Valencia Innovation Agency (AVI) has committed more than 11 million euros since 2018 to foster innovation projects in the agri‑food sector. This was highlighted by Olivia Estrella, AVI’s general secretary, during the roll‑out of the agency’s latest aid call in a virtual briefing organized by the Ainia technology center for agri‑food.
Over the previous four years, AVI has supported roughly 70 requests for funding aimed at creating innovative solutions that tackle core challenges in farming and the food industry. Projects focus on healthier production methods, greater flexibility and safety in processes, and a stronger emphasis on agricultural resilience and sensitivity to consumer needs.
Most supported initiatives align with the findings of AVI’s expert committees, which advise on critical challenges and priority opportunities to enhance the Valencian Community’s production framework. One committee, composed of scientists, technology centers, and business representatives, has already identified the primary avenues for agri‑food innovation.
These incentives foster collaboration across the innovation system. They encourage new technologies for early pest detection, more effective and sustainable treatments, healthier foods and ingredients, improved methods to reclaim field waste, environmentally friendly packaging that slows spoilage, and optimized pathogen control in production lines, among other efforts.
In the beneficiaries section, the role of Ainia, a technology center specializing in agri‑food, is highlighted. Ainia has received more than 1.3 million euros to run eight innovation initiatives, as noted by the agency’s secretary general.
Estrella also emphasized Ainia’s versatility, noting its expansion into adjacent areas such as healthcare and the circular economy. Through this broader scope, Ainia contributes to new systems for detecting defects in food packaging, extracting functional components from agricultural residues, supporting brine recovery projects, and even contributing to the design of a robotic assistant for dermatology‑related cancer diagnosis.
Success Stories
The day showcased several success narratives with input from Cleanity and Grupo Gimeno, highlighting how Ainia collaborates with other players in the innovation ecosystem.
Project leader Alexandre Martínez from Cleanity described progress on a biotech pathogen removal system intended for use in healthcare and food sector settings, developed in collaboration with Lumensia Sensors and three research centers (Fisabio, IATA-CSIC, ICMol‑UV), alongside Ainia.
Additionally, efforts toward producing biofertilizers, bioplastics, and biogas from sewage sludge were discussed, with Rubén García, the Gimeno Group’s R&D technician, reviewing multiple AVI‑funded initiatives through programs such as Bioferes and Bioedaria conducted with Ainia.
Estrella encouraged stakeholders in the innovation system to participate in the newly announced 50 million euro aid call, designed to support joint R&D projects. She noted that most awards would target strategic collaboration projects and programs that strengthen the business value chain and yield meaningful impact on the regional productive fabric. The application window will run through May 6.
Cristina del Campo, CEO of Ainia, highlighted the role of technological institutes and Ainia as a technological partner with significant potential to guide companies through innovation challenges. She stressed the importance of a highly skilled team and state‑of‑the‑art facilities, with Ainia serving thousands of clients and driving hundreds of R&D projects annually, many linked to AVI initiatives that help companies stay competitive.
Eduardo Viana, head of the Valencia Innovation System Collaboration Service, attended the briefing to outline the various program types and grants. Andrés Pascual, the center’s innovation director, outlined Ainia’s core lines of work and how they connect to the challenges AVI prioritized in the call.