Farming Future

What Farming Future does

Farming Future S.r.l. is Italy's National Technology Transfer Hub (Polo Nazionale di Trasferimento Tecnologico) for AgriFood Tech, headquartered in Rome at Via Alessandria 220. The company is anchored by CDP Venture Capital (through its Technology Transfer Fund, with over €3 billion in AUM) and operates in partnership with ToSeed & Partners, a Grosseto-based venture builder. Its mission is to identify promising agritech research from eight major Italian universities — including Federico II di Napoli, Università di Torino, Università degli Studi di Milano, Università della Tuscia, Università di Siena, Università di Padova, Università di Bari Aldo Moro, and Università di Bologna — and convert that research into investable startups.

The company operates as an investor and accelerator rather than a product vendor. It deploys capital via two primary instruments: Pre-seed/PoC investments of approximately €125,000–250,000 (typically as convertible bonds) and Seed investments of approximately €450,000–525,000 (in equity), with potential follow-on rounds. The current portfolio encompasses roughly 14–15 portfolio companies spanning gluten detection (Glutensens), agro-industrial wastewater treatment (VisioNing), precision livestock monitoring (Cynomys), in-vitro aquafeed simulation (NUTRIsim), bioethanol from agricultural waste (Agri-E), drought-resistant hydrogels for viticulture (Dewy), truffle cultivation (Tartufis), digital food safety (Biorsaf), duckweed-based animal feed (LEDA Biotech), Black Soldier Fly protein production (Kinsect), AI-powered snail farming (Snelix), synthetic peptide crop protection (PeptoFarm), breast milk fortification (HM Fortify), organic waste valorization (RethaiN), and ultrasonic fermentation optimization (Yeastime). Several portfolio technologies are patented.

The go-to-market motion is community-led and event-driven: Farming Future scouts through its Scientific Promoter university network and runs inbound call-for-action programs and the "Grow Forward" call for ideas. End-to-end support includes technical and commercial feasibility studies, company formation assistance, customized training with personal coaching, business plan development, IP management, testing and validation, and access to international commercialization networks. Returns are generated through successful portfolio company exits rather than through product or service revenue.

Name

Farming Future

Legal name

Farming Future S.r.l.

Website

https://farmingfuture.vc

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Farming Future is Italy's National Technology Transfer Hub for AgriFood Tech, investing Pre-seed (€125K–250K) and Seed (€450K–525K) capital into early-stage agritech startups spun out of eight major Italian universities, backed by CDP Venture Capital and ToSeed & Partners.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Agritech Venture Capital

SIC

Investment Advice (6282), Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731)

akta.pro primary industry

Agriculture & Food / AgTech Growth Equity (FSANACAM)

akta.pro secondary industries

Bioenergy & Industrial Biomass Crop Farming (Energy Cane, Miscanthus, Switchgrass) (AFAGAGAI), Supply Chain, Marketing & Contracting Advisory (Grain/Livestock Marketing) (AFACAJAH)

Keywords

• Agricultural technology transfer
• Agritech venture capital
• Startup incubation programs
• Early-stage investment
• Proof of concept funding

Headquarters

HQ city

Rome

HQ country

Italy

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Venture Capital Investment Returns: Farming Future operates as a technology transfer accelerator and investor in agritech startups. They provide Pre-seed/PoC investments of approximately €125,000-250,000 via convertible bonds and Seed investments of approximately €450,000-525,000 in equity. Returns are generated through successful portfolio company exits.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Farming Future is a national technology transfer hub for AgriFood Tech that invests in and incubates early-stage agritech startups developed by Italian universities and researchers. It deploys Pre-seed/PoC capital of approximately €125,000-250,000 via convertible bonds and Seed capital of approximately €450,000-525,000 in equity, and supplements capital with technological and commercial feasibility studies, company founding support, customized training, business plan development, market entry strategy, IP management, and access to international commercialization networks. Its underlying products are programs (Grow Forward call for ideas and Call for Action) and the resulting portfolio of investee agritech ventures, not standalone software or hardware sold directly.

Product overview

Farming Future is the Polo Nazionale di Trasferimento Tecnologico (National Technology Transfer Hub) for AgriFood Tech, established by CDP Venture Capital in collaboration with To Seed. Rather than operating a single product or platform, Farming Future functions as an investment and acceleration vehicle that identifies promising agritech research from Italian universities, provides Pre-seed/PoC investment (approximately 125,000 EUR) and Seed investment (approximately 525,000 EUR), and supports portfolio companies through technical incubation and business creation. The portfolio encompasses 15 startups spanning gluten detection (Glutensens), wastewater treatment (Visioning), precision livestock (Cynomys), aquafeed simulation (NUTRIsim), bioethanol production (Agri-E), drought-resistant hydrogels (Dewy), truffle cultivation (Tartufis), food safety digitalization (Biorsaf), duckweed-based protein feed (LEDA Biotech), insect protein farming (Kinsect), AI-powered snail farming (Snelix), synthetic peptide crop protection (PeptoFarm), breast milk fortification (HM Fortify), nitrogen recovery (RethaiN), and fermentation optimization (Yeastime), along with the Grow Forward call for ideas program.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Grow Forward: Call for ideas program that offers opportunities to transform agritech ideas into successful enterprises with comprehensive support including mentoring, training, networking, and access to investors.

Products and services

• Grow Forward Call for ideas program inviting agritech entrepreneurs to submit venture ideas and receive mentoring, training, networking, and access to investors through a structured application and support pathway.
• Call for Action Direct outreach program inviting scientists and entrepreneurs developing AgriFood Tech technologies to submit project proposals for evaluation and potential investment consideration by the hub.
• PoC Investment Program Pre-seed proof-of-concept investment program of approximately €125,000-250,000 provided via convertible bond to support early-stage agritech projects stemming from university research teams, with the potential for follow-on investment.
• Seed Investment Program Seed-stage investment program of approximately €450,000-525,000 in equity, available either for new portfolio companies or as follow-on investments in existing PoC portfolio companies.

Quantifiable outcome

• 30% reduction in fermentation time achieved by portfolio company Yeastime
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers15 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• ToSeed & PartnerscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerToSeed & Partners, led by entrepreneurs Luigi Galimberti and Giovanni Ferri, is a venture builder based in Grosseto, dedicated to transforming the potential of Italian research into agritech innovation and market opportunities. Within Farming Future, ToSeed plays a crucial role in identifying promising startups through extensive scouting, facilitating investments, and constantly monitoring progress.
• Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico IIcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFounded by Emperor Frederick II in 1224, it is the oldest public secular institution in Europe and one of Italy's most prestigious universities with 80,000 students, 26 departments, and 56 research centers including PRISMA Lab (robotics) and ICAROS Center (computer/robot-assisted surgery). Lead scientific promoter of Farming Future.
• Università di TorinocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAmong Italy's most prestigious academic institutions with approximately 120 locations across seven main campuses, high-level scientific research, and cutting-edge teaching. Ranked third among mega-universities in Italy and first for Third Mission, with approximately 79,000 students annually and 3,900 staff. Handles over 500 projects per year.
• Università degli Studi di MilanocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAmong Italy's top universities for research infrastructure and human capital investments. With 32 Departments, 62 Coordinated Research Centers, over 13,000 enrolled students in 2021-22, and more than 900 researchers, the University of Milan is a national reference for research in biotechnology and life sciences.
• Università della TusciacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFounded in Viterbo in 1979, has rapidly developed into a consolidated cultural reference point with educational offerings combining attention to territory with broad international scope. Six departments offer 23 bachelor's degrees, 25 master's degrees, 2 single-cycle master's degrees, 7 doctoral programs, and a partnership with Italian Armed Forces.
• Università di SienacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFounded in 1240 with Schools of Medicine and Law, it is one of the oldest and most prestigious Italian and European universities. Ranked second overall among Italian state universities in the Censis-Repubblica ranking. Leads in research quality relative to size according to ANVUR's Quality of Research evaluation.
• Università degli Studi di PadovacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOne of Europe's oldest and most prestigious universities, founded in 1222. Today a large multidisciplinary university focused on professional training with solid cultural foundations, many courses in English, and strong commitment to innovative and inclusive teaching. Promotes sustainable development in economic growth, inclusion, gender equality, and environmental protection.
• Università di Bari Aldo MorocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerItalian state university in Bari with 23 departments and two specialty schools including Medicine and Science and Technology. Notably committed to internationalization in scientific relations with numerous agreements with European, American, and Chinese universities. Also founder of Tecnopolis-CSATA Novus Ortus Science and Technology Park.
• Università Alma Mater Studiorum di BolognacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOne of the world's oldest universities with origins indicating it as the first university in the Western world. Its history intertwines with great figures in science and literature and is an essential reference in European culture.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Fall Line Capital: Fall Line Capital is an early-stage agricultural technology fund focused on applied science from research institutions. It mirrors Farming Future's agritech seed and Series A model, originating from university IP and partnering with growers, but is regionally focused on the US Midwest.
• Cultivian Sandbox Ventures: Cultivian Sandbox is a venture fund focused on foodtech and AgriFood Tech investments across the entire value chain. It shares Farming Future's science-derived agritech thesis and early-/growth-stage deployment model, although operating primarily in North America.
• Finistere Ventures: Finistere Ventures is an early-stage agritech and foodtech investor with a portfolio model and science-driven thesis similar to Farming Future's approach of university spin-out origination. Both firms deploy seed and growth equity into applied agriculture and biotech startups emerging from research institutions.
• Galaxia: Galaxia is Italy's National Technology Transfer Hub for Aerospace, also backed by CDP Venture Capital and structured as a sister polo to Farming Future. Both organizations share the same anchor investor, university scouting model, ToSeed partnership structure, and national mandate, making Galaxia the closest operational and structural peer.
• EIT Food: EIT Food is a pan-European agritech partnership that accelerates and invests in early-stage food and AgriFood Tech startups through programs such as the EIT Food Accelerator Network. It overlaps directly with Farming Future's mission of funding science-driven agritech startups, but operates continent-wide rather than within a single national footprint.
• Anterra Capital: Anterra Capital is a growth-equity VC focused on AgriFood Tech and animal health with offices in Amsterdam and Boston. It is directly comparable as a specialized AgTech investor backing science-driven and digital agriculture companies, though operating from a later-stage and more international base than Farming Future.
• S2G Ventures: S2G Ventures is a leading AgriFood Tech investor backing entrepreneurs tackling food system sustainability across multiple verticals. It mirrors Farming Future's diversified-verticals agritech thesis at larger check sizes and with a US/global remit.

Broad incumbents

• Syngenta Ventures: Syngenta Group Ventures invests in early- and growth-stage companies working on crop protection, digital agriculture, and sustainability. It is comparable to Farming Future as a major agritech investor but operates globally and as part of one of the world's largest crop-input incumbents rather than as an academic spin-out specialist.
• Leaps by Bayer (Bayer Growth Ventures): Leaps by Bayer is Bayer's venture arm investing in breakthrough technologies in health and agriculture. As a large incumbent corporate VC in the agritech space, it overlaps directly with Farming Future's target sectors (crop science, livestock, biotech) but invests across all stages and globally rather than through a single national hub.

Regional players

• Intesa Sanpaolo Innovation Center: Intesa Sanpaolo Innovation Center runs Italian startup acceleration programs and serves as an innovation gateway through partnerships with corporates and research institutions. It is comparable to Farming Future as an Italian institutional innovation hub but operates more broadly across multiple industries and is not specialized in agritech.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments10 records

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Farming Future