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Dive into the future of agrifood at the Brightlands AgriTech Event

A robot that harvests asparagus before they emerge. Sensors that monitor the temperature of a bell pepper plant. Diseases and pests in crops quickly detected and dealt with through data analysis and artificial intelligence. It's all possible with the use of smart technology, or AgriTech.

The Brightlands AgriTech Event taking place on Tuesday, Oct. 8, at Brightlands Campus Greenport Venlo will showcase AgriTech solutions and provide a platform for the latest technologies that will shape the future of agriculture and horticulture: from the deployment of drones and sensors in relation to the latest robotic techniques, data science analytics of the future to the deployment of artificial intelligence (AI). Everything will be covered during the Agri-tech Event. AgriTech is the key to major challenges facing the agri and food sector.

The Event

The Brightlands AgriTech Event offers visitors a unique opportunity to connect with leading companies and discover the latest technologies and trends in agriculture and horticulture. The Event consists of several stages, each with a specific theme filled in by one or more companies that are pioneers in the fields of crop optimization, automation & robotics, data & AI and green engineering.

The aim of this Event is to exchange knowledge and experiences in an interactive way, and to be inspired by the many opportunities that AgriTech has to offer. The program consists of presentations, themed talks and workshops. There will also be a mega hackathon where students from different studies and levels will work together to come up with concrete solutions to challenges from companies. Companies with a challenging assignment can still contact us.

Finally, we are organizing an innovation tour so that participants can also discover what is going on outside, on the campus grounds, among our innovative campus residents. For example, participants can take a look at the brand-new high-tech research greenhouse of the Brightlands Future Farming Institute, where, starting September 1, research is being conducted by Maastricht University into the agriculture and horticulture of the future.

Of course, there is also plenty of room for startups and scale-ups in the program.

Stages

Crop optimization

On the Crop Optimization stage, experts show how sensors, drones and satellite images help optimize crop management and the software used for this. These technologies make it possible to monitor the crop and soil at plant level, which leads to more efficient use of, for example, water, crop protection products and fertilizers. The development of new crops also plays an important role here. One of the innovators on this stage is BASF Nunhems. This company focuses on 'integrated growing' - the combination of the knowledge of crop growers with advanced technology and new scientific insights. This leads to a stable, robust and reproducible data-driven strategy for the growers for the development of reliable varieties, profitable concepts and sustainable solutions.

Green engineering

Green engineering is the design, commercialization and use of processes and products in a way that reduces pollution, promotes sustainability and minimizes risks to human health and the environment without sacrificing economic viability and efficiency. A good example of this is machine builder FineField. This Limburg company has developed a picking robot for efficient harvesting of blueberries, resulting in less berry loss, fewer bruised berries and fewer pickers. To develop this machine, FineField sought collaboration with partners such as a construction workshop, an engineering firm and a berry grower. Thanks to the collaboration between the various disciplines, they know exactly how sensitive the picking machine must be and the machine retrieves real-time data.

Automation & Robotics

The latest developments in autonomous field, feeding, cutting and grazing robots are presented on the Automation & Robotics stage. These technologies can perform tasks such as sowing, harvesting and weed control more efficiently and accurately than ever before. Drones are also well represented here. Tractor and agricultural machinery manufacturer John Deere presents their latest innovation on this stage. This company has developed special nipples (nozzles) that make it possible to only use fertilization and/or crop protection where it is really necessary. This is not only interesting for agriculture, horticulture can also benefit from this. It is precisely by looking at how things can be done differently, and not based on how we have always done it, that the most beautiful innovations are created.

Data & AI

Data & AI includes the process of data engineering, in short, cleaning up data and making the datasets usable, up to data science that allows you to perform analyzes with the datasets. Artificial intelligence makes it possible to combine all these data and sources to make the computer learn and predict. During the AgriTech Event, this stage will focus on how data and AI help predict crop yields, detect diseases and pests, and optimize cultivation strategies. Supply Chain Valley presents the digital product passport. This passport accompanies a product on its journey through the chain. It makes important data regarding a product and the origin of a product transparent to everyone.

Brightlands Campus Greenport Venlo and Agritech

Brightlands Campus Greenport Venlo is a great stage for the Event. The campus is an innovative environment where cooperation is central. The great thing about it is that you can immediately test new technologies in practice, in the field. As a campus we are involved in quite a few AgriTech projects and there are various training programs such as the Brightlands AI Academy, where entrepreneurs contribute their practical cases and get to work with data and AI themselves. Through the AgriTech Event, we also want to connect companies from the machinery and engineering industry more to our community, so that AgriTech can grow and flourish even more on campus.