Focus on characterising the Agricultural Knowledge Information Systems and the need for the innovation agenda to be driven by the farming and food industries.  Characterising the motivation for science driven research versus innovation driven research.

Ghent university has a well developed valorisation policy to support the commercialisation (innovation/ valorisation) of research outcomes, and also has a strategy (backed by financial incentives) for promoting the environment which favours a focus on innovation driven research with a view to commercialisation.

ProDigest is a dynamic company that provides customized solutions related to gastrointestinal research to the operators in the market of food, functional food and pharmaceutical industry. ProDigest’s mission is to provide professional services in the field of gastrointestinal transit, bioavailability and metabolism of food compounds and pharmaceuticals, in relation to their final functionality in the body http://www.prodigest.eu/en/home

F-star, founded in 2006 is a leader in the development of novel bispecific antibodies. Our technology leverages decades of experience with traditional antibody technology, while overcoming the limitations in the development and manufacture of bispecific antibodies http://www.f-star.com/company_overview

AGCO is a North American public company manufacturer of tractors, combines and other farm equipment sold in more than 140 countries worldwide, led by four core brands: Challenger, Fendt, Massey Ferguson and Valtra.  AGCO had 8.8 billion $ revenues in 2011 and should be above 10 billion $ in 2012.  Massey Ferguson is the farm equipment company that delivers ease-of-use and no-nonsense dependability to more farms around the world than any other brand. No other brand has the experience of working with more crops, in more conditions, in more places, for more years, with more farmers than Massey Ferguson.  MF roughly achieves 20% market share worldwide and this makes it the number 1 tractor brand in the world.  MF represents one third of AGCO’s total worldwide business (2011 data).  Straightforward dependability applies not only to the brand and its associated services but it is a way of life for people within MF: straight to the point, commitment, transparency and respect of others are our key values. http://www.agcocorp.com/

InVivo AgroSolutions supplies cooperatives and farmers with decision support tools to help them to precisely manage nutrition and plant protection products.  Epiclès professional software enables optimised global management of fertilisation plans for every holding, supervised by the cooperative consultant and taking account of the farmer’s logistics, budgetary and environmental constraints. Phytnès, for managing seeds and crop protection products, is used to position the solutions referenced by the cooperative and makes it easier for farmers to choose the best-adapted programmes for their holdings, while respecting environmental requirements and traceability.  We collaborate with French higher education on several projects. Examples of these activities include testing of an agronomic model and undertaken a satisfaction survey.  We continue to seek future international collaboration http://www.invivo-group.com/

By providing a scientific approach through high quality research and education, SLU contributes to the development of a productive and sustainable agriculture globally. Our program “Agricultural Sciences for Global Development” (SLU Global) is focused into five multidisciplinary themes which enhance our long-standing efforts : 1. Efficiency in farming systems, 2. Land use and climate change, 3. Restoration of degraded rural landscapes, 4. Scale issues in relation to food security and poverty alleviation, 5. Urban and peri-urban farming.

The European Biotechnology Network has the mission to build partnerships across all sectors in biotechnology. It delivers this in a very practical way through its Biotechnology Funding Hub, which tracks international collaborative R&D funding open to small companies and builds strong industry-academia partnerships around project topics. Such a mechanism is focussed and inclusive and brings the best elements from innovative science in both industry and academia. http://www.european-biotechnology.org/