The AgroInncuba network, which aims at improving the development and consolidation levels of the innovative and technological business fabric of the agro-food industry in Ibero-America, has held the first meeting in the city of Santos (Brazil) with the purpose of defining the work plan of this initiative for the years 2017 and 2018. The network has been promoted by the Science Park of the Universitat de València.
Agroinncuba, which is supported by the Ibero-American programme of science and technology for development (Cyted), aims at improving the development and consolidation levels of the business fabric of the agro-food industry in Ibero-America in order to create jobs, richness and economic welfare of the participant regions. It also aims at strengthening the ability of the partner entities when it comes to providing supporting services with high added value in the incubated start-ups y spin-offs.
The schedule of the meeting was distributed in four working days in which the objectives of Agroinncuba were discussed and the activities that will allow the consolidation of the network in its specific support lines for the entrepreneur were defined, including: the implementation of the website, the publishing of a manual of good practices, the creation of a platform for collaboration projects and the implementation of a pilot program of international landing to make easier the contact among the members and the access to international markets.
Furthermore, there was a visit to the company Unipar Carbocloro, recognised by its sustainability model in Cubatá (Cubatão). This area was considered in the 80s as one of the most polluted cities in the world, but due to the implementation of good practices to improve the environment, this effect has been reduced. Moreover, it included the participation into the first day of the event ZOOTEC 2017. This event is considered as a real marathon of professional qualification and networking in the entrepreneurial lines in the agro-industry.
The Agroinncuba network consists of the Scientific Park of the Universitat de València and the Research Park of the Universidad Autónoma de Barcelona (Spain); Inovisa (Portugal); the Minerva incubator of the Universidad Nacional de la Plata (Argentina); Incubatec of the Universidad de la Frontera (Chile); the business incubator Agronegocio de Pirassununga UNITec (Brazil); the Parque Biopacífico and the Centre for Educational Innovation in Engineering of the Universidad Autónoma de Occidente (Colombia). In addition to this, the entrepreneurial centre Prehndo of the Universidad Técnica Particular de Loja (Ecuador), was also incorporated to the network.
According to Juan Antonio Raga, director of the Scientific Park of the Universitat de València, ‘the main purpose of the meeting was to know all the members of the network and to plan the implementations of the obligations for Cyted. What has happened is that, instead of confining ourselves to that, we have gone beyond the expectations by joining forces with another Cyted network when it comes to innovation. This strengthen the incubators and the companies which make them up. The star programme is the one of the international landing which is aimed at strengthening the relationships between the Latin-American and Europe innovators.
The next meeting of the Agroinncuba network will take place in May 2018 in Valencia (Spain) and it is expected to present there the results of the activities programmed for 2017.