Category: Success Stories

 

Agroanelixis: supporting young farmers to create their own cottage industries.

Agrifood accelerator “Agroanelixis-cottage industries” aims at supporting farmers and stockbreeders with innovative business ideas in the agri-food sector, so that they can create or develop their own cottage industry. Among the beneficiaries of the agri-food acceleration program implemented by the organization “New Agriculture New Generation”, is George Alexandris, a young producer that wishes to create his own home-based business, based on the cultivation and processing of almonds.

George comes from Nessonas, a village which is very close to Larissa. He has studied in Volos, in the Department of “Agriculture of Crop Production and Rural Environment” of the University of Thessaly. Although he currently works for a company based in Larissa, he is also involved in the cultivation of almonds.

“We have had almond trees from my grandfather, since 1970. I remember as a child, I enjoyed picking almonds that fell from the trees and spending a lot of time on the estates. The almond trees then passed to my father and slowly, it was my turn to see how I can use them in the best possible way “, says George Alexandris.

 

Return to cottage industries, giving value to the product and supporting tradition

Along with his studies, George was thinking of ways to use the almonds they produce in collaboration with his father, as they are fruits of excellent quality, as he says characteristically. For many years, all the annual production of almonds was given for sale to a partner who traded the products. In the last year, however, George began to deal with the idea of creating a home-made business, which will produce, standardize, and sell both almonds and their interesting by-products.

So last August, during the almond harvest season, he tentatively kept a small quantity of almonds to see how he could handle it, taking the first step towards creating his own cottage industry. In the first phase, he started breaking the almonds and taking out the crumb, which he started selling to his close circle, to form a first picture of the demand and interest that may arise for his product. At the same time, with the help of friends but also by putting his own touch, he started designing the brand, creating a logo, but also packages designed with care and love. As he says, “I am interested in offering as much value as possible to the product. I started with the sale of almond kernel, now I have created almond butter while in the immediate plans is the production of almond drink or even almond cheese “.

Innovative, premium products from young farmers

From January 2021, George started selling the almond kernel that he produces and presents in a package, which is specially designed to close with a zip, so that the product always remains fresh. He started visiting various mini markets or delicatessens with the aim of working together to sell his product and thus, he has already managed to build in these 5 months a small network of shops, which are located not only in Larissa, but some of them areas such as Dimitsana but also Athens.

Special traits of George seem to be the importance in detail but also the experimentation aimed at creating the best possible products and services. As he says, he is constantly trying new things he can do with the precious fruit of the almond and experimenting with quantities and ingredients, to produce innovative products for the Greek market, such as milk, butter or almond cheese.

 

The Agrifood Accelerator “Agroanelixis” supports young people with ideas and dreams for the agri-food industry.

However, in this effort for development and innovation, George Alexandris is not alone. Through his participation in the Agifood Acceleration program “Agroanelixis-Cottage Industries” he now has experts in the agrifood sector, professionals, mentors, and the whole team of the “New Agriculture New Generation” organization, to help him in his next steps.

George came in touch with the organization “Nea Agriculture New Generation” about 1 year ago and after attending one of its seminars, he realized that it is worth following its actions. Thus, he managed to participate in the digital training program dedicated to the export of agri-food products, which was implemented in June 2020 by New Agriculture New Generation and as he states, he believes that he learned many things that helped him a lot during the critical phase of the start-up of his cottage industry. “It gave me a much needed boost to dare to start my project!”, he states.

After this participation, then came his selection in the agrifood acceleration program “Agroanelixis-Cottage Industries”, which began in April 2021. George says he is not just satisfied, but excited, from the knowledge he has received so far from the program. “Mentors are great, everyone, one by one. They make us feel very familiar and help us with anything we may need. What they convey to us is not just a theory, it is a 100% practice. They are people with great experience and everything they say, they have experienced it “.

He also states that, “I am impressed by the speeches of young people, who a few years ago were like us and now have managed to do their own business. Through their words I took courage, I saw that I too could follow in their footsteps and develop in the industry. You see that if you keep trying, you will succeed!”. The program may be completed in June 2021, but the beneficiaries will be accompanied by specialized mentors and industry professionals for the next at least 3 months, who will continue to support them in the implementation of their business planning.

 

Business plan for the expansion and support of cottage industries, implemented by the organization “New Agriculture New Generation”

The team of “New Agriculture New Generation”, visited George in Larissa and together, they designed a business plan to expand and support his craft. Through the program, he will be able to build a production and packaging area in the village, where the almond trees are located, in Nessona, Larissa. Thus, the goal is to be able to create his own cottage industry, which in fact will include all the necessary workplaces and all the necessary machinery for the production and packaging of its products.

The team will visit again at the end of the agri-food acceleration program, the production and packaging areas of George, to evaluate the progress of work and to offer him additional support in whatever else he may need.

 

Turning cottage industries into an “open farm”, strengthening agritourism

In his next plans, of course, is to be able to make his cottage industry visitable to the public, following the standards of “open farm” which he was taught through the agrifood accelerator “Agroanelixis”. “If the consumer comes in contact with the product and knows the process of its production, he understands better what exactly is it that he is consuming, he appreciates it more”, says George.

Also, his goal through the idea of “open farm”, is to pass on the knowledge and techniques on the creation of its products to other people, who may be interested in dealing with the production and processing of almond products. The consumer or the visitor will be able to see, for example, how the almonds are baked or how they are packaged to maintain their freshness, but also how they are processed into butter. They will also be able to participate during summer months in the fruit harvest, thus offering them a complete experience of operating a cottage industry.

 

Steady steps towards creating a cottage industry and goals for the future

In addition to almonds, George also grows apricots, which he aims to integrate into his home-based industry, after completing the plan he has formed for the use of almonds. In fact, he already has in mind very interesting ideas that can combine these two crops, such as almond butter with pieces of dried apricot and much more.

The love that George has for his cottage industry and his dreams for it, are obvious. “My main goal for the future is one: to be able to make this business my main job, to be able to invest all the time and energy I have to develop this venture. And I believe that with the valuable contribution of New Agriculture New Generation, we will achieve that!”, he states. After the successful completion of the goals set under the agrifood acceleration program “Agroanelixis”, the next step for George is the development of his sales network, starting of course from Greece but slowly looking at specific foreign markets, where the products made from almonds are already considered emerging premium products.

 

A digital assistant for the beekeeper that contributes to the improvement of the production.

Beenotes’ team, managed to emerge as one of the four winners of the first phase of the Agri-food Accelerator “Agroanelixis” implemented by the organization “New Agriculture New Generation”, presenting an innovative project that aims to help the beekeeper to improve production by simplifying all the necessary procedures. Simply put, Beenote presents a digital assistant, who literally listens to what the beekeeper says using voice recognition technology, automatically collects and analyzes the data of beekeeping practice and suggests solutions.

Beenotes is based on the idea that beekeeping is an agricultural activity that has many parameters. As Notis Papasouliotis, an agronomist who has been involved in the beekeeping industry for several years and one of the two collaborators in the team, states, “In beekeeping, everything has to do with how the producer can synchronize the development of a hive with nature and flowering. This is a multifactorial situation which is difficult to achieve without the right tools.”

 

An application that simplifies the life of the beekeeper

An important parameter that highlights the difficulty in the beekeeping industry is the very nature of the bees which are known to be insect that can bite those around them, forcing beekeepers to wear masks and special equipment to protect themselves. This therefore does not allow beekeepers to keep paper and pencil, for example, to write down the necessary information regarding their production.

So Beenotes comes to meet this need, offering a tool that with voice recognition technology makes it easier for the producer to take notes which he can then study and edit. It is essentially a mobile application that uses voice recording for the benefit of the producer. As Michael Sabethai, a mathematician with many years of experience in the field of marine fuels and a collaborator at Beenotes, explains, “All the producer must do is open his phone and then, the app begins to record. He can also chat with the application, using keywords such as “population”, “offspring” or “queen”. The application recognizing these keywords, responds to the producer by asking him in turn questions that respond to his original request. Thus, a system for recording and monitoring of each cell is created separately “.

 

Covering the producers need for review and optimization.

The log data is then available, either directly from the beekeeper’s mobile phone, or through a platform located on the Beenotes website. There, the producer can easily look back and see and edit the recordings he has made, in even greater detail. For example, if there are recordings from many cells, the person entering the platform can filter various features such as which are his best or worst cells and to identify those cells that may have a problem.

The idea to create a platform that will “untie the hands” of beekeepers, had started by Notis Papasouliotis as early as 2015, but at that time the technology was not as advanced, so the team did not proceed with the project at that time. to move. In 2019, however, he met Michael Sabethai, whose acquaintance goes back many years as they were fellow students at the University but also good friends and together, they decided to use the latest technology to revive the original idea and create “Beenotes”, in April 2019.

 

Beenotes in the “Agroanelixis” business acceleration and microfinance program

 

The team participated in 2020 in the MIT Enterprise Forum Greece accelerator, where they were given the opportunity to further develop the idea but also to find a common language of communication, as they state.  Then, they decided to take part in the Agri-food Accelerator of the “New Agriculture New Generation” organization.

Michael Sabethai states that they considered their participation in the Accelerator would be a very good opportunity to get in touch with people in the agri-food industry and to develop their product. And so it happened, as he characteristically adds, “Our participation in the accelerator “Agroanelixis” met our expectations. The Accelerator, although demanding, was a very interesting process for us, as it was thorough in many issues that we found useful “.

 

The “Agroanelixis” Accelerator helped the team become familiar with agricultural technology and networking in the agri-food industry.

The team believes that the business acceleration and microfinance program was able to cover a very wide range of subjects, from marketing to technology and innovation, enabling each professional to choose the ones that serve him / her and concern his / her business. “Our team was particularly helped through the accelerator. We got to know new aspects of agricultural technology, which is of direct interest to us, but also we were able to develop in areas such as marketing and search engine optimization,” says Michael Sabethai.

“Very interesting, of course, was the fact that we were able to meet other groups of people who are also trying to start their own business in the agri-food sector. We were able to see the different ways in which everyone starts, utilizing either technology or other innovations that can be applied in the industry, but also to recognize any difficulties and challenges they may face”, says Notis Papasouliotis, while adding that “It was a very creative process, we discovered things we did not know about ourselves and new perspectives on what we did.”

 

Beenotes’ next steps and their goals for the future

The Beenotes team is in the final testing phase of their product, where their goal is to “listen” to their audience in terms of the current version of the application, to see what they can improve and how they can adapt their product to the real needs of beekeepers. The application, which is available through the Google Playstore, has a total of +1000 downloads in the last year, with 500 people having used it at least once in the last month.

At the same time, the team has launched a campaign through social media, urging people to download Beenotes and try it out, offering those interested a discount on subscribing to the final commercial product as soon as it is released. Their goal, as they say, is to let people know who they are and what they can offer to beekeepers.

Beenotes does not stop evolving continuously so that it can serve the needs of beekeeping, whether it is the production of honey and other beekeeping products or even applied scientific research. “We also want to see how we can help larger units or cooperatives that need the systematization of processes in order to be able to increase their productivity,” says Notis Papasouliotis.

Finally, it is worth mentioning that the application is currently available in 5 languages, Greek, Italian, Spanish, French and English, so that it can serve these countries, where beekeepers amount to about 110,000 while in the next steps, the group is considering importing the product to other countries such as Australia, New Zealand, Britain, the Nordic countries, the US and even Latin America.

 

HERBeat- The hydroponic farm that produces micro-vegetables and micro-herbs of high nutritional value

HERBeat is a very interesting company, a company that has managed to introduce in Greece a special and original product, the so-called microgreens. Enriching the gastronomic map of the country but also minimizing the environmental impact, increasing food safety, HERBeat introduces the concept of the hydroponic farm, producing small vegetables and micro-herbs of high nutritional value, thus changing the conventional way of cultivation.

The team managed to emerge as one of the four winners of the agrifood accelerator “Agroanelixis” of the organization “New Agriculture New Generation”, gaining funding and additional business support for one year.

Talking with Aris Petropoulos, one of the founding members of HERBeat, I was able to get to know the magical world of microgreens, which are a form of cultivation that is not yet widely known in Greece, as it has only appeared in recent years. In America but also in Scandinavia, small vegetables or micro-herbs seem to be a rising trend with people including them in their daily diet. But what exactly are microgreens after all?

As Aris explains, it is a cultivation of leafy vegetables and herbs as well as edible flowers from certain varieties which have been cultivated until their second stage of development, thus keeping a high number of phytovitamins and making them more nutritious. “The earlier the stage of cultivation, the more the nutritional properties of the vegetables,” says Aris. “Although in Greece the term sprouts have prevailed to describe microgreens, it is not a correct term. When we talk about sprouts we refer to crops that are at stage zero,” he adds.

Micro-herbs or micro-vegetables are usually eaten raw in salads and are cut just before eating. “There is a wide selection of flavors and varieties of micro-vegetables, which can accompany excellent meat or fish but also be consumed as salads separately,” says Aris.

Aris grew up with his brothers Vassilis Petropoulos and Panagiotis Petropoulos in Nea Makri, Attica. As the family had a small estate in the area, Aris has been involved with plants since he was a child as it seems to have been something that attracted him from his very first years. Thus, he chose to study Technologist-Agronomist at the University of Kalamata. As a student, he became particularly interested in vertical indoor crops and discovered ways and means by which they could be successfully applied.

At the same time, Aris’ brother, Vassilis Petropoulos, lived in Norway where he worked as a chef. There, he had the opportunity to get in touch with a unique product, the microgreens. As it was something that caught his attention, he worked for some time with a producer of microgreens in Norway, wanting to know everything about these special varieties. Vassilis brought Aris in contact with micro-herbs as he knew that it was something that would attract the attention of his brother, who had already gained practical experience working through his studies as an agronomist. Thus, in 2018, the HERBeat team began to form, which now consists of 5 people and which Aris characterizes as a family business, as it employs all three brothers, Aris, Vassilis and Panagiotis Petropoulos. The team is harmoniously complemented by Zakelina Roussou and Sofia Tsatova.

Aris, initially setting up a space that functioned as a cantilever, began to cultivate the first products which he then sampled and saw that the response was particularly positive. Thus, the sale of certain products began timidly. “We have seen that in recent years there is a flourishing of gastronomy in Greece. So, we thought that we could deal with premium items to serve the gastronomy industry but also to bring the world close to new and alternative edible crops, which offer high nutritional value “, says Aris.

The team uses the model of indoor cultivation as Aris tells me they all come from the region of Attica and do not have large areas where they could cultivate. So, they decided to turn to urban farming, utilizing a small area in Nea Makri where they have created a model hydroponic farm. “We could have created a greenhouse for example, but we chose to follow the specific cultivation model, which also offers a flexibility, especially for those who live in big cities as one does not need to have a piece of land to cultivate. Under the right conditions, he can even do it at home,” says Aris.

However, this method of cultivation has another very important benefit, that of reducing the environmental footprint. “Using, instead of soil, a high quality substrate, we do not burden the already burdened land while at the same time we produce products of high nutritional value, thus increasing food safety,” says Aris. This happens as the area in which the products are located is specially designed, observing all sanitary measures while at the same time, the microgreens do not come into contact with external factors and pollutants.

HERBeat is engaged in the cultivation of 20 to 30 types of micro-vegetables, depending on the season and the demand. The team places special emphasis on creating the appropriate hygienic environment for the cultivation of microgreens but also on the use of the latest technology to support the cultivation with the highest possible standards. Although in the beginning they started with micro- vegetables and micro-herbs, now they have expanded to the cultivation of edible flowers and ready-made preparations that include premium salads from baby vegetables such as red cabbage, mizuna (lettuce of Japanese origin), spinach and tat choi (Chinese cabbage) , species not widely traded.

 

Their participation in the Agrifood Accelerator “Agroanelixis”

Aris spoke very warmly about HERBeat’s participation in the agrifood accelerator “Agroanelixis” of the “New Agriculture New Generation” organization but also about the prizes that the team won, as it managed to be one of the four winners of the program. As he characteristically stated, after being informed about the program, they hurried to apply for participation as they considered it an opportunity for the team to develop and go one step further.

Through their 5-month participation in the business acceleration program “Agroanelixis”, the team feels that it has managed to gain know-how and valuable knowledge. As Aris says, “Through our participation in the program we were able to organize our team and delimit our goals and our next steps. We learned very interesting information about the market and the ways to promote our products “. At the same time, he adds that he considers that the program acted as a catalyst in the formation and securing of the company’s identity.

An important benefit for Aris was their contact with other groups that participated in the program. “We heard and saw very interesting ideas that excited us. It’s very important for all start-ups to be able to network and come together, through a well-organized learning environment,” he says. He also mentions the help that the team received from the specialized guidance received from the mentors of the program, saying that “Just the fact that you come in contact with so many well-known people in the field of agri-food and trade, offers significant supplies for the future. The “Agroanelixis” program is a unique opportunity for teams such as HERBeat that are active or want to be active in the agrifood industry, as it provides knowledge and opportunities that are otherwise extremely difficult to obtain. All the lessons and the advice we received through mentoring seemed useful to us and we continue to refer to them regularly “.

 

Microgreens at your table

Asking Aris about the next steps but also about their plans, he tells me that the group’s gaze remains on the indoor crops. Until now, due to the specificity of the product they cultivate, they may have collaborated only with restaurants and chefs, however, as they see that the demand is increasing, in their immediate plans is the expansion of HERBeat in the retail trade, creating e-shop from where anyone interested can make their purchase electronically.

At the same time, the team has started a cooperation with selected fruit shops in Athens while their goal is to discover new and original varieties, which to introduce in the Greek market. “Our goal is to gradually develop the part of direct communication with the consumer”, says Aris, “we have already started promoting the company through social media and we have developed a dynamic presence which is very encouraging for the future of the company “.

In conclusion, as Aris rightly pointed out in our discussion, microgreens may sound and look impressive in the context of high gastronomy, but one must not forget that in addition to their uniqueness and beauty, their consumption offers many nutritional benefits, rarely found. After all, it is no coincidence that Aris characterizes them as “nectar” of vegetables and edible flowers.

 

Talking to Andreas Zerkoulis, founding member of the Inagros team, winner of the “Agroanelixis” Accelerator

Inagros is an electronic platform that combines sensor data, satellite data and observations made by agronomists and then correlates them by proposing ways to modernize agricultural production. Its use contributes significantly to the reduction of consumption of water, pesticides, fertilizers, and energy. The Inagros team presented this innovative project to the Agrifood Accelerator “Agroanelixis” implemented by the “New Agriculture New Generation” organization and managed to be one of the 4 winners of the first phase of the program, receiving funding and additional business support for one year.

I had the opportunity to talk to Andreas Zerkoulis, a founding member of Inagros. He talked to me about the company’s philosophy while sharing the experiences the team gained from their participation in the “Agroanelixis” accelerator.

Andreas comes from Thebes and has studied Electrical Engineering at the Technical University of Athens. His father, also an electrician, took him to work from an early age. Andreas loved the practical part of the job as he constantly followed his father to work, even on vacations and holidays. Around the age of 16 he had already learned the job and it was something he enjoyed doing. Growing up, although he started studying as an electrical engineer, he was working on other things as well, like in a fashion school, where he was managing digital marketing and events. In 2014, he volunteered at Job Fair Athens, a project that brings students and graduates in touch with the job market. Initially he volunteered in the fundraising part and after 3 months he was assigned to work as a team leader in a team that would create a mobile application for the event. The following year, he managed to become the finance director of the organizing committee.

Andreas is a restless spirit. He always tried to identify and solve possible problems. As part of an internship he did in Livadia, in a company with irrigation systems and automation he saw firsthand how the agri-food industry works but at the same time, he recognized the multitude of problems faced by farmers, especially in the automation of various processes. Andreas was always close to the agri-food sector, “My uncles are farmers,” he tells me. “I grew up in the fields. Seeing the difficulties that arise, I thought about what I could improve”. Considering possible solutions, he shared his concerns with his old classmate and friend, Dimitris Drossos, who works as a programmer. Together, they decided that it was imperative to create a tool that would simplify the farmer’s life. Thus, in 2014, the idea for the creation of Inagros begun.

Inagros: A comprehensive crop management platform

In the beginning, it started as a tool that would irrigate automatically while at the same time it would have sensors that would alert the farmer about the conditions of the field. But in the process, that changed. “Now we can talk about a comprehensive crop management platform,” says Andreas. “Studying the respective crop, the platform brings farmers in contact with agronomists. The producer’s land parcel is registered on the digital platform and then the agronomist, whether he is a partner chosen by the producer or a partner of our company, controls the cultivation either through satellite data provided by the platform or through sensors that the team can install accordingly”, Andreas explains to me. Both growers and agronomists are notified, either on their mobile phone or via email, for every possible information needed, such as whether the conditions favor the development of a disease or if there are certain actions to be taken based on the crop calendar, etc.

“We can also incorporate automatic watering and data history for better monitoring of all parts. Our goal is to provide all the information needed by all stakeholders so that in the future they can make better decisions for the management of their field”, says Andreas. “It is a 360^ο service that provides everything that the farmer needs for his cultivation. It is a full solution “.

In their first steps, they participated in many business acceleration programs and incubators in Athens, recognizing their importance in supporting start-ups. “We started by participating in the incubator of the Athens University of Economics and Business where they believed a lot in our idea and helped us a lot. It was the first time we were exposed to presentations and met mentors”, Andreas tells me. In 2017 they joined the THEA incubator of A.C.C.I., where they participated in international business exhibitions in Tel Aviv and Amsterdam. Also, through their participation in the PRAKSIS Business Coaching Center program, they managed to build their business plan while at the same time, they were financed by The People’s Trust, managing to obtain the initial capital for the establishment of the company in 2017.

From 2018 the team was formed and now, it consists of 7 partners. “Apart from me and Dimitris, who founded the company, we first included 2 agronomists, Vasso Varvoutsi and Giorgos Kormazos, and then an experienced professional, Vassilis Kasimatis, who is managing sales. Also, 2 other associates were added, Vassilis Laskos and Giannis Hatziris, marketing experts. New people are constantly added to the team as the needs of the company increase “, says Andreas.

Inagros: participation in the business acceleration program “Agroanelixis” implemented by New Agriculture New Generation

The team, wanting to develop even more, had discovered the New Agriculture New Generation’s programs and activities early-on. Firstly, they’d participated in the Trophy-Τροφή Challenge that took place in July 2019. There, they saw that the actions implemented by the NANG organization had a lot to offer in the development and support of their company. Then, as Andreas told me, they were informed about the “Agroanelixis” Accelerator through the regular newsletter of the organization. They though that this was their moment and decided to participate.

The team, presenting the innovative Inagros platform managed to be one of the 4 winners of the first phase of the program and received not only significant funding but also business support for one year. Andreas described me their experience from their participation. “The program’s material was very rich. I did not miss a single seminar and I found the process very constructive,” he says. “The guidance provided by the mentors was very important. They were well-known people in the agri-food industry, so the guidance was much more targeted. It was exactly what we needed”, he adds.

He also tells me that he feels that their participation in the program has contributed significantly to their networking in the agri-food sector. “The acquaintance we had, both with the speakers and with the participants, was one of the most important benefits. I know that as soon as all this is over, I will talk to many teams and people with whom we had contacts and we will discuss some potential cooperation “, says Andreas.

The prizes they won from their victory in the first phase of the “Agroanelixis” Accelerator were, of course, particularly important for the team. “We want to develop the company in many different sectors, and this would not be possible without the funding we received from the NANG organization,” says Andreas. “It was an unexpected gift that will help the company grow faster,” he added. But for the team it was not just the prizes that mattered. As Andreas characteristically says “Through our participation, I feel that me met a new family, that’s how we experienced it. We want to give back to this beautiful ecosystem when needed and in whatever way we can. I feel that New Agriculture New Generation is a very important initiative, it is the only initiative that currently exists in the agri-food sector. It is a structure that can understand our problems and help us effectively”.

Looking at development and modernization of agricultural production

Inagros is a platform that wants to serve in every possible way producers and agronomists by offering flexibility and automation where needed. It is no coincidence that its pilot program, with minor modifications so that it can work in parks and urban green, has been implemented in the National Garden and is working successfully to this day. “We have built a platform that is essentially plug and play. It can serve any potential user, whether he is an agronomist of the national garden, or belongs to contract farming, or is a farmer “, says Andreas.

The group’s plans are to include even more agronomists as partners, while at the same time, they have not stopped investing in research and development since the beginning of their operation. “We never want to rest. We listen to all the suggestions of our audience and process them. Our goal is to create something that is 100% useful for each user individually”, says Andreas while adding that “At the moment we are at the beginning. We have also moved on to a newer version which now collects data via satellite, so it does not require the installation of additional equipment and greatly simplifies all procedures, but we have many ideas and plans! Our goal is to make the platform as friendly as possible to our main user, who is the farmer “.

Before concluding our discussion, Andreas emphasizes the importance of the use of technology in the field of agri-food but also the benefits it offers by significantly modernizing and ultimately facilitating agricultural production. As he says, “Apart from the fact that we want to provide solutions to the problems faced by the modern farmer, we consider it our duty as a technology company in an industry that is not so technologically developed, to contribute to its education, so that it can use technology and become competitive “.

Meeting Atallos team, winners of the innovative program “Agroanelixis”

Kostas Belivanis and Giannis Haniotakis where one of the first to understand and invest in the field of smart plant-protection in the agri-food sector. They understood the agricultural needs of Crete and decided to cooperate to create the Atallos project. The team presented an innovative high-tech trap, which is primarily aimed at combating olive flies, and managed to be one of the four winners of the first phase of the “Agroanelixis ” program, which is implemented by the “New Agriculture New Generation” organization.

Talking to Kostas and Giannis, the first thing one can see is their smile and their friendly character. They both origin from beautiful Crete. Kostas comes from Malia area in Crete but was born in Paris and has spent his childhood and adolescence between Greece and France. Giannis, on the other hand, is originally both from Heraklion and Lassithi but he was born and raised in Heraklion. The two met for the first time in Thessaloniki, where they studied. Giannis studied Agriculture and Kostas Civil Engineering, both at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki. As Kostas characteristically tells me, “Being a Cretan far from Crete, I had a close relationship with the Union of Cretan Students of Thessaloniki. There, I met Giannis. Our shared origin is always something that bounds us. “.

As the years passed however, they both left Greece and continued their studies and their professional careers in foreign countries. Kostas continued his studies at postgraduate and doctoral level in America, in the field of civil engineering, while Giannis, having specialized in the field of beekeeping, went abroad, traveling from Germany to New Zealand, where he worked for several years. Nevertheless, they may have been far away, but they were never estranged.

In 2019, after many years of thinking, they both returned to Crete and so, from February 2020, the idea for the creation of the Atallos project flourished. After all, Giannis has a family tradition in the field of agri-food, as his parents have a small family beekeeping business but are also involved in olive growing. From a young age, as he tells me, he helped his parents, “I was always close to agricultural production. I love it, that’s why I chose to work on it” he says. At the same time, after his return to Crete, in addition to his involvement with beekeeping and olive growing, he worked as a consultant to farmers, producers and cooperatives through different seminars and programs.

Kostas, on the other hand, through his doctorate degree came in touch with programming and with concepts such as that of optimization, machine learning and artificial intelligence, which he fully used both by working as a business risk associate in an international engineering consulting company and then by designing, together with Giannis, the Atallos project.

An innovation in plant protection

The story behind the idea is simple and complex at the same time. In 2019, the olive growing sector in Crete suffered a major disaster. The insect, although small, managed to cause damage to the olives amounting to 120,000,000 € in just a single year. Seeing the magnitude of this catastrophe, Giannis and Kostas thought that the time had come for there to be a way of predicting and warning of similar situations. As Giannis tells me, in theory there is a simple way to measure and prevent. “Imagine that there is a small glass ball that has water inside as well as a special bait for the olive flies. Someone places it in specific areas and after a week, he can count the number of insects and judge whether the area has a problem or not”, explains Giannis.

The problem, however, is that in practice this is not the case while at the same time it is completely based on the human factor with all the uncertainties and failures that it brings. “Kostas and I thought that surely this whole process could be done mechanically. And so, we made an automatic trap, which in addition to the traditional construction that we said before, includes cameras and special computers inside to give the farmer all the necessary information with incredible ease”, says Giannis. As Kostas explains to me, the team counts on a regular basis specific samples (1 trap per 60-80 acres) and they see if the insects that are trapped inside are increasing, decreasing or remain the same. Thus, they can have a picture of the course of olive flies, but also of other insects, in other cultivations.

At the same time, the interested party, whether he is a farmer or a producer, can have in seconds on his computer, his smartphone or even via sms for those who are not so familiar with the technology, the necessary information related to the health of his crop, thus improving its quality and quantity and at the same time, reducing costs.

Their participation in the Agrifood Accelerator “Agroanelixis” of the “New Agriculture New Generation” organization

Both Giannis and Kostas believe that their participation in the “Agroanelixis” program helped them significantly in organizing their idea while at the same time it made them accelerate all the necessary procedures so that the idea could be turned into a product.

Although they say they have long discussed the need to create a “smart” trap, the fact that they both worked in more than one job was certainly holding them back. So, the trap remained just an idea as Kostas tells me, until the first lockdown took place, last March 2020. During a walk, Kostas turned on his cell phone and there, noticed a post on social media about an innovation program. “When I saw it, my first move was to send it to Giannis. “Before I hit the send button on my phone, I realized that at the exact same moment, Giannis had sent me the same thing”, Kostas tells me laughing. “We both thought, this is destined to happen.”

From June 2020, their journey at the “Agroanelixis” program started. The program lasted 4 months and on October 12, 2020, they found themselves among the 4 winners of the innovative program.

“An innovative, but somehow chaotic in its first form idea, found its way through the competition”, Giannis tells me, adding that “we saw that all this could be done, it had perspective. At the same time, we met mentors who gave us a lot of things and still continue to guide us even after the end of the competition and we really thank them for that “.

“We wanted through our idea to solve an existing problem,” says Kostas. “Through the program we were able to organize our ideas and transform them into a product,” he adds. “For example, Mr. Kontaxakis, one of our mentors, helps us organize our thoughts and see our path clearly. All our mentors, such as Mr. Peroulakis who gives us valuable information about how the market is moving and the necessary actions we need to take to grow, are valuable to us. “

As they both mention, the prizes they won from their participation and their win in the “Agroanelixis”, not only the monetary prize but also the mentoring for one year, are for them not only important but also necessary for the development and promotion of their product.

Next day for smart plant protection

The product of the Atallos project clearly shows the necessity for precision farming systems and at the same time, for the reduction of the environmental footprint, both through the reduction of unnecessary transportation made by farmers and through the reduction of unnecessary spraying. Using the Atallos system, sprays can now be very targeted. “Because of climate change, you cannot predict how things will develop each year. The need for early warning producers by using the latest technology, is now crucial “, says Giannis, adding that “Our device has multiple benefits. Economic benefits for the producer, quality benefits for the consumer, commercial benefits for the whole industry but also environmental ones for the protection of the planet “.

Their goal is soon to proceed with a strong market crash test in producer groups and its inclusion in the upcoming improvement plans. “The product is ready; the first devices can be given directly to olive growers. In fact, now, we are examining the pilot use of the product in collaboration with regions that want integrated plant protection “, says Kostas. In the first phase, they aim at individual sales to farmers, producers and cooperatives in the olive growing sector and then, they plan to expand the product to other productions, such as citrus and cherry production. As Giannis states, “We will start from Crete as it can give us a lot of data about the functionality of the product but also because it is a place rich in olives. In our next steps, of course, will be the exports of the product to the rest of Europe “.

Closing our talk, Kostas wanted to emphasize once again the need that has emerged more and more in recent years, to invest in the field of intelligent agriculture. “Unfortunately, the agri-food sector is the last to adopt technology and we have to change that,” he told me. “I believe it is our duty to help cultivate the spirit of adopting the use of technology in agricultural production.”

 

Having a talk with Anna-Maria, beneficiary of the “Regeneration Academy for Food Innovation” program 

Anna-Maria Rebholz, food technologist, participated in the Regeneration Academy for Food Innovation, an innovative program implemented by the “New Agriculture New Generation” organization in collaboration with Regeneration Greece. I had the opportunity to get to know her a little better while she shared with me the experiences she gained from her participation in the competition.

For Anna-Maria, it seems that the stars have aligned for her so that she can do exactly what she wanted, exactly where she wanted it. She managed to find a job at Mani, the region where she currently lives, in the company Mani Blauel, which produces and exports olive oil and olives mainly in foreign countries. Anna-Maria has completed the food technology department of the Perrotis college of the American School of Agriculture and is currently on a scholarship in the 2nd year of her master’s degree in New Food Product and Business, at the same university.
Her father is from Germany while her mother is from Greece. Her two parents met when her mother did her PhD in England and have been inseparable ever since.

Anna-Maria is the eldest of 6 brothers and says she is very lucky to belong to such a large family! Now, she lives with her family in western Mani, where her mother comes from, in a mountain village called Exochori. But they did not always live there. In fact, her family has traveled and stayed in many parts of the world. First, they lived in Germany, while before coming permanently to Greece 8 years ago, they had lived in Cyprus for another 8 years. “I was born in England, then we moved to Germany where I lived for some years and then I did elementary and high school in Cyprus. After that, we came here, to Greece “, says Anna-Maria while adding that” My father always liked Mani. It was his dream at some point to come and live here permanently.” Mechanical engineer by profession, her father is a professor at the University of Cyprus. So, he travels from Cyprus to Mani and back regularly.

After finishing school, Anna-Maria left Mani for a short time and went to Thessaloniki to study. About a year ago she returned to Mani. “My mother and I have been in the village most of the time. Three of my brothers are currently in Athens for studies while my two younger sisters are still living here with us in the village as they are still going to school,” she tells me.

I asked Anna-Maria how it feels, after having lived in Germany and Cyprus for so long to live in a village in Mani. “In Cyprus, the truth is that I didn’t quite feel likeI was part of the team, I was always the Greek girl”, she tells me laughing. “However, it was a big change to live in a village, after being used to life in the city, doing more activities, etc. But I feel good, I love this place “.

So, shortly after her return to Mani, “Mani Blauel” company contacted her and invited her for an interview. “The day after the interview, I went to work!” she tells me looking very happy.

 

Her participation in the Regeneration Academy for Food Innovation program

Shortly before starting to work for the company Mani Blauel, Anna-Maria participated in the Regeneration Academy for Food Innovation program implemented by the organization New Agriculture New Generation in collaboration with Regeneration Greece.

“Our university teacher, Dr. “Kiki Zenoviadou proposed this program as a great opportunity and so, many of us decided to apply to participate,” she says. She also thinks that the process of evaluating the participants seemed very special to her as they were asked to go through various stages of evaluation. “I could immediately see the consistency and the careful handling of the whole program,” she says, adding that “Seeing the program description, and the terms “innovation” and “new product design”, I knew this program was for me. After all, this is exactly what interests me professionally “.

Anna-Maria saw her participation as a challenge. Her main goal was to gain knowledge and experience. Unfortunately due to the covid-19 pandemic they couldn’t meet in person for more than 2 weeks while the rest of the lessons were implemented online. But she was very happy with the whole outcome. “Fortunately, we had the opportunity to meet with each other before going all virtual, so we knew who we were addressing, that was nice,” she tells me.

“There were several lessons which, although online, were quite interactive and gave us the opportunity to talk to each other,” says Anna-Maria, adding that the environment was very friendly. I was very impressed that all the beneficiaries had a strong curriculum and so, I was glad to be among those who were selected, next to so many young people with excellent ideas and knowledge on the subject”.

Anna-Maria believes the greatest benefit from her participation in the Regeneration Academy for Food Innovation program is meeting and networking with people in her circle. As she says, “I listened to their experiences, I learned how the agri-food industry works from within, both from my colleagues and from the trainers. When you are a student, you have no idea of the working reality, so for me this was a good preparation to enter the real world having acquired some additional knowledge that I found quite useful”.

 

Her work at Mani Blauel and her future plans

Anna-Maria works in the quality control department and in the chemist section of Mani Blauel. Mani Blauel is a company with a history of 40 years in Greece. It was founded by the Austrian Friedrich Blauel who after visiting Greece was enchanted by the olives and the olive oil and realized the enormous value that they have. Olives and olive oil are currently exported to foreign countries, such as Germany or Austria and England with most products being organic and traded through fair trade.

When talking about her work at Mani Blauel, Anna-Maria sounds happy and excited. “In the company we don’t believe that we just sell a product to the consumer, we consider that we produce it with the goal of sharing it with him”, she tells me. “There is so much attention and love in all the products we make that I would never have imagined.”

Of course, her knowledge of the German language was a great asset as she uses them daily in her work in the company. So, it seems once again that for Anna-Maria it is as if everything has fallen into place so that at some point in her life, she can find employment in an object she loves, in a place she loves and in a company she respects.

Her immediate goal is to complete her master’s degree, with the support of the Mani Blauel company. As Anna-Maria tells me, “What I like and appreciate very much in the company is that they push us in order to evolve and grow, both as people and professionally “. Now that she is better acquainted with the olive oil sector, it seems that it was love at first sight. As a next step, she considers on training on organoleptic control.

Before we say goodbye, Anna-Maria quotes “I love both olives and olive oil very much! I believe that it is something that our generation has not realized how valuable it is, how great a treasure it is and how we can use it and highlight it. I hope I can contribute to the promotion of this Greek treasure! “

 

Nanoplasmas: The story

Nanoplasmas is an innovative company. By using the latest technology, plasma nanotechnology, creates diagnostic methods to detect bacteria and viruses. Being one of the few Greek companies that offer diagnostics developed and manufactured in Greece, their product managed to win the 1st place in the Trophy-Τροφή Challenge competition, under the Food-Tech Startups category, implemented by the “New Agriculture New Generation” organization, presenting effective diagnostic methods for pathogens, both in water and in food.

I had the opportunity to talk to Kosmas Ellinas, a founding member of the Nanoplasmas team and to get to know a little better both the team and the philosophy behind an admittedly very useful product for the agri-food industry.

Kosmas may have been born in Athens, but he spent his childhood years travelling around Greece as his father was in the military service and had to travel regularly. He has studied physics and as he says, he has always been a science child. Then, he chose to do his master’s degree in Microelectronics, and through that, he was able to work for the National Center for Research in Natural Sciences “Demokritos”. As he tells me, “For all physicists, Demokritos is a unique place. When I was young, I considered it a dream to be able to work in such an important research center.” While he adds that “after all, in the environment of Demokritos, I had the opportunity to meet the co-founders of the company, some of whom in fact were my teachers, they were responsible for my master’s and doctorate degree”.

Kosmas’ doctorate was focused on the use of nanotechnology in order to improve the properties that a material can have. “Through nanotechnology, you can give materials special properties such as anti-wetting or high-wetting properties, control their optical properties and more,” he explains. So in 2016, a year after he finished his doctorate and based on the results of both his own dissertation but mainly of his colleague Dr. Katerina Tsougeni, they decided to found the company Nanoplasmas, together with their then managers, Dr. Evangelos Gongolidis and Dr. Angeliki Tserepis and two other researchers, Dr. Sotiris Kakampakos and Dr. Panagiota Petrou.

Of course, the idea already existed in their minds long ago. As early as 2013, they were announced winners presenting it in the competition “Greece Innovates!” organized by SEV in collaboration with Eurobank. Thus, they slowly began to think and envision that this idea could now be put into practice. “We started with a technology, with a research result. From this point until you reach making a product, it takes a lot of work “, Kosmas tells me and adds that “from 2013 onwards, we have taken part in various incubators and programs that have helped us a lot to develop our technology in a business idea and then into a product “.

They participated in the THEA incubator of EDEA, in the SEV program “Together at the Start!”, while they also geo a fund from the Stavros-Niarchos Foundation for Dr. Katerina Tsougeni, who is the head of the research and development department of the company, so that she can deal exclusively with Nanoplasmas and develop products related to the detection of bacteria. “And of course, we owe a lot to the innovation office of Demokritos but also to the whole ecosystem of Demokritos in general. Without them we might not be here!”, adds Kosmas.

In 2019, they managed to receive funding from the investment scheme of Uni.fund, something that enabled them to go further, to perfect their products and to begin their efforts to bring the products to market. As Kosmas characteristically says, “The fact that Uni.fund believed that a Greek company could in fact manufacture diagnostic devices was something very important for us, a great victory.”

Nanotechnology in diagnosis

I know that at Nanoplasmas, they use nanotechnology, or plasma nanotechnology. What I did not know however, is how nanotechnology works. So Cosmas comes to explain, “Plasma nanotechnology is essentially the treatment of surfaces with a gas plasma (which is the fourth state of matter and consists of free ions and electrons) so as to give them special properties. We took this technology and used it to build a new generation of improved diagnostic tests, such as rapid tests, which we now hear quite often.”

The first products they made were for the detection of salmonella and legionella bacteria mainly in water samples but also from solid surfaces. However, listening to the needs that have arisen from the recent health crisis of the new coronavirus, they created another diagnostic product. “This is a diagnostic product that can detect the presence of the covid-19 viruse on surfaces, such as air conditioners, in just half an hour, something really useful especially for companies that use air conditions almost all year round while employing a large number of workers “, Kosmas tells me.

 

Their participation in the Trophy-Τροφή Challenge

The team of Nanoplasmas, managed to win the 1st place in the Food-Tech Startups category of the Trophy-Τροφή Challenge, which was implemented for the 2nd consecutive year by the organization “New Agriculture New Generation”.

As Kosmas tells me, “Food safety is one of the areas we have dealt with particularly. After all, we have always been oriented towards the agri-food sector. Through participating in the Trophy-Τροφή Challenge, our goal was to be able to declare our involvement and our interest for the agri-food sector”, while he adds that “when I saw the announcement for the competition, I considered it an opportunity and so, I submitted our participation, of course with the company’s products that relate to the agri-food industry, such as diagnostic tests that increase food safety”. The diagnostic product presented by Nanoplasmas in the competition, quickly detects bacteria for example in fresh products or in dairy and water, something which is of course very useful in the agri-food industry.

Kosmas describes the experience of their participation with great warmth. “It was a very nice experience for all of us and very enjoyable. But beyond that, I felt that I learned new things, new concepts, and at the same time I heard new business ideas, which could even relate to ours, paving the way for possible collaborations”, he tells me while at the same time adding,” particularly important of course were also the talks we had with the mentors in the bootcamps of the competition. They make you rethink your product and your ideas and they give you tools to evolve your business.”

During our discussion he told me several times that he saw some very good ideas from many teams that participated in the competition and so, he was pleasantly surprised when it was announced that they were ultimately the winners of this category. “We think that the connections that our participation in the Trophy-Τροφή Challenge offered us are very important so that we can introduce our innovative approach of the diagnostic tests in agri-food sector. After all, these are tests that can be done in much less time, compared to the microbiological analyzes found in the market “, he tells me.

One of the prizes the team won, the money prize, was used to buy basic equipment so that they could now set up a small production unit, which could be certified in the future. As for the planned trip-prize at Rutgers University, although unfortunately due to the coronavirus pandemic it will take some time for all to be able to travel, the team is looking forward to living this unique experience. As Kosmas tells me, “Apart from the money prize, which of course is very important, we consider the trip to Rutgers University to be a great opportunity for us to showcase our idea outside Greece but also to see the practices used in a country such as America “. Furthermore, through the consulting support they received as another prize of the competition, they were able to both network and promote their product in the market as well as to expand their company sector that deals with the creation of products aimed at the agri-food industry.

 

Their plans for the future

Their immediate plans are first of all to transport the team to a larger space, so that they can manufacture a larger quantity of products and then the aim for the certification of their products so that they can sell them in the market. Nevertheless, they intend to sell their products on the world market. “We live in a world where everything is connected. Moving around countries and communicating is now easy. So, we are definitely focused on being able to sell our products in this expanded market,” says Kosmas.

After all, as he mentions, “Our products are high-tech and we consider them to have a comparative advantage over similar products, both in terms of time and quality of the analysis as well as its cost. They are definitely aimed for the whole world, not only for the Greek market”.

At the end of our discussion, Kosmas does not forget to stretch out once again the importance of all those people who contributed both to his personal development as well as to the creation and support of the idea and their company. “Many people helped me personally but also our effort as a company and they continue to do so. I consider it a very important asset, to remember those who helped you”, he says.

 

Talking with Michalis Moraitis and Konstantinos Vaiopoulos

Michalis Moraitis and Konstantinos Vaiopoulos are two restless young people with brilliant ideas. One of those ideas, won the first place in the Trophy-Τροφή Challenge competition implemented by the New Agriculture New Generation organisation, in the category Agri-Tech & Food-Tech Ideas.

While talking with them, one can see that one complements the other. Michalis is from Athens and Konstantinos is from Karditsa, but Thessaloniki brought them together.

Michalis graduated in Agriculture in Athens, majoring in Agricultural Engineering. There he got to know precision farming, or “smart farming,” firsthand, and that attracted him. Thus, after a search, he ended up at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, where he has been taking for the last 2 years his master’s degree, “Advanced computer and communication systems”. He admits that it was a difficult step for an agronomist to suddenly turn into this direction.

Konstantinos, on the other hand, found himself in Thessaloniki in 2010. There he studied at the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at the Technical University. His father is a farmer, so he knows firsthand the agricultural sector as every year he goes and helps his father in all stages of development of the plants he cultivates. A year ago, in 2019, he also started his Master’s degree, in the Department of Informatics of the same University, but this time, he chose the subject of Artificial Intelligence.

The two met as co-workers at the National Center for Research and Technological Development located at the Institute of Bioeconomics and Agrotechnology, where they have been working for the last year. In addition to their collaboration at work, the two began to hang out outside of work and discover many common interests. “When we talked, new ideas came quite easily and effortlessly. Somehow, through the conversation and from our personal concerns, the idea of CityVeg was born”, says Konstantinos. “Either we would collaborate on something like that, or in music!”, adds Michalis laughing.

 

CityVeg: 3D robotic platform for irrigation, fertilization and weed control

But what is CityVeg really and how did it come about? “The spark lit when in a conversation with Michalis, we were wondering how confident one can feel about the quality of the vegetables he consumes, since he does not know exactly how they are produced. This dispute led us to the conclusion that it is better to be able to grow these vegetables by yourself, everywhere, even in the city “says Konstantinos with Michalis adding” but how can a person do it alone when he lives in the city, works every day and his schedule does not allow him this occupation? ” That was, after all, my question.

Thus, was born the idea of creating a platform that would do this all by itself. CityVeg is a 3D robotic platform, a small construction that fits on a flower bed, has the ability to move along the entire length and width of the flower bed and applies irrigation, fertilization and herbicide procedure based on the needs of each plant.

“It’s like a big 3D printer,” Michalis explains. “It has exactly the same philosophy, it is a Cartesian robot”, adds Konstantinos. But how does it perceive the needs of each plant? As Konstantinos explains to me, CityVeg is programmed to photograph the floor plan of the flowerbed 1 to 2 times a day. These photos are sent via a WI-FI connection to special software located in the cloud, feeding a neural network that the team has trained with a variety of photos of each plant species, and thus can pinpoint exactly which plant it is. Then, Michalis adds that “having identified the plant, the software sees the coordinates in space and their size. At the same time, it receives moisture data from an independent sensor that we have installed and thus, realizes how much water each plant needs “. Using the same technology, it can recognize the need for hydro-lubrication as well as for biological pesticides.

“The great innovation of CityVeg is the accuracy it has”, Konstantinos explains to me. “Our goal is for a family to forget about going to the supermarket, to be able to cover its own needs for vegetables, while at the same time being sure that the quality is the best possible.”

 

Their participation in the Trophy-Τροφή Challenge and the victory

Wanting to develop their idea but also to finally be able to put it into practice, Konstantinos and Michalis, decided to participate in the Trophy-Τροφή Challenge competition of the New Agriculture New Generation organisation, which took place in July 2020 .

They heard about the competition through social media but also through suggestions from acquaintances, friends and colleagues who believed that the contest could offer a lot to the team, regardless of the prizes they might win. In the end, it seems that Konstantinos and Michalis feel the same, although they finally managed to get the 1st place in the Agri-Tech & Food-Tech Ideas category of the competition.

“The whole process of participating in the competition, the bootcamps, it was a very positive experience with interactivity and intense cooperation”, Konstantinos tells me while he adds that “We spoke with experienced professionals in the agri-food sector, who gave us valuable advice while at the same time, they introduced us to the world of business, something we did not know and it was one of our main goals to learn it better “.

What’s really interesting is that when they submitted their proposal for participation in the Agri-Tech & Food-Tech Ideas category, Michalis and Konstantinos were still working on the technical parts of CityVeg. But by the time they were selected they had already managed to build the prototype CityVeg, going from idea to practice. Konstantinos, who is a generally positive person, states that “I believed very much from the beginning that we would be able to win, I really believed in our idea!” And so it happened.

They tell me that the cash prize they won from the competition they intend to use it for the purchase of additional equipment. But the most important prize for them, they believe is the mentoring that will follow and they are looking forward to it, so that they can proceed to the next steps, which is both the completion of the prototype and the subsequent pilot tests in different environmental conditions, with the aim of creating a product that is ready to be released in the coming years in the markets.

Konstantinos tells me that CityVeg is aimed at middle- or high-income families, people who care about their diet and have decided to adopt a “green” lifestyle. He adds that “now with the covid-19 pandemic, many people chose local shops for their shopping and others avoided supermarkets due to overcrowding. These people can benefit from having CityVeg at home. It gives you autonomy”. Also, as it provides remote control, anyone will be able to install it even on their holiday home and monitor the process through an app.

In closing, I am pleased to see that CityVeg can serve another purpose, a social purpose, as it can be particularly useful to people with disabilities or mobility problems. “We believe that it can give these people independence, which is essential for their good quality of life. “Apart from that, however, it can also give them self-confidence, as they will be able to produce something basic for their diet, and therefore for their life”, says Konstantinos. They also told me a little secret, that they are thinking of using voice commands, for CityVeg to be even more accessible to people with disabilities.

 

Talking to Antonia Poriazi, beneficiary of the Regeneration Academy for Food Innovation program

Antonia Poriazi is a young scientist in the agri-food sector, having a deep family tradition that she dreams of developing. Antonia participated in the Regeneration Academy for Food Innovation program implemented by the non-profit organization “New Agriculture New Generation” in collaboration with ReGeneration Greece, for this very reason. We had the chance to talk and she described to me her experiences and her plans for the future.

Antonia comes from the beautiful Lemnos. She decided to study in Thessaloniki, in the “Food Technology” department of the then Alexandre Technological Educational Institute from which she graduated a year and a half ago. The reason that made her work in the agri-food sector, is the great tradition that her family has in the sector, as from 1919, her great-grandmother founded the family business “Poriazi-Lemnos Family“, which produces its own local flour of Lemnos which uses to produce various types of rusks but also local pasta, which in fact in the local dialect of Lemnos are called “thlomaria”.

“Growing up on the island, but also in a food business, I discovered that I really liked both the food part and the inspections that take place every year,” she tells me.

 

Tradition and love for the agri-food industry

After graduating and doing her internship in a biscuit industry in Diavata, she immediately started working for Unismack, a company that specializes in savory gluten free snacks and is based in Kiklis. At Unismack, where she currently works, she works in the Quality Department of the company, while at the same time he is actively involved in the development of new products.

Nevertheless, it seems that her place calls her back as she tells me that in a few weeks she will return to Lemnos to deal with the family business. Her decision to return was made very quickly. “I’m very happy with my job here at Unismack,” she tells me. “However, as a program was approved which is carried out in collaboration with our family business, “Poriazi-Lemnos Family” and the University of the Aegean, the position of food technologist emerged who will work with the University to develop new products. And that was something I did not want to lose. ” And she adds that “I feel that I would not find a more ideal moment, a more perfect situation than this, to return back to Lemnos!”

As for their family business, it is a vertical unit that deals with both the primary sector, as they have fields on the island where local varieties of wheat and barley are grown, as well as contract farming as they give the seed to the farmers and then buy crops from them. Antonia feels that it is time for her to contribute in the development of this family tradition. “Right now, we are the 4th generation, me, my sisters and my cousins who are in business. And of course, together is the 3rd generation, that of our parents “, she tells me.

 

Her participation in the Regeneration Academy for Food Innovation

Although Antonia had already found a job in the agri-food industry at the time she applied for the Regeneration Academy for Food Innovation program, she felt that the program had a lot to offer her.

So, learning about the program online, she decided to apply for her participation, which was accepted. “I know that perhaps for most people the goal of participating in this program is probably to find a job. However, reading the content of the program and seeing the renowned professionals who participated, I aimed to hear and learn things that I was sure would offer me a lot in my professional career in the future “, she tells me.

The important thing for her is that she gained a lot of knowledge, not only about food, but also about business management, supply chain processes, the promotion part and much more, she tells me. “I gained many things, such as that I met many renowned people through my participation in the program and at the same time, I met other young men and women with passion like me, with whom we exchanged views.This was something I liked very much, you do not easily find people with the same interests and the same goals “, she tells me while adding that,” the program covered a wide range of topics that I found useful from the very first moment. I used them immediately in the job I am in now and I am sure that I will need them in the future “.

The first meetings of the program were able to take place up close, with the participants having the opportunity to meet for a while, before the 2nd wave of the coronavirus pandemic broke out. The rest of the meetings, although held online, did not seem to disappoint Antonia at all. “I have to admit that our online meetings were not much different from being close together. The presentations were equally perfect and efficient “, she tells me.

Antonia claims impressed by her participation in the Regeneration Academy for Food Innovation. As she characteristically tells me, “I am absolutely happy with my participation in the program. The organization was excellent, even when the ‘New Agriculture New Generation‘ was called in such a short time to do the whole process online, the information was impeccable and the management as well.” While laughing, she adds that “Besides, I have already recommended to many of my friends to register for the next Regeneration Academy for Food Innovation!”.

 

Return to her roots and continuing the tradition

Antonia’s plans are structured and methodical, like her. Her first goal is to continue her studies through a postgraduate program, which is more oriented to the fields of organization and administration, something that will help the family business even more.

At the same time, she intends to continue the family tradition, together with her sisters and cousins. Her dream is to be able to expand the business and be able to promote their products, both inside and outside Greece. “I have a lot of ideas and a lot of love and appetite for work “she tells me, while finally adding that “I believe that in the “Poriazi-Lemnos Family” we will be able to develop new products, always made with deep love for the place and its people”.

 

Regeneration Academy for Food Innovation – Talking to Dimitris Firbas, beneficiary of the program

Talking to Dimitris Firbas, beneficiary of the Regeneration Academy for Food Innovation implemented by the New Agriculture for a New Generation program, the first thing one sees is that he really loves what he does.

Dimitris is 26 years old and comes from Xanthi. His family has 50 acres there and so, Dimitris has been dealing with them since he was a child. “I remember that together with my parents, we went to the acres and did everything together. “Slowly I started to do more and more and finally I decided to choose this as my field of work”.

And that’s what he did, and with great success I might add. Thus, he received his degree in Management of Agri-Environmental Systems from Perrotis College of the American School of Agriculture, specializing in Precision Agriculture and is currently beginning his master’s program in Sustainable Agriculture and Organic Farming at the same university.

“Precision agriculture is rising during these recent years, Greek farmers see that it is something necessary,” Dimitris tells me. But what exactly is Precision agriculture? Dimitris explains to me that, in essence, precision agriculture aims to optimize inputs to maximize production. “We use the latest technology available in Greece, such as drones and GPS systems, so that we can be more accurate and operate in a targeted way so that the farmer does not waste time and money on things that have no value.”

After graduating, Dimitris went to the USA for about 2 years, at the urging of his professor at Perrotis College, Mr. Konstantinos Rotsios. There, he had the opportunity to do his internship on a greenhouse in a nursery in Massachusetts, where he spent 14 months. He describes this practice as a unique experience. He then attended classes at the University of Minnesota for 6 months. “My way of thinking and the way I perceive many things has changed. I have gained substantial professional experience”, Dimitris tells me.

After his return in 2017, Dimitris started looking for a job in Greece and at the same time, he started to work more intensively with the family fields.

 

Participating in the Regeneration Academy for Food Innovation

In early January 2020, Dimitris discovered through a search on the website of the New Agriculture for a New Generation, the Regeneration Academy for Food Innovation program. It was immediately something that caught his attention and he decided to participate.

Besides, his participation in the Regeneration Academy for Food Innovation would mean his return to Thessaloniki, which he loves very much, so he would not miss this opportunity for anything in the world!

“Participating in the Regeneration Academy, I met people from the agri-food sector who I would probably spend many years meeting because most of them were already junior executives in companies, with a lot of experience”, Dimitris tells me and adds “talking to them, I was able to identify with the Greek reality and gain knowledge, as until then, I had not worked in Greece “.

He tells me that the seminars were highly informative in his opinion but also helpful in creating a complete picture, with professionals from across the industry. “Although the majority of the courses were done online because of the covid-19 pandemic, their quality was the same,” he adds.

Upon completion of the training, participants in the Regeneration Academy for Food Innovation get in touch with major companies in the agri-food industry. The program chose which companies the beneficiaries could work with, and in Dimitri’s case, looks like it was a match made in heaven. “I was lucky because in the first interview organized by New Agriculture for a New Generation, the second interviewer was the Human Resources Manager of the Brewery of Macedonia Thrace,” Dimitris tells me.

From that moment at the beginning of May, when the interview for his recruitment took place, he realized that his goals are like those of the Brewery of Macedonia Thrace, or as it is widely known “Vergina”. 2 weeks after the interview, at the end of May, Dimitris was hired by the Brewery of Macedonia Thrace.

As he enthusiastically tells me, “My beliefs and my mentality fit perfectly with those of Vergina company. Now, in Vergina we agronomists are dealing with the raw material, barley. Therefore, we encounter a lot of farmers engaged in contract farming, something that Vergina first brought to Greece. ” He adds that “our goal is to educate farmers. We act as agricultural advisors and guide the producer throughout the agricultural period, so that we can ensure the best possible raw material and the farmers can benefit with the highest prices and the reduction of their expenses “.

 

Regeneration Academy for Food Innovation – connecting young professionals with companies

Dimitris told me that he feels that the Regeneration Academy for Food Innovation of the New Agriculture for a New Generation program has acted as a catalyst in his professional development. “I’m not sure that if I had not participated in the program, I would have been given the opportunity to work for a company like Vergina.” He also told me that he thinks that even if he had found a job in his field, it could hardly be something that would offer him a personal fulfillment, something he has achieved through his employment in Vergina.

For him it is very important that the Regeneration Academy for Food Innovation and New Agriculture for a New Generation bring young people in contact with companies. “Companies now know what they are asking for but young people do not know how to offer it, so the Regeneration Academy helps them discover their skills and promote them properly,” he says.

Closing our discussion, Dimitris tells me proudly that “Through all this journey but also through my employment now in Vergina, I have gained experience, not only as an agronomist but also as a human being”.