AgTech Nexus Europe Keynote speakers announced

Global AgInvesting’s AgTech Nexus Europe, 7 December at the Convention Centre Dublin, will welcom Phil Hogan, EU commissioner for agriculture and rural development, as keynote speaker.

Commissioner Hogan, and featured speaker Liam Condon, president of Bayer’s Crop Science Division, will address how EU agricultural policy helps or hinders innovation. “New technologies have the potential to make agriculture more sustainable, in every sense of the word,” said Hogan in an interview with GAI Gazette. “That is why we are making use of funding under Horizon 2020 and the CAP to invest strongly in research and innovation for agriculture and we should continue to do so in the coming years. We not only finance large-scale European innovation projects, but also stimulate innovation in a bottom-up approach.”

Condon is equally enthusiastic about the potential of technological innovation in agriculture, particularly with Bayer’s recent purchase of Monsanto. At AgTech Nexus, Condon will discuss the challenges and opportunities on the horizon in a fireside chat led by Arama Kukutai, co-founder and partner of Finistere Ventures.

Other topics of discussion at the event include outlooks for robotics in specialty crops; opportunities in digital agriculture; and accelerating, incubating and investing: the bridge from R&D to Series A. This second annual event also features a showcase of early stage agtech companies. Local and international startups are invited to apply at www.startup.agtechnexus.com for the opportunity to present to sector-focused investors ready to partner.