Innovation Modules:
Agri-Tech in Israel
Agri-Tech in Israel
Israel’s agricultural technology (Agri-Tech, or Ag-Tech) sector has won world recognition for its bold new ways of working in agriculture, by combining technology know-how to improve existing practices. Israel’s Agri-Tech products include dairy systems, insect farming, aquaculture and water treatment, computerized irrigation, sophisticated greenhouses, and crop protection, among others.
The OECD cites that the main challenges facing the world’s agriculture sector show to best feed a growing global population, while reducing the environmental impact and providing a livelihood for farmers of future generations.
With a challenging climate, harsh land, a shortage of natural fresh water, and a necessity to survive, Israeli agriculturists, scientists, engineers and innovators continue to develop cutting edge technologies and opportunities to help feed the world.
(Sources: Ministry of Economy and Trade, OECD)
The Volcani Agriculture Institute
Activity description:
Visit the Volcani Agricultural Institute and meet Danielle Abraham, Executive Director at Volcani International Partnerships, for an eye-opening lecture about how Israel is leading the world in agriculture and food technologies. A tour of the institute will give you a better understanding of where Israel is making its mark in these technology spaces, and the role Israel plays in sharing its know-how to help other countries meet their needs. Meet leading Israeli tech companies in the sector, experience a unique visit to the institutes' orchards, and catch a glimpse of how this groundbreaking institution went from humble origins to a world leader in the field of Ag-Tech.
The Volcani Agriculture Institute (Agricultural Research Organization) is the largest agricultural research institute in Israel for agricultural produce and developing new technologies in the fields of agriculture and food sciences. The Volcani Agriculture Institute’s mission is to attain food security, ensure food safety, combat climate change and protect the environment. Its institutes are dedicated to Plant Sciences, Animal Science, Plant Protection, Soil, Water and Environmental Sciences, Agricultural Engineering, and Postharvest and Food Sciences.
High
Rishon Lezion
CropX
Activity description:
Visit CropX to gain insight into one of Israel's top Ag-Tech companies taking complex tech to create easy-to-use irrigation solutions for farmers. Experiences include a lecture and tour of the factory, which will show you how CropX creates their sensors. You can also request a demo in the field, which will explore how installation works. At CropX, you’ll see a great example of how Israeli scientists and high-tech innovators collaborate with counterparts around the world to create a global solution.
CropX is an ag-analytics company that has developed an adaptive irrigation service that can generate irrigation maps of a field and automatically apply the right amount of water to different parts of the same field. The platform is used worldwide. It can increase crop yield and helps farms reduce water and energy costs. The tech solution manages and activates agronomic farm data. CropX is used in over 60 countries and the company’s app is available in six languages (English, Spanish, French, Dutch, German, and Brazilian Portuguese). CropX Ltd. was founded in 2013.
BugEra
Activity description:
Explore BugEra, a cutting-edge Israeli Ag-Tech company specializing in the genetic engineering of insects for future food and fuel security. A visit to BugEra includes a lecture and lab visit. The lecture will explore the company's vision and approach to solving environmental worldwide challenges, and the exclusive lab visit shows how BugEra breeds the black soldier flies and extracts oil from the insect larvae. BugEra also affords an excellent opportunity to understand how the Israeli ecosystem works together: the company is based at Ben Gurion University and includes academic researchers and tech entrepreneurs.
BugEra specializes in genetic engineering of insects for future food and fuel security. The startup develops and produces novel black soldier fly strains. The black soldier fly reduces organic waste and converts it to protein and oil. BugEra emerged from the Ben Gurion University Life Sciences Department and is part of the university's accelerator, Oazis. The company is backed by U.S. investors and is supported by the Israeli Innovation Authority.
None
Be'er Sheva
Vidor Development Center
Activity description:
It’s one thing to hear about desert agriculture and quite another to see it. A visit to the Vidor Development Center at the Arava Research and Development Center offers diverse experiences, including a short movie about the development center, a visit to the interactive museum exhibit and a greenhouse tour of 70 vegetables and fruit growing in the desert climate. There is also an option to add a lecture from a scientist, and tours to fields, wineries and farmers’ greenhouses. A visit to the Arava Research and Development Center highlights the phenomenal innovation needed to make the area suitable for farming.
Located within the Arava Research and Development Center, and adjacent to Moshav Hatzeva, the Vidor Center presents the story of the Arava region’s advanced agriculture, daring scientific and technological innovation. The interactive museum exhibit introduces visitors to the desert area, the people who work to make the desert bloom and the topography of the harsh environment.
Low
Arava Research & Development Center
Sufresca
Activity description:
Visit Sufresca to meet the small team working to do away with plastics by using its patented technology to coat vegetables and fruit with edible, natural and cost-effective coatings - and thus solve the problem of fruit and vegetable waste. You will meet and hear from Sufresca innovators about their technology, the challenges they face, and the mission they hope to achieve. A visit to Sufresca includes a lecture by Efrat Boker Ferri, CEO, or another senior team member. Depending on the work week, the Sufresca team may be able to set up a demo or tasting.
Agri-Tech startup Sufresca develops natural edible coatings to prolong the shelf life of fresh produce and help keep them fresh from farm to table. Their product is backed by 15 years of research and development at the Robert H. Smith Faculty of Agriculture, Food and Environment of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.
None
Ness Ziona
Viva Sarah Press: A Lecture on Agri-Tech Companies in the News
Activity description:
Viva Sarah Press lectures about the innovations of the Ag-Tech sector in a fun, engaging and inspiring way. You will gain a better understanding of how and where Israel is leading in agriculture and food technologies, with many examples. No two talks are the same because every talk is updated according to what’s in the news. The experience includes a lecture and Q&A session, and Leaders can request specific topics to be included.
Viva is a published author, a lecturer of journalism at Reichman University and a Senior Delegation Connector at the Peres Center for Peace and Innovation. Known for her dry wit, clear grasp of Israeli innovation and amazing storytelling skills, Viva puts the stories of present-day Agri-Tech into context, presenting an overview of the local tech ecosystem and the innovative culture in Israel. She is unaffiliated - meaning her talks do not promote one company over another but rather focus on the companies making headlines and how their solutions can answer world needs. Viva is a regular speaker with itrek groups.
Viva Sarah Press can also be found in the FoodTech, CyberTech, and HealthTech innovation categories.
High
Tel Aviv
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MassChallenge Israel
Activity description:
Join MassChallenge Israel for an Accelerator experience like no other. You will gain a better understanding of what it means to be a non-equity accelerator, how startups launch, and the solutions now being designed for the Agri - Tech sector. The visit to MC offers several experiences. You can engage in a conversation with industry leaders from the startup, accelerator, VC, governmental and nonprofit spaces, and MassChallenge staff. Or, host a panel and spotlight a conversation between MassChallenge Israel and one or more Agri-Tech startup founders. Want something interactive? Take part in an interactive workshop with topics tailored to meet the needs and goals of group participants (topics can include Agri-Tech, FoodTech, and innovation trends in Israel). You can also get a glimpse of the next generation of Israeli startups and meet with early-stage founders.
Since 2016, MassChallenge Israel has been helping 40 - 50 companies accelerate each year, matching entrepreneurs with industry experts and mentors to help them develop their ideas into successful ventures. MC Israel gives visiting groups inside access to the knowledge and expertise of their team, and invites visitors to meet and learn from their growing community of startup innovators. Participating startups in the accelerator hail from around the world, though mainly Israel, and include a diverse selection of innovators seeking to make an impact (Jewish, Christian, Muslim, etc.).
MassChallenge Israel can also be found in the FoodTech, CleanTech, Health Tech, and FinTech innovation categories.
Medium / High
Jerusalem