Changing Landscape.
Held under the patronage of the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, and organized in collaboration with Eatable Adventures Fund and the Granarolo Group, the event showcased how new models of collaboration, financing, and entrepreneurship are driving the next frontier of agri-food innovation.
The day-long event at the Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT headquarters in Rome, brought together over 170 participants in person, more than 350 online attendees, and 51 speakers from 47 organizations, featuring 11 cutting edge Agritech solutions and 8 hours of dynamic, insight-driven dialogues.
The event underscored a powerful message: turning science into real-world impact requires a new generation of collaboration models—where ideas, finance, and partnerships converge to drive systemic change in global food systems.
Extracts of the programme
PANEL I: THE POWER OF IDEATION: FUTURE-PROOF SCIENCE TO MARKET
From the lab to real-world impact—what does it take to make early-stage innovation thrive? This high-energy panel dives into the future of scientific ideation, spotlighting how AI is reshaping discovery, the rise of venture-client models, and how codesigned, multidisciplinary research is driving agility and relevance in today’s research institutions.
- Moderator: Dr. Shiva Loccisano, CEO, AlmaCube
- Dr. Fernando Cantão, Crop Physiology & Food Security, Fundraising, Technology Transfer & Innovation (ICGEB)
- Dr. Winnie Wambugu, Venture Scientist, Agriculture & Food Systems, Deep Science Ventures
- Fabio Beninati, R&D Manager, Granarolo
- Dr. Mohamed Wageih, Project Officer, PRIMA Foundation
- Elzandi Oosthuizen, SVP, Head Enterprise Corn Product Team, Bayer
- Dr. Jacob van Etten, Research Director, Digital Inclusion, Alliance/CGIAR
FISHBOWL: ACCELERATING INNOVATION FROM WITHIN
How do we make sure promising science-based innovations don’t fade away when the grant cycle ends? This session will spotlight RAMP—an internal accelerator redefining how research teams engage with markets, partners, and investors. Get an inside look at how A4IP is shifting the culture across CGIAR to equip purpose-driven scientists with the tools to build real-world solutions, not just papers.
- Megan Steele, Project Coordinator of RAMP, Alliance of Bioversity International & CIAT
- Chris Fellingham, Co-Founder and Director, Kindling Ventures
PANEL II: FINANCING DEVELOPMENT: POWERING INNOVATION FROM LAB TO LAUNCH
practical strategies for bridging the gap between early-stage research and realworld deployment. From public-philanthropic partnerships to EU policy levers, diverse funding models are catalyzing market-ready solutions in food and climate tech.
- Moderator: Cecilia D’Alessandro, Policy Officer, ECDPM
- Alberto Barbari, Board Member and Regional Vice President for Italy, Eatable Adentures
- Elisabet Nyquist, General Manager, Opes Fund
- Justin Ahmed, Director, Beanstalk Agtech
- Ygor Scarcia, Industrial Development Expert, UNIDO
- Wendy-Yam Osman, Founder, Norma Tech
- Elisa Pettinati, Technical Officer at the Rural Development and Food Security Office of the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation (AICS)
PANEL III: SCIENCE FOR IMPACT: DEPLOYMENT THROUGH GLOBAL COLLABORATION
- Moderator: Prof. Brando Okolo, Head of the Office of Science, Technology and Innovation, AUDA-NEPAD
- Charlotte Verburg, First Secretary of Water and Food Security Advisor, Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands
- Biagio Di Terlizzi, Director and Head of Planning and Cooperation, CIHEAM Bari
- Francesco Tramontin, VP Global Public Affairs, Ferrero
- Dr. Fatma Trabelsi, International Cooperation Director, IRESA
- Monika Froehler, CEO, Ban Ki-Moon Centre
- Ana Maria Loboguerrero, Director of Adaptive and Equitable Food Systems, Gates Foundation
THE ROLE OF INNOVATION HUBS AS CATALYSTS FOR TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER AND GLOBAL COLLABORATION
By connecting researchers, entrepreneurs, investors, and policymakers, Innovation Hubs create
dynamic ecosystems that accelerate the deployment of science-based solutions, foster cross-border partnerships, and stimulate inclusive innovation. The discussion highlighted successful models and examine how such hubs can bridge local needs with global opportunities, driving transformative impact in food, climate, and development.
- Moderator: Federico Ronca, Lead, Data and Digital Solutions for Food and Water, World Economic Forum
- Lisa Blangy, Deputy Director of the Directorate for Science Impact and Marketing (DIMS) CIRAD
- Dr. Guido D’Urso, Agritech Center (Fondazione Agritech), the Italian National Research Centre for Agricultural Technologies
MARKET-DELIVERY MECHANISM: THE ROLE OF INNOVATION CHALLENGES TO UNLOCK AGRITECH POTENTIAL
- Moderator: Mariëlle Karssenberg, Partnerships Builder, Netherlands Food Partnership
- Ena Derenoncourt, Senior Officer at the CGIAR Hub for Sustainable Finance (ImpactSF), Alliance of Bioversity International & CIAT
- Claudia Zaccari, Senior Project Analyst at A4IP, Alliance of Bioversity International & CIAT
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