Last week, Aggrator hosted the very first Agrifoodtech Demo Day at Vitenparken NMBU in collaboration with ICEX and AgriFoodTech Norway. The Demo Day brought together over 100 participants from startups, investors, research institutions, and the broader agrifoodtech ecosystem. Over 25 unsolicited positive LinkedIn posts from participants and an outstanding 4.7 out of 5 satisfaction score confirmed a growing recognition of agrifoodtech innovation in Norway, and a clear appetite for a national meeting arena.
– The response we received this year clearly shows that entrepreneurs, research environments, and investors want a strong national networking arena for agrifoodtech. Our ambition is for Agrifoodtech Demo Day to become an annual meeting place for the companies that shape the food systems of the future.
– Bjarne Tvete, CEO at Aggrator
Adele Unneberg, Investment Manager at Sandwater, highlighted the growing strategic importance of the sector:
– Agritech, which was previously primarily placed under the climate and sustainability umbrella, is now increasingly recognized as part of society’s overall resilience and security infrastructure.
Innovation is Key to Producing More with Less
In his opening remarks, NMBU Rector Solve Sæbø highlighted the global challenge ahead: According to the FAO, global food production must increase by at least 60% by 2050, despite shrinking farmland, water scarcity, and a rapidly changing climate.
– NMBU was founded 166 years ago with the mission of securing food for the people. This mission is now more relevant than ever.”-Solve Sæbø
At the same time, the global challenges we face present substantial opportunities for innovation driven by technology and research. Participants gained exclusive insight into NMBU’s research on increasing food production through a guided tour of the Centre for Climate-Regulated Plant Research, led by Jan Roger Torp Sørby.
Seven promising early-stage startups from AgriFoodTech Norway presented their solutions on stage; Agdir, AgriSenze, Chitofun Biotech, Enzyferm, Faunus Hub, Fenja Biosolutions, and Winterleap. They had capital needs ranging from NOK 5–20 million.
The exhibition area showcased technologies spanning environmental monitoring, biological materials, soil health improvement, chemical-free weed control, and digital tools enabling more efficient and sustainable food production.
Bridging Research and Market
A strong theme throughout the day was the need for earlier integration of research and commercialization. Ard Innovation, the Technology Transfer Office for Campus Ås, demonstrated how scientific results are transformed into spinouts and licensing opportunities.
Ellen Altenborg, former CCO of Saga Robotics, and now CEO and co-founder of Chitofun Biotech, shared her experiences with bringing agritech solutions from research to market:
– It is important to bring commercial expertise into the process early, both to save time and reduce risk. When a university project shifts to a business track early, you can bring in the right human resources sooner and move significantly faster forward.
Altenborg’s message aligned closely with expectations expressed by the investor panel later in the day.
Momentum’s Managing Partner Hilde Støle Pettersen noted that it becomes easier for agrifoodtech startups to attract capital when they can present clear, documented results. She added that this makes access to reliable, independent test facilities especially important.
NIBIO‘s Director of Research, Per Stålnacke, also emphasized the importance of close collaboration between research and industry, including start-up companies. He illustrated how robust testing environments can accelerate development, using examples such as NIBIO’s work on Norwegian avocado production and year-round, CO₂-free tomato cultivation, both achieving world-leading yields per square meter.
Learning from Europe’s Fourth-Largest Agricultural Market
As a sponsor and partner, ICEX highlighted business opportunities in Spain; the fourth-largest agricultural market in Europe. Nearly 20% of Spain’s exports come from the agrifood sector, and 13% of its agricultural land is organic.
Spain offers strong demand for sustainable, high-performance technologies within precision irrigation, smart fertilization, pest and disease management, agricultural robotics, digital traceability, and renewable energy solutions.
With EU and EEA membership and a strategic position bridging Europe, EMEA, and Latin America, Spain represents an attractive platform for Norwegian companies with global ambitions.
A Strong Agrifoodtech Ecosystem is Key to Success
The investor panel, featuring Rita Anson (Co-founder, Nordic Ignite), Hilde Støle Pettersen (Managing Partner, Momentum), Adele Unneberg (Investment Manager, Sandwater), Jørgen André Nilsen (Partner, Televenture Management), emphasized that Norway must strengthen collaboration across research, entrepreneurship, and capital to unlock more agrifoodtech successes.
Adele Unneberg underlined the importance of meeting arenas:
– It’s about creating meeting places that bring people together, places where knowledge is shared, networks are built, and new opportunities emerge.
Televenture Management’s Jørgen André Nilsen, who arrived straight from Slush in Helsinki, added:
– The goal is not to create big shows, but meeting arenas where people can build relationships.
With strong engagement, exceptional feedback, and clear signals from both startups, research and investment communities, our ambition is to establish Agrifoodtech Demo Day as an annual gathering for innovators shaping the future of food systems.
Solve Sæbø captured the essence of the day in his closing:
– Collaboration is key. Bringing together researchers, entrepreneurs, decision-makers, and investors is how we get things done.
We hope to see you at Agrifoodtech Demo Day 2026.
Thank You to Our Partners and Sponsors
The event was made possible thanks to the strong contributions of speakers and partners; ICEX, NMBU, NIBIO, and Ard Innovation, in addition to practical support from StartupSmia. Special thanks to our sponsors Akershus Fylkeskommune and ICEX, whose support enabled the first edition of this event.
Aggrator is your partner for growth and value creation in agrifoodtech and environmental technology. We work with companies developing solutions for a cleaner, better world. You can find our contact information here.