From the Enea Foundation 40 million euros for Agritech start-ups and SMEs

From advanced technologies in agriculture to innovation in the field of nutrition:applications for start-up, SME and university spin-off projects are open from 2 April to 31 May 2024

ROME - Forty million euros for start-ups, SMEs and university spin-offs operating in the field of agritech, advanced technologies and nutrition. He makes them available the Enea Tech and Biomedical Foundation. Applications may be submitted from 2 April to 31 May 2024.
A statement from the foundation explains:“Agritech, advanced technologies and nutrition:the reference areas of the second call to action published by the Enea Tech and Biomedical Foundation.The Enea Foundation is open to start-up projects, small and medium-sized enterprises and university spin-offs, with the aim of supporting and accelerating the processes of innovation, growth and development of technologically advanced solutions and innovative processes and products in the agriculture and agrifood sector, fundamental in terms of economic development and strategic positioning of the Italian system".

In particular "the areas of intervention concern Agritech, with a focus on the technological and digital innovations available, to increase production performance, improve product quality, reduce waste and environmental impact as well as guarantee the traceability and certification of national agricultural production through artificial intelligence (AI), automation and robotics".

Furthermore, "the other areas of interest concern assisted evolution technologies and innovation in the nutritional field with the development of foods, the valorisation of foods of good nutritional quality, products and diets aimed at improving the specific characteristics of the intestinal microbiota of individuals and the prevention of various pathologies".

Specifically “the resources made available for the public notice amount to 40 million euros and the Foundation will be able to intervene through equity/quasi-equity investments, i.e. risk capital investments which involve the contribution of capital between 500,000 and 5,000,000 euros.Applications can be submitted from 2 April to 31 May 2024.

“The second expression of interest published by the Eneatech and Biomedical Foundation - says the president Giovanni Tria– represents a further step in pursuing the overall objectives of the Foundation itself.Bringing out and supporting the best innovative projects in the Agritech field, and therefore helping scientific and technological innovation in such a strategic sector for the Italian economy, such as the agri-food sector, means pursuing at least four crucial objectives connected to each other.First objective:contribute to mitigating the impact of climate change in the sector and at the same time improve the sector's impact on the environment. The second objective is to strengthen food safety both from a quantitative point of view, with an increase in productivity, and qualitatively with regards to the control of product quality and their effect on human health..Third objective, to contribute to the growth in Italy of a 'One Health' approach (close connection between human health, animal health and the environment) to the issue of public health in terms of national security, and this links the Foundation's intervention in the specific sector to its overall mandate to strengthen the biomedical supply chain.Finally, the fourth objective is to strengthen scientific and technological research and its industrial applications".