From pitch competitions to rapid prototyping, from expert panels to exciting keynotes -  the agrifood start-up expert stage is the place to be for the start-up and open innovation ecosystem at AGRITECHNICA.

At the opening event on Sunday 09.11.2025 you can expect the following keynotes:

Impulse Talks:  
Victor Veefkind, - Stream Leader Tech Intelligence Observatory a.i. at European Patent Office |  Titel: Innovation in digital agriculture - the road ahead.
Niklas Veltkamp - Managing Director at Bitkom e.V. | Titel: Sowing growth, harvesting the future – how AgTech start-ups are reimagining agriculture.                                                                                                              Prof. Dr. Andrea Büttner - Director of the Fraunhofer IVV Institute, Spokesperson for the Fraunhofer Alliance Food, Head of the Fraunhofer Cluster for Resource Technologies and Bioeconomy | Titel: We live in a globalized world - don't we? Implications for food production and supply                                                                                                                                                                                                                           

Moderation: Christopher Armstong

as well as the launch of the agrifood start-up services by the DLG, the one stop shop for all DLG products and services to help ag and food tech start-ups on their development journey.

Join Us for an Exclusive Networking Evening at Agritechnica's Start-up Day!

Connect with innovators, entrepreneurs, and industry leaders in a relaxed atmosphere at our special networking event. Enjoy a night of engaging conversations, delicious dinner, and refreshing drinks.

Whether you're looking to spark new collaborations or simply unwind after a day at the fair, this is the perfect opportunity to build meaningful connections in the agtech community.

Panel Discussion: "Smart Farming, Smarter Investments: Startups-Driven Innovations in Digital Agriculture through Open Innovation"

Join us for an inspiring event that highlights how open innovation is transforming the agricultural sector. Discover best-practice examples where pioneering startups collaborate with established companies and key stakeholders to solve real-world challenges in digital agriculture.
Through engaging discussions and expert insights, we’ll explore how smart farming technologies and innovative business models are driving sustainable growth and smarter investments in the agri-tech space.

Corprate Speakers:                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                Georg Sladek - CEO, Agro Innovation Lab
Verena Herrmann - External Innovation & Partnerships, Bayer
Benedikt Krueger-Vollmari - Senior Software Developer and Technical Apprenticeship Lead
Mathias Nachtmann - Chairman of Friends of Digital Farming e.V.

Start-Up Speakers:                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                Humberto Martínez - Founder of Narite                                                                                                                                                                                         
Roman Romstorfer - Ullmanna
Lukas Kamm - Founder of Agvolution
Jannis Hemp - Mitarbeiter Innovation & Transfer bei der Innovationsagentur Rheinland-Pfalz

Closing Keynote:
Dirk Slama - Vice President Partner Ecosystems, Bosch

Finals & Award Ceremony - AGRITECHNICA Hackathon