenerative agricultural inputs.

Nelia’s Foods works with agricultural raw materials sourced from smallholder farmers and transforms them into processed food products.

As the company grows, maintaining consistent product quality, food safety and traceability becomes increasingly complex. Current processes still rely significantly on manual record keeping, making it difficult to efficiently follow raw materials, production batches, quality indicators, inventory and finished products throughout the supply chain.

The challenge is to introduce affordable and scalable technologies that create an integrated traceability and quality-management system from farmer sourcing to processing, packaging and distribution.

We are looking for innovative solutions that can support:

Farm-to-product traceability

Digital farmer and supplier records

Raw-material batch identification

Production-batch tracking

Inventory and warehouse management

Digital quality-control records

Food-safety monitoring

Product-origin verification

Integration of processing and packaging information

Shelf-life monitoring

Post-harvest-loss reduction

Data capture using QR codes, mobile tools or other affordable technologies

Traceability information for consumers and customers

Compliance with domestic and export requirements

Analytics supporting production and sourcing decisions

Expected Outcome:
A practical digital traceability and quality-control system that can be piloted across Nelia’s Foods’ sourcing and processing activities, enabling raw materials and finished products to be tracked from smallholder farmer to final distribution while strengthening food safety, consistency and operational efficiency.

Smallholder farmers in Malawi experience significant post-harvest losses because appropriate cold-storage infrastructure is often unavailable outside major urban centres.

Highly perishable products such as tomatoes and leafy vegetables can deteriorate rapidly after harvest, forcing farmers to sell immediately and frequently at very low prices. Existing large cold-chain providers predominantly serve urban markets and larger commercial customers, leaving rural agricultural hubs underserved.

The challenge is to identify decentralised and economically viable cold-storage solutions suitable for rural agricultural communities.

We are looking for innovative solutions that can support:

Modular rural cold-storage systems

Solar-powered or other renewable-energy refrigeration

Off-grid cold-chain operations

Affordable storage for tomatoes, leafy vegetables and other perishables

Pre-cooling technologies

Temperature and humidity monitoring

Remote monitoring of cold-storage infrastructure

Reduction of energy consumption and operating costs

Shared cold-storage models serving multiple farmers

Pay-per-use or other accessible business models

Produce aggregation at rural market hubs

Improved shelf life and product quality

Reduction of post-harvest losses

Replicable systems for rural communities

Expected Outcome:
A pilot-ready decentralised cold-chain model that can be tested in a rural agricultural market hub in Malawi, demonstrating its technical performance, energy requirements, operating costs, utilisation model and ability to extend product shelf life and reduce post-harvest losses.

Bayot Organic Innovations operates in Uganda’s Kasese District, sourcing agricultural raw materials from local farmers and transforming crops such as groundnuts, soybean and maize into nutritious value-added foods.

One of the major constraints affecting these value chains is post-harvest loss caused by inadequate drying and storage, high humidity, changing rainfall patterns and product spoilage. These conditions can also increase the risk of aflatoxin contamination, reducing food safety and limiting the commercial value of farmers’ production.

The challenge is to identify affordable post-harvest technologies capable of improving drying, storage and quality preservation for smallholder-produced cereals and groundnuts.

We are looking for innovative solutions that can support:

Rapid and controlled crop drying

Solar and energy-efficient drying technologies

Moisture monitoring

Humidity management

Improved grain and groundnut storage

Aflatoxin-risk detection and prevention

Affordable quality-testing technologies

Early identification of contamination

Hermetic or improved storage systems

Product traceability from farmer to processor

Reduction of storage losses

Improved food safety and shelf life

Valorisation of processing residues

Solutions suitable for decentralised smallholder supply chains

Expected Outcome:
A practical post-harvest management solution that can be piloted within Bayot Organic Innovations’ supply chain and demonstrate measurable improvements in drying, storage stability, product quality, aflatoxin-risk management and reduction of post-harvest losses.

Precious AgriMarketing Company is a Tanzanian agribusiness working with farmers and agricultural value-chain actors to reduce post-harvest losses and create higher-value products from agricultural produce and residues.

Large volumes of tomatoes, vegetables, fruits and other perishable crops are lost after harvest because smallholder farmers often lack affordable processing, drying, storage and reliable market access. At the same time, agricultural residues such as maize cobs, rice husks, sunflower residues, stalks and sawdust are frequently burned, discarded or left to decompose instead of being converted into useful resources.

The challenge is to develop and pilot an integrated, climate-smart processing model that can transform surplus and lower-grade but safe agricultural produce into shelf-stable food products, while using renewable energy and agricultural residues to reduce processing costs and environmental impact.

We are looking for innovative solutions that can support:

Affordable solar or renewable-energy-powered drying technologies

Hybrid drying systems capable of operating during cloudy periods or at night

Hygienic and food-grade processing of tomatoes, fruits and vegetables

Equipment for washing, slicing, milling, blending and processing at small- to medium-scale

Shelf-life extension and preservation of processed agricultural products

Affordable packaging solutions suitable for Tanzanian market and storage conditions

Conversion of agricultural residues into briquettes, biomass energy or other useful products

Reduction of dependence on firewood, charcoal and conventional fuels

Improved energy efficiency in post-harvest processing

Valorisation of processing residues into animal feed, compost or other marketable products

Locally maintainable technologies suitable for rural processing environments

Adaptation of existing technologies to local crops, operating conditions and farmer supply chains

Quality, food-safety and shelf-life monitoring

Replicable processing models that can be adopted by farmer groups and other agribusinesses

Expected Outcome:
A pilot-ready climate-smart processing solution that can be implemented together with Precious AgriMarketing Company and tested under Tanzanian conditions. The proposed solution should demonstrate its ability to reduce post-harvest losses, extend product shelf life, improve product quality, reduce energy and processing costs, and create additional value from agricultural residues.

The pilot should also provide clear technical and economic evidence regarding processing capacity, energy use, operating requirements, maintenance, product quality and commercial feasibility, creating a basis for future replication through farmer groups and local agribusinesses.

Siditshile Projects (PTY) LTD is a South African poultry business facing increasing production costs driven by high feed prices, rising costs of day-old broiler chicks and climate-related pressures on farm operations.

Feed is one of the largest cost components in poultry production, while energy costs and access to reliable infrastructure can further affect the competitiveness and resilience of smaller poultry producers.

The challenge is to identify an integrated and affordable solution that can reduce operating costs through improved feed production, renewable energy use and circular utilisation of agricultural and poultry residues.

Siditshile Projects is particularly interested in the development of feedmill infrastructure, biogas systems and solar-energy solutions that can support more efficient and resilient poultry operations.

We are looking for innovative solutions that can support:

Small- or medium-scale feedmill infrastructure

Affordable on-farm or decentralised poultry-feed production

Improved feed formulation and nutritional optimisation

Use of locally available feed ingredients and agricultural by-products

Reduction of dependence on expensive commercial feed

Improved feed-conversion efficiency

Feed-quality monitoring and consistency

Biogas production from poultry manure and other organic residues

Valorisation of poultry waste into renewable energy or fertiliser

Solar-energy systems for poultry-farm operations

Hybrid renewable-energy systems combining solar and biogas

Reduction of electricity and fuel costs

Energy-efficient poultry housing and production equipment

Circular integration of feed production, waste management and energy generation

Technologies that can improve the climate resilience of poultry production

Scalable and affordable solutions suitable for small and growing poultry enterprises

Expected Outcome:
A technically and economically viable integrated solution for reducing poultry production costs at Siditshile Projects through a combination of feed-production infrastructure, renewable energy and circular waste utilisation.

The proposed solution should be suitable for pilot testing and demonstrate its potential impact on feed costs, energy costs, waste management, production efficiency and overall farm economics. The pilot should also define the technical requirements, investment needs, operating model and potential for replication across other small and medium-sized poultry farms.

Paysan du Cayor operates a diversified 10-hectare agroecological farm in Fandène, Senegal, combining approximately 3,000 citrus and other fruit trees with seasonal horticultural crops, solar-powered irrigation and poultry production.

The diversity and layout of the farm create a specific mechanisation challenge. Numerous activities including weed management, vegetation cutting, transport of organic matter, preparation and maintenance of crop areas, orchard maintenance and internal transport currently depend heavily on manual labour.

Conventional tractors are not well suited to fragmented production areas and orchard environments, while purchasing multiple specialised machines would be economically inefficient.

The challenge is therefore to identify one compact and versatile power platform capable of using interchangeable implements for multiple agricultural operations.

We are looking for innovative solutions that can support:

Compact multi-purpose agricultural machinery

Interchangeable tools and implements

Mechanical weed management

Mowing and vegetation cutting

Movement and application of organic materials

Preparation and maintenance of horticultural areas

Orchard-floor management

Internal transport of crops, materials and inputs

Operation between orchard rows

Low soil compaction

Minimal soil disturbance

Reduced number of machine passes

Low fuel or energy consumption

Easy maintenance under local conditions

Reduction of manual labour

Adaptation to diversified farms of approximately 5–20 hectares

Expected Outcome:
Identification and pilot testing of a compact multi-purpose mechanisation solution capable of performing several priority farm operations using a single power unit. The pilot should assess operational performance, labour savings, operating costs, soil impact, manoeuvrability, maintenance requirements and its potential for replication across diversified farms in West Africa.

BIOMECORP is a Türkiye-based deep-tech biotechnology company developing innovative biological solutions at the intersection of animal health, sustainable nutrition and circular agrifood systems.

Through its proprietary I-PYME™ technology platform, the company uses Tenebrio molitor (yellow mealworm) to transform agricultural by-products into high-value functional proteins, bioactive ingredients and circular co-products.

Unlike conventional insect-protein production, BIOMECORP aims to go beyond nutritional value by exploring the functional biological properties of insect-derived compounds. Preliminary laboratory results have demonstrated promising antibacterial activity, creating potential applications in animal gut health, immune support and strategies aimed at reducing reliance on conventional antibiotics.

The company’s initial focus is on premium pet nutrition, with broader potential applications across animal feed, animal health and sustainable agriculture.

The challenge is therefore to further validate, optimise and scale the I-PYME™ platform and translate promising laboratory findings into safe, reproducible and commercially viable functional ingredients.

We are looking for innovative solutions that can support:

Identification and characterisation of bioactive compounds derived from Tenebrio molitor

Validation of antimicrobial and other functional biological properties

Assessment of potential impacts on animal gut health and immune function

Development and optimisation of extraction, separation and purification processes

Optimisation of insect rearing and bioconversion conditions

Formulation of functional ingredients for pet food and animal-feed applications

Assessment of ingredient stability, bioavailability and product performance

Safety and quality validation

Laboratory-scale and pilot-scale testing protocols

Development of reproducible production processes

Assessment of opportunities to reduce reliance on conventional antibiotics in animal nutrition

Regulatory pathways for insect-derived functional ingredients

Scale-up and commercial production planning

Techno-economic assessment and commercial feasibility

Valorisation of additional co-products such as frass and chitin

Expected Outcome:
A validated and pilot-ready development pathway for the I-PYME™ platform, demonstrating the technical feasibility, safety and functional potential of insect-derived bioactive ingredients for animal nutrition and health. The pilot should help identify the most promising compounds and applications, establish appropriate validation and production protocols, and define a clear roadmap for scale-up, regulatory approval and commercialisation, initially targeting premium pet nutrition and subsequently broader animal-health and sustainable-agriculture markets.

Nativaland Sweet Potato Nursery produces large volumes of sweet potato slips for commercial growers, with production concentrated in a short and intensive planting season.

The current sorting and packing process depends heavily on manual labour. Sweet potato slips must be separated from tangled plant material, individually inspected, classified according to quality, aligned, counted and packed into boxes.

Automating this process is particularly challenging because sweet potato slips are living and delicate materials that vary significantly in length, thickness, shape and leaf development. They may arrive tangled together and mixed with leaves, stems, roots, weeds or other plant material.

The challenge is therefore to develop an integrated automation system capable of gently separating, inspecting, classifying, counting and packing sweet potato slips at industrial scale while maintaining product quality and achieving the throughput required during peak production periods.

We are looking for innovative solutions that can support:

Automated feeding and separation of tangled sweet potato slips

Gentle handling of living and delicate plant material

Machine vision and AI-based quality inspection

Identification of damaged, broken, diseased, too-short or too-long slips

Detection of weeds, leaves, roots, stems and other unwanted material

Automated rejection and separation of non-conforming material

Robotic picking and handling of individual slips

Consistent orientation of slips during packing

Automated counting of slips

Accurate preparation of groups of 500 slips per box

Automatic box-change signalling or handling

Batch identification and traceability

Collection of packing and quality-control data

Operation under high seasonal production volumes

Integration with existing commercial nursery operations

Scalable and reliable industrial automation

Expected Outcome:
A validated and scalable automation concept for sorting and packing sweet potato slips under real nursery conditions. The solution should demonstrate the technical feasibility of automated feeding, inspection, rejection, orientation, counting and packing while reducing manual labour, improving product consistency and traceability, and providing a realistic pathway toward commercial-scale implementation.

Nativaland Sweet Potato Nursery produces sweet potato planting material for commercial growers using seed roots generated during the previous production season.

At the end of the plant-production cycle, significant quantities of sweet potato roots and leaves remain as agricultural side streams. The roots are currently either discarded or supplied directly for animal feeding, while sweet potato leaves are also largely underutilised.

These materials contain potentially valuable nutrients, pigments, bioactive compounds and other components that could be transformed into ingredients or products for food, animal nutrition, agriculture, biotechnology and other industrial applications.

The challenge is therefore to identify technically feasible and commercially viable solutions that transform sweet potato roots, leaves and related processing residues into new value-added products while reducing organic waste and improving resource efficiency.

We are looking for innovative solutions that can support:

Production of sweet potato root powders

Production of sweet potato leaf powders

Development of food and feed ingredients

Extraction of anthocyanins

Extraction of carotenoids

Recovery of polyphenols and other bioactive compounds

Production of natural pigments and functional ingredients

Fermentation and microbial bioconversion

Development of higher-value products from sweet potato biomass

Composting and nutrient recycling

Production of soil amendments

Valorisation of residual biomass

Development of novel bio-based products and applications

Handling and stabilisation of seasonal raw materials

Processing of materials with variable moisture and composition

Storage and logistics solutions for perishable biomass

Identification of high-value commercial markets

Assessment of processing costs and economic feasibility

Circular business models for sweet potato side streams

Reduction of residual waste and environmental impact

Expected Outcome:
Identification and validation of one or more scalable and economically viable pathways for converting sweet potato roots, leaves or associated residues into marketable products or ingredients. The feasibility study should assess processing requirements, product potential, market opportunities, operational costs and commercial viability, providing a clear pathway from agricultural side stream to potential commercial application.

Nativaland Sweet Potato Nursery produces planting material and seed roots that must meet high standards of plant health, quality and varietal purity.

Soil-borne weeds, pathogens and pests can compromise propagation material, increase production costs and create problems for both the nursery and commercial sweet potato growers. Key concerns include nutsedge, Fusarium and plant-parasitic nematodes.

Nutsedge is particularly difficult to control and can significantly affect nursery and field operations. In addition, small sweet potato seed roots remaining in the soil after harvest may regrow during subsequent production cycles, creating unwanted plants and increasing the risk of varietal contamination.

The challenge is therefore to identify sustainable, effective and economically viable alternatives to conventional chemical soil disinfestation that can reduce soil-borne risks while protecting soil functionality and the quality of future sweet potato crops.

We are looking for innovative solutions that can support:

Non-chemical soil disinfestation

Low-chemical soil treatment approaches

Mechanical control of problematic weeds

Control and removal of nutsedge

Management of Fusarium and other soil-borne pathogens

Management of plant-parasitic nematodes

Mechanical destruction of residual sweet potato roots

Prevention of regrowth from roots remaining after harvest

Thermal soil treatments

Heat-based disinfestation technologies

Soil solarisation

Solar-powered soil treatment technologies

Ultraviolet and other physical treatment methods

Beneficial microorganisms and biological control agents

Microbiological suppression of soil-borne pathogens and pests

Integrated physical, thermal, mechanical and biological approaches

Solutions suitable for both sandy and heavy soils

Protection of soil structure and biological functionality

Reduction of environmental impacts

Reduction of reliance on conventional chemical treatments

Economically viable implementation for nurseries and commercial growers

Expected Outcome:
A practical, scalable and economically viable approach to soil disinfestation and soil-borne risk management that can be tested under real sweet potato nursery and production conditions. The solution should demonstrate its potential to reduce problematic weeds, pathogens and pests, minimise regrowth from residual roots, protect propagation-material quality and varietal purity, preserve soil functionality and provide measurable economic benefits for both nurseries and commercial growers.