A lot has happened since Smarterra (officially Smarterra powered by SMAFINE) was launched in February 2024 in Matera. This EU Horizon project is dedicated to fostering AgriFood innovation systems and entrepreneurial activity in Southern Italy.
After conducting in-depth research and expert interviews on the innovation ecosystems of our consortium partners, as well as examining the unique strengths and challenges of Southern Italy’s entrepreneurial and innovation landscape, we were ready to take the next steps. Following a call for participation in the project and for Smarterra ambassador applications, numerous founders and innovation stakeholders applied.
With our selected group of ambassadors, we launched a mentoring and education program. This included both individual and group mentoring, complemented by a webinar series covering topics such as agricultural and food systems in Sweden, Denmark, Germany, and Italy; securing public funding; pitch training; and business modeling. The webinars are openly accessible here.
The ambassadors actively engaged with invited experts, gaining firsthand advice on running a successful business, connecting with potential investors, and contributing to the growth of the local innovation ecosystem. Several thought leadership articles have already been published by the ambassadors, each highlighting a different aspect of what Southern Italy has to offer.
RootCamp took a major step in strengthening international collaboration by organizing a delegation visit to Germany. Over three days, from February 24th to 26th, selected ambassadors from Southern Italy engaged with stakeholders in the German AgriFood ecosystem, exploring new technologies, investment opportunities, and strategic partnerships. You can find short profiles of the ambassadors Anostra, Symbiagro, and Terroir from Space in this recent blog post.
The delegation consisted of the previously mentioned ambassadors and two members of the Smarterra consortium: Johan Jörgensen from Sweden Foodtech and Richard German, representing Deep Ecosystems. Day 1 began at Bayer’s LifeHub Monheim, a leading center for agricultural innovation. Dr. Karl Collins and Dr. Katrin Schullehner welcomed RootCamp startups to tour the facilities and pitch their innovations to a select audience of investors and corporate guests. The feedback was overwhelmingly positive from both the startups and the organizers, and valuable connections were forged.
The program continued on Day 2 at RootCamp’s office building in Hannover. While RootCamp Batch #6 startups showcased their solutions to a room full of investors, industry leaders, and ecosystem builders, Smarterra ambassadors Alessandro Saetta and Alessandro Pipolo along with Johan Jörgensen and Richard German, participated in a panel discussion. They shared their vision for the future of AgriFood in the Mediterranean and insights from the Smarterra project. During the one-on-one matchmaking and networking sessions, Smarterra startups connected with investors and corporate partners from RootCamp’s network, opening doors for potential collaborations and funding opportunities.
On the final day, the Smarterra ambassadors attended the first AgriFood de:hub meetup in Osnabrück, where they pitched at the Coppenrath Innovation Centre (CIC) in front of key stakeholders from the region’s AgTech ecosystem. The delegation engaged with the local AgriFood community, discussing ways to integrate Italian startups into the German AgTech scene. The event provided valuable insights into Germany’s investment landscape and the potential for expanding Smarterra’s reach beyond Southern Italy.
The visit to RootCamp highlighted the alignment of the Smarterra initiative with European innovation networks, reinforcing the need for increased funding and knowledge-sharing in Southern Italy’s AgriFood ecosystem. Please find the official press release for the delegation here.
We’re looking forward to a series of exciting upcoming events, including online investor meetings, delegations to Sweden and Denmark organized by Sweden Foodtech and TechBBQ, and of course, our flagship conference in Matera on October 28–29, 2025. There, participants will have the opportunity to connect with our local partners and Smarterra ambassadors and witness the Italian AgriFood ecosystem. If you're interested in joining the event, whether as a guest or an expert speaker feel free to reach out to Annkathrin Wahbi. We’ll be happy to share more details with you!