AgTech7 addresses the lack of inter-disciplinary knowledge and multi-actor mobilisation for future agri-tech disruptive applications on the entire farm-to-fork food-chain. The project will directly engage the following target-groups: 1) European HEIs’ and Research Institutes’ students, and, ‘in-house’ incubator managers; 2) Agribusiness companies; and 3) Angel-investors. The project will advance their knowledge to facilitate: 1) inter-disciplinarity in agro-education, integrating engineering innovation, agricultural know-how and entrepreneurial skills, while at the same time, 2) advancing European angels investors’ and startup service providers’ understanding on the emerging agri-tech future market opportunities.Despite the recent increase in agribusiness ventures by global conglomerates, many European small-scale entrepreneurs, angel investors and incubator managers, are still not aware of the benefits the adoption of farm-to-fork disruptive agri-tech can provide in terms of growth and innovation. In parallel, while many European HEIs have shown interest in agri-tech recently, their training curricula lack practical cases from an inter-disciplinary approach that will allow them to deeply understand and exploit the innovation potentials of agri-tech applications.AgTech7 will follow a multi-actor co-creation approach into designing a comprehensive Curriculum with 7 agri-tech learning modules. The Curriculum will be put to test, following an agile and lean-training Methodology, into 4 face-to-face training deployments and one online MOOC-style e-learning platform with open-access and practical knowledge, adapting to the learning habits of each identified target-group. The project’s outcomes will undergo thorough quality assurance and external evaluation examination. Deep-impact dissemination actions and detailed sustainability planning will be put to practice. The project will conclude with an Agri-Tech Training Foresight report and a final Agri-Tech conference.
AgTech7’s objectives are the following: - To collaboratively (entrepreneurs/agribusinesses, academia and investors) design and frequently update a curriculum with an interdisciplinary and multi-actor approach (engineering potentials and agribusiness opportunities) - To put to test the above curriculum with custom deployment means, tailored to the specific needs and learning habits of the different target-groups (i.e. classroom-style, workshop, round-table discussions, fire-chats, gamification)
Despite recent increase in agribusiness ventures by global conglomerates, many entrepreneurs, angel investors, incubator managers are still not aware of the benefits the adoption of farm-to-fork disruptive agri-tech can provide in terms of growth & innovation. While many European HEIs have shown interest in agri-tech recently, their curricula lack practical cases from an interdisciplinary approach that allow them to deeply understand & exploit the innovation potentials of agri-tech applications.
<< Background >> Despite recent increase in agribusiness ventures by global conglomerates, many entrepreneurs, angel investors, incubator managers are still not aware of the benefits the adoption of farm-to-fork disruptive agri-tech can provide in terms of growth & innovation. While many European HEIs have shown interest in agri-tech recently, their curricula lack practical cases from an interdisciplinary approach that allow them to deeply understand & exploit the innovation potentials of agri-tech applications. << Objectives >> AgTech7’s objectives are the following: - To collaboratively (entrepreneurs/agribusinesses, academia and investors) design and frequently update a curriculum with an interdisciplinary and multi-actor approach (engineering potentials and agribusiness opportunities) - To put to test the above curriculum with custom deployment means, tailored to the specific needs and learning habits of the different target-groups (i.e. classroom-style, workshop, round-table discussions, fire-chats, gamification) << Implementation >> AgTech7’s learning material (face-to-face, and, online MOOC-style) is based on multi-actor and lean-training approach. The project’s training methodology and learning material was frequently evaluated and up-to-dated throughout the project’s duration to optimise the transfer of knowledge. Academia-business consortium members co-produced and tested the curriculum in real-world terms via foresight exercise that effectively integrated academic insights with practical case-studies. << Results >> Comprehensive curriculum of 7 learning modules in farm-to-fork agri-tech domain was designed including both offline and online learning content: Food value chain & food system, Internet of Things & Earth Observation for growing farm yield & improving resource efficiency, Data analytics in farm management information systems, Artificial intelligence in supply chain optimisation, Financial innovation in agri-food systems, Lean start-ups for agri-tech ventures, Neuro-science marketing techniques.