As part of the Desafía AgTech Germany program, Veterinary Europe Holder by WorldPathol introduces its work at the intersection of biotechnology, animal health, and circular farm systems. The program supports selected Spanish AgTech startups with access to German's AgTech ecosystem. In this interview, WorldPathol outlines how its integrated approach strengthens animal health, reduces environmental impact, and builds more resilient protein supply chains.

Can you explain, in simple terms, what you actually do and how biotechnology, animal health, and environmental management come together in one system?

As part of the Desafía AgTech Germany program, RootCamp is supporting Néboda Farms in establishing its presence in the German market. The Spanish startup combines engineering and automation expertise to make vertical farming both efficient and profitable. In this interview, Néboda shares insights into its technology, its approach to sustainable indoor cultivation, and its plans for expansion into Germany.

The Desafía AgTech Germany program has kicked off, bringing six promising Spanish startups to explore opportunities in the German Agtech ecosystem. Each of them brings unique expertise in areas such as precision agriculture, sustainable crop management, biotechnology, and digital farming solutions. Together with ICEX and Red.es, RootCamp is leading the implementation of this initiative. As a multi-corporate innovation hub, RootCamp supports the startups in building connections, understanding the German market, and turning innovation into concrete business collaborations. Spain’s AgTech ecosystem has grown rapidly in recent years, shaped by the need for efficiency and sustainability in challenging environments. Expanding into Germany allows these startups to apply their know-how in one of Europe’s most advanced and technology-driven agricultural landscapes.

With Batch #7, the RootCamp innovation hub from Hannover is starting a new round, welcoming six promising startups into its accelerator program. Over the coming months, the selected teams from Germany, Serbia, Latvia, Belgium, and France will receive targeted support to further develop their technologies, gain access to expertise and investors, and seize the opportunity for pilot projects with industry partners.

Water scarcity, aging infrastructure, and tightening environmental regulations are pushing water technologies into the spotlight for investors around the globe. After years of moderate attention, the WaterTech sector saw a record-breaking year in 2024 and the trend is continuing in 2025. Innovations now range from smart leak detection and AI-driven optimization to lithium recovery and the removal of persistent pollutants from wastewater.

Industrial hemp offers significant potential for the bioeconomy. To harness this potential, investments in innovation and in scaling up industrial hemp production and processing are necessary. This is the key finding of an analysis of the industrial hemp value chain conducted as part of the “Bioeconomy Deep Dives,” carried out by the innovation hub RootCamp on behalf of the Landwirtschaftliche Rentenbank and the Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture (BMEL).

Water is one of the most essential resources for life on Earth, yet many regions are experiencing severe shortages. Population growth, industrialization, and climate change have placed increasing pressure on freshwater supplies worldwide. The United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goal 6 (SDG 6) aims to ensure reliable and sustainable access to clean water and sanitation for all by 2030. To address the global water crisis, various measures are being implemented, including improving water quality, promoting efficient water use, and ensuring fair access to safe drinking water and sanitation. One approach to increasing water availability is water desalination.

The Lower Saxony startup partnership “Agrifood Osnabrück-Hannover” is the new location of the nationwide Digital Hub Initiative (de:hub) of the Federal Ministry of Economics and Climate Protection (BMWK).  This marks the establishment of the first de:hub in Lower Saxony. The BMWK announced the selection decision today at the Startup Summit Germany in Berlin. Agrifood Osnabrück-Hannover” is the first de:hub in Lower Saxony and is dedicated to the development and promotion of pioneering technologies in the agrifood sector.

Verdancy is a spin-off from the Schwaneberg Group at RWTH Aachen University and DWI – Leibniz Institute for Interactive Materials. The startup from RootCamp Batch#5  is committed to enhance plant protection in response to our dynamic biodiversity loss. Central to their mission is the advancement of environmentally friendly and highly efficient methods to promote plant health. We spoke with founder Nikola Mijailovic about how Verdancy is reshaping pesticide delivery, ensuring effective crop protection while addressing environmental challenges in agriculture.

Agriculture is one of the world's largest producers of greenhouse gas emissions. However, the widespread adoption of climate-friendly practices could transform agricultural soils into one of the largest carbon sinks in the world, effectively removing carbon from the atmosphere. In response to this urgent need for climate action, Regen Insight from RootCamp Batch #5 aims to help farmers make the transition to regenerative agriculture. The developed MRV (Monitoring, Reporting and Verification) platform helps farmers understand their carbon footprint and develop actionable plans funded by carbon credits linked to their environmental impact. Using advanced technologies, including satellite and soil data, Regen Insight accurately measures emissions reduction and carbon storage on farms, ensuring the credibility of sustainable actions. Learn how Regen Insight empowers farmers to transition to regenerative practices and discover their future plans in our interview with CEO and founder Etienne Variot.

Why did you decide to start a startup, and how did the idea for Regen Insight come about?

After 5 years working in finance, I wanted to use my skills for a cause that mattered to me: protecting our environment and restoring our natural ecosystems. Launching a start-up was clearly the most action-oriented approach and offered interesting challenges. Following eight months of discussions with experts, deep dives into climate change, biodiversity, and natural capital, and exploration of various solutions, my co-founder Samuel and I came to understand that farmers would play a key role in meeting our collective environmental ambitions. We realized that farmers did not have any simple solution to understand and track their carbon footprint, and they faced a financing gap to transition to regenerative agriculture.

Can you explain the process of how your MRV platform works and how it benefits farmers?

The Regen Insight platform is designed for any farming organization to onboard and assist farmers in transitioning to carbon farming through a white-label solution. We strengthen and support their relationship. Within the platform, farmers can calculate their carbon footprint, devise action plans, and track their progress. Our partners can engage with farmers at every stage, offering guidance on pertinent farming practices. Additionally, once the transition project is underway, partners can generate and trade carbon credits to reward farmers for their carbon performance.

What makes your solutions stand out from the existing ones on the market?

We have two major strengths. Firstly, we've invested over two years exclusively in refining the user experience, resulting in a seamless process where farmers independently create their action plans in under an hour. This breakthrough enables partners to rapidly scale operations and significantly reduce technical support costs on farms. Partners can focus primarily on advising farmers rather than data collection. Our pilot project in France showcased remarkable results, with one partner effortlessly engaging 60 farms in just three months.

Secondly, we boast one of the largest scientific teams in the field. As the first Tier 3 MRV (the highest ranking) in Europe and pioneers in utilizing satellite imagery to automatically verify regenerative practices implementation, we quickly aligned with leading carbon accounting standards such as ISO 14-064 and the GHG Protocol. This creates trust in the carbon credits we generate.

Could you share some success stories or case studies of farms that have benefited from Regen Insight's services?

Our pilot project in France showcased remarkable results, with one partner effortlessly engaging 60 farms in just three months. They achieved this with very limited costs, as only two part-time technicians offered farms this new service, seizing the opportunity to strengthen their relationship with farmers. To illustrate this success story with clear figures, their carbon program covers nearly 25,000 hectares and allows for the generation of 30,000 carbon credits per year. In terms of value, this new commodity represents over €1 million per year that will be paid to their farms.

The RootCamp Accelerator program is almost over. How has the program been helpful to you?

RootCamp has been a valuable partner over the past few months as we've initiated our expansion across Europe. Not only is RootCamp a gateway to Germany, providing numerous introductions to local players, but it has also offered highly relevant advice, particularly in refining and communicating our value proposition. Despite being a team of seasoned entrepreneurs, with almost 5 years into the project now, the level of expertise from participating experts enabled us to keep improving.

What's coming up next? 

We started our European expansion with rooted operations in France and Eastern Europe. We are pleased to support new partners eager to begin producing and benefiting from this new carbon commodity. Additionally, we are closely monitoring the evolution of the CRCF (the European framework for carbon credits in agriculture), with the intention of deploying it across Europe as soon as it comes into force. We are thrilled to witness our vision coming to life as more and more farmers confidently engage in regenerative agriculture.

Benefit from the RootCamp Accelerator program like the startup Regen Insight. Startups from the Agtech and Bioeconomy sectors can apply for the new batch until May 30th.