The Dutch Horticulture and Propagation Materials Top Sector (Topsector Tuinbouw & Uitgangsmaterialen, T&U) invites entrepreneurs who want to develop an innovative idea, solution or concept that demonstrably contributes to the further development of unmanned processes in horticulture to compete for the Top Sector T&U Innovation Prize .
Automation and robotics are becoming increasingly important within the horticultural sector. By further automating cultivation, harvesting, grading and packaging in the greenhouse, open field, shed and/or vertical farm, horticulture can take giant steps forward towards the realisation of efficient cultivation techniques, labour savings, a continuous business process and a reduction in the use of crop protection agents.
The Innovation Prize is for entrepreneurs (early stage, start-ups, scale-ups) with innovative technologies that contribute to sustainability and/or circularity at the same time. A virtual kick-off is planned on 30 July 2020. During this webinar you will hear more about the Top Sector T&U Innovation Prize and the winner of the 2019 Prize will speak about his experiences. Time will also be reserved for a round of questions.
Prize
The winning team will receive a voucher worth 25,000 euros for the further development of their solution or concept and/or the resolution of bottlenecks in collaboration with the TU Delft AgTech Institute, professors and students. In addition, the winner will receive personalised guidance from a T&U innovation broker (20 hours, worth 2,500 euros). Aside from the Jury Prize, an Audience Prize of 1,500 euros plus a 6-month HortiTech Startup Membership with access to the network, knowledge and facilities of World Horti Center and the HortiHeroes innovation platform will also be awarded. Both winners will receive 1,500 euros worth of media exposure via KAS Magazine.
Project support
Selected participants can also make use of project support provided by groups of students from Delft University of Technology (RoboCrops programme) and Wageningen University (Academic Consultancy Training programme) and/or will be given the opportunity to attend the condensed Market Readiness training course provided by WorldStartup (more info >>) to follow.
Registration
The deadline for registration is Tuesday, 1 September 2020 at 5 PM. An expert jury of entrepreneurs and researchers will assess the entries and select the finalists who will be invited to pitch their idea before the jury.
Awards ceremony
The winner will be announced during a conference on 23 October 2020 (which will possibly be held online). Established companies, start-ups and scale-ups in the horticultural industry and beyond will share their knowledge, network and latest innovations during this conference. Top Sector T&U will organise this conference together with HortiHeroes.
For more information:
impact2025.nl