Agricover together with SeedBlink and Microsoft launch Nextcelerator, a new digital accelerator designed to help early-stage AgriTech companies drive innovation in CEE’s agriculture sector.
Agricover Group, the main player in Romanian agribusiness, active in agri-business, agri-finance and agri-tech for over 20 years, in collaboration with SeedBlink, the European investment platform for tech startups, and Microsoft’s branch dedicated to supporting innovative startups, are looking for innovative companies that meet the needs of the industry.
Nextcelerator – The Digital Agriculture Hub, launching today, December 20, is open to entrepreneurs in the AgriTech sector with an early-stage startup founded in CEE, already tested MVP and growth business plans. The program will use mentoring sessions to diagnose the startups’ gaps and opportunities and then deploy appropriate support mechanisms in the form of training, business planning, mentorships, peer learning and introduction to farming.
The overall goal of this program is to develop the capacity of market-ready agritech startups and entrepreneurs in Central and Eastern Europe so that they have greater potential to generate sustainable revenue, and connect them with growth capital investment partners to pursue their growth plans.
The selected startups will have access to 4 weekly one-on-one mentoring sessions focused on entrepreneurial skills such as developing a business model, funding a business, and planning for launch, as well as a series of unique masterclasses tailored to the startup’s needs. Topics can range from selling to farmers and working with partners to developing new technologies and artificial intelligence in agriculture.
“Romania ranks among the top countries in the European Union from agricultural output perspective, with significant untapped potential of growth. The future of agriculture is bound to be sustainable and environmentally friendly, and the adoption of digital technology is a key transformation factor. 2021 was a good year for agriculture and agribusiness in general in Romania and all prospects point to technology sustaining growth – therefore a closer partnership between agribusiness experts, tech experts, and investment funds can foster and support a new generation of AgriTech startups. Agricover’s partnership with SeedBlink and Microsoft provides early-stage AgriTech companies with unparalleled access to business support, expertise, facilities, research, and know-how and we cannot wait to get started.”, said Liviu Dobre, General Manager Agricover Holding.
“It’s clear that for all of us – not just for the sake of rural communities, but for the whole of society – we cannot afford to leave agriculture digitally behind. The conversations we’re having with agricultural clients today are much the same as a few years ago – how can they reduce costs, improve efficiency, and create new jobs by leveraging the right tools. Agriculture is radically transforming and has the potential to address many global sustainability and productivity challenges through technology. The program aims to empower high-potential startups to further develop their business model by providing them with technological, business and financial resources to help them secure a leadership position in the CEE AgriTech scene. We encourage all AgriTech entrepreneurs to check the program offering and apply.”, said Bogdan Putinică, General Manager Microsoft Romania.