Nine Brazilian startups are participating in an innovation mission to Italy to establish contacts with companies, universities and research centers. The program began Nov. 2 in Rome and runs through the 11th, with activities also in Rimini, Bologna and Milan.
The initiative, called BRAVI 2026 (Brazilian Agrifoodtechs Innovation in Italy), is promoted by the Espírito Santo Research and Innovation Support Foundation (Fapes), with support from Brazilian and Italian institutions.
Of the nine participating companies, six are from Espírito Santo.
The opening meeting took place at the Embassy of Brazil in Rome, with representatives of governments, research institutions and organizations connected to technological development.
Brazilian companies seek partners in Italy
The mission brings together startups that develop technologies for agribusiness and the food supply chain, with a focus on innovation, sustainability and productivity.
The six companies from Espírito Santo are BagLog, Farmly, GreenWay, SymbioTech, Vent and CertifiCafé.
Advertisement
The first five are participating with support from Fapes’ BRAVI call for proposals. CertifiCafé holds a national spot, funded by another foundation program, Nova Economia Capixaba.
Fapes Director-General Rodrigo Varejão Andreão said the goal is to build partnerships in innovation and applied research, as well as connect the technological ecosystems of the two countries.
The mission is part of the Brazilian Startups Worldwide program, aimed at the internationalization of innovative companies.
Brazilian technology seeks to trace the origin of coffee
One of the participants is CertifiCafé, which develops digital tools to organize information on the origin and sustainability of coffee production.
In Italy, the company presented a solution intended to facilitate the work of producers, exporters and importers who need to compile information to meet the commercial and environmental requirements of the European market.
According to the startup, the system already serves 6,471 rural properties in Espírito Santo.
The tool uses a methodology from the Espírito Santo Institute for Research, Technical Assistance and Rural Extension (Incaper), digitized to support the socio-environmental monitoring of properties.
The technology is also related to the European Union Deforestation Regulation, known by the acronym EUDR.
Advertisement
The regulation establishes traceability and due diligence requirements for certain commodities marketed in the European market, including coffee.
However, use of the tool does not automatically guarantee that a commercial operation complies with all European rules.
Italy and Brazil discuss joint research
The mission also seeks to bring Brazilian and Italian scientific institutions closer together.
Among the organizations involved in the contacts is Italy’s National Research Council (CNR), one of the country’s leading public research institutions.
Silvano Fares, director of the CNR’s Department of Bio-Agri-Food Sciences, highlighted the possibility of developing bilateral research projects.
Among the challenges mentioned are climate change and the need to select agricultural varieties better adapted to future production conditions.
Advertisement
In addition to Fapes, the mission includes institutions such as Espírito Santo’s Agriculture Department, Paraná’s Araucária Foundation and the Promo Brasile Italia association.
The Embassy of Brazil in Rome is taking part through the Innovation Diplomacy Program of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Four cities on the agenda
The agenda includes activities in Rome, Rimini, Bologna and Milan, cities with a significant presence of companies, research institutions and innovation-related initiatives.
The meetings seek to establish commercial and scientific contacts that could result in future partnerships.
So far, the institutional sources consulted have not reported the signing of commercial contracts resulting from the mission.
The initiative represents an attempt to expand economic relations between Brazil and Italy in an area that goes beyond traditional exports: the development of technology applied to agriculture and food production.
