Agrotecnio - Fundació Centre de Recerca en Agrotecnologia

What Agrotecnio - Fundació Centre de Recerca en Agrotecnologia does

Agrotecnio — Fundació Centre de Recerca en Agrotecnologia is a privately held, non-profit research foundation established in 2013 and headquartered on the University of Lleida campus in Catalonia, Spain. The centre conducts interdisciplinary agrifood research spanning the entire food chain from seed to plate, organised across five research areas: Environmental Sciences, Agronomic Sciences, Animal Sciences, Food Sciences, and — as of 2025 — Agrifood Law. With more than 160 researchers and investigators and approximately 200 scientific publications per year, Agrotecnio applies capabilities including drone-based remote sensing for precision agriculture, high-pressure food processing, nano-encapsulation of bioactive compounds, genomic selection, and conservation agronomy to address crop disease, animal welfare, food safety, and sustainability challenges.

The foundation generates revenue primarily through competitive research grants from Spanish national agencies (Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities; AEI), European programmes (Horizon Europe, FEDER, Next Generation EU, COST), regional bodies (AGAUR, CERCA), and international sources (DARPA). It supplements grant funding with scientific and technical consulting services delivered to companies and organisations across agrifood, dairy, forestry, and biomedical sectors. Service fees are negotiated project-by-project rather than publicly disclosed, and technology transfer occurs through sector partnerships (e.g., FerMilk with IRTA and Llet Nostra), joint funding calls (AgroHealth with IRBLleida), and direct engagement with research groups.

Agrotecnio is embedded in Catalonia's CERCA research centre network and operates as the agrifood arm of the University of Lleida, with deep collaborative ties to IRTA, IRBLleida, CSIC, Parc Agrobiotech, and the Diputació de Lleida. Its customer base spans agricultural producers and cooperatives, dairy and livestock enterprises, food processors, forestry organisations, government bodies, and biomedical researchers; recurring programmes such as Breakfast4Inno and the AgroHealth call function as both dissemination channels and partnership-building platforms. The centre has not raised venture capital, completed acquisitions, or commercialised consumer products — its growth model is anchored in expanding grant capture, deepening sector partnerships, and broadening its interdisciplinary research portfolio.

Name

Agrotecnio - Fundació Centre de Recerca en Agrotecnologia

Legal name

Fundació Centre de Recerca en Agrotecnologia

Website

https://agrotecnio.org

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Agrotecnio is a non-profit Catalan research foundation conducting interdisciplinary agrifood science — from crop production to food processing — through 160+ researchers, funded primarily by competitive public grants and supplemented by scientific consulting services to agricultural, dairy, food, forestry, and biomedical sector clients.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Agricultural Research Services

NAICS

Research and Development in Biotechnology (except Nanobiotechnology) (541714), Support Activities for Animal Production (11521)

SIC

Agricultural Services (700), Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731)

akta.pro primary industry

Yield Optimization & Crop Performance Consulting (AFACABAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Nutrient Management Planning & Fertility Programs (AFACABAB), Carbon, Sustainability & Farm Certification Support (Agro-Environmental Advisory) (AFACABAL), Livestock & Poultry Nutrition (Feed & Premixes) (HLAMAHAD)

Keywords

• Agricultural research services
• Precision agriculture
• Food science research
• Agrifood consulting
• Animal science research

Headquarters

HQ city

Lleida

HQ country

Spain

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Competitive Research Funding: Agrotecnio operates primarily as a publicly funded research centre receiving competitive grants from national agencies (Spanish Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities; AEI), European funding (Horizon Europe, FEDER, Next Generation EU, COST), regional bodies (AGAUR, CERCA), and international sources (DARPA). The centre also launches its own competitive project calls in collaboration with partner institutions.
2. Scientific and Technical Services: The centre generates revenue through scientific and technical consulting services provided to companies and organisations, offering specialised techniques, professional advice, technology training, and decision-making support in the agrifood sector, using state-of-the-art equipment and qualified personnel.
3. Own Project Calls and Co-development: Agrotecnio promotes its own calls for collaborative projects with UdL and other research centres such as IRBLleida, IRTA, and the UdL Department of Law. These competitive calls, with external evaluation committees, fund interdisciplinary research collaborations.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Agrotecnio is a non-profit research foundation that conducts interdisciplinary agrifood research across five areas (Environmental Sciences, Agronomic Sciences, Animal Sciences, Food Sciences, and Agrifood Law) and delivers scientific and technical services to companies and organisations. Its sellable offerings include a drone-based remote sensing service for precision agriculture, specialist consulting and analytical services (soil analysis, food processing optimisation, bioactive compound analysis, mycotoxin determination, shelf life testing), and competitive research projects delivered through co-development partnerships.

Product overview

Agrotecnio is a research center that offers a combination of scientific and technical services, research funding programs, and knowledge-sharing events. The core offerings include a Drone-Based Remote Sensing Service for precision agriculture, the Breakfast4inno monthly innovation event series, the Agrohealth collaborative research funding call, an active portfolio of competitive research projects (AfroGrow, AgrifoodTef, Camelina, Cosmos, etc.), and comprehensive scientific and technical services spanning environmental sciences, agronomy, animal science, and food technology.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Scientific and Technical Services Comprehensive range of consulting, analytical, and technical services covering precision agriculture, silvicultural management, agronomic advice, soil and plant analysis, greenhouse gas analysis, crop quality assessment, varietal purity determination, LiDAR-based 3D crop mapping, weed seedling identification, livestock farm management, reproductive monitoring, genetic evaluation, food process optimisation, bioactive compound analysis, mycotoxin determination, and shelf life testing. Delivered to companies, organisations, and administrations in the agrifood sector.
• Drone-Based Remote Sensing Service In-house precision agriculture service using UAV drones for high-resolution imaging to support crop monitoring, disease detection, and experimental trial assessment. Delivered to agricultural producers, researchers, and cooperatives.
• Active Research Projects Portfolio Competitive research projects portfolio addressing the agrifood value chain through interdisciplinary collaboration between Agrotecnio research groups and external partners.
• AgroHealth Call for Proposals Joint funding initiative by Agrotecnio and IRBLleida supporting collaborative research projects at the intersection of agriculture, food, nutrition, and health, with three proposals of €45,000 each.
• Breakfast4Inno Innovation Sessions Monthly innovation breakfast sessions connecting researchers, companies, administrations, and citizens to share projects, challenges, and solutions for the agrifood sector.

Quantifiable outcome

• Approximate 40% bioaccessibility of curcumin achieved when incorporated in solid lipid nanoparticles with cloudy apple juice, compared to lower rates in water-based formulations
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers12 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability5 records

Feature6 records

Partnerships

16 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• IRTA (Institut de Recerca i Tecnologia Agroalimentàries)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 4 June 2026Agrotecnio collaborates with IRTA on the FerMilk project to transform bovine transition milk into functional foods for human and animal nutrition. IRTA's Programme of Ruminant Production contributes expertise in dairy science and animal nutrition, including studies on bioactive compounds in transition milk and calf feeding strategies.
• Llet Nostra Alimentària SLcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 4 June 2026Llet Nostra is the active sector partner in the FerMilk project, providing industry perspective and facilitating the transfer of research results to market. The collaboration aims to develop new functional foods from bovine transition milk and create economic opportunities for the dairy sector.
• IRBLleida (Institut de Recerca Biomèdica de Lleida)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 26 May 2026Agrotecnio and IRBLleida jointly launch the AgroHealth calls for collaborative research projects bridging agrifood and biomedical research. The 2026 call (third edition) has a total budget of 135,000 euros funding three projects over two years. Prior editions in 2022 and 2024 produced projects on barley chemopreventive effects, natural microbicides from rice, and antitumour edible nanostructures.
• Diputació de LleidacoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2026From 2026, the Diputació de Lleida joins Agrotecnio and Parc Agrobiotech as a co-organiser of the Breakfast4Inno innovation sessions, extending the reach of these events beyond Parc Agrobiotech to other locations in the Lleida territory such as Tremp.
• Parc Agrobiotech LleidacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Parc Agrobiotech Lleida co-organises the Breakfast4Inno monthly innovation sessions with Agrotecnio since 2024. The initiative connects researchers, companies, administrations, and citizens to promote agrifood innovation and disseminate research results from Agrotecnio, UdL, and other entities.
• CSIC (Consell Superior d'Investigacions Científiques)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearchers from CSIC institutions, including the Estación Experimental de Aula Dei (CSIC), collaborate with Agrotecnio researchers on shared projects such as the Multi-Trait Wheat Security (P16140) and Mercedes (PID2023-149687OR-C32) projects focused on wheat disease resistance and agronomic improvement.
• Cooperativa Cereals TerolminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCooperativa Cereals Terol collaborated on a field day in El Pobo (Teruel) on wheat rust research, including drone demonstrations for crop monitoring. The cooperative also collaborated on the technical workshop on conservation agriculture and intensive dairy production.
• Caixa Rural de TerolminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCaixa Rural de Terol participated in the field day on wheat disease research in El Pobo (Teruel), contributing to knowledge exchange between researchers, technicians, and farmers on wheat rust management and drone-based crop monitoring.
• Govern d'Aragó - Centre de Sanitat i Certificació VegetalminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTechnical staff from the Centre for Plant Health and Certification of the Government of Aragon participated in the wheat disease field day, contributing expertise on plant health regulations and phytosanitary certification.
• FERTIPLANminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFERTIPLAN co-organised the technical workshop on conservation agriculture and intensive dairy production in the Ebro Valley, presenting experiences with new maize planting frameworks and conservation agriculture techniques.
• CITA AragóminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCITA Aragó coordinates the FETALNUT project with Agrotecnio researchers, focused on identifying hydroxytyrosol as an effective strategy to reduce effects of maternal undernutrition in beef cattle.
• IFAPA (Institut de Recerca i Formació Agrària i Pesquera d'Andalusia)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerIFAPA collaborated with Agrotecnio's Animal Management and Reproduction group on a study awarded second prize at the XXVIII International Congress on Bovine Medicine, addressing strategic hCG administration in dairy cows under heat stress.
• Associació de Productors d'Oli del PallarsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Association of Pallars Olive Oil Producers participated in the Breakfast4Inno session dedicated to the potential of Pallars olive oils, sharing knowledge about local varieties and contributing to the recovery of the region's olive heritage.
• Gust de LleidaminorGTM or Marketing PartnerGust de Lleida, the agrifood brand of the Diputació de Lleida, collaborated on the Breakfast4Inno session on Pallars olive oils, contributing to connect research, local production, and territorial promotion.
• University of Lleida (UdL)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe University of Lleida is the primary institutional partner, hosting Agrotecnio's headquarters on its campus and providing administrative infrastructure, academic staff, and official scientific and technical services. Agrotecnio research groups are embedded within UdL departments.
• CERCA (Centres de Recerca de Catalunya)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAgrotecnio is a CERCA centre, part of Catalonia's network of research centres. Through CERCA, the centre participates in transformative agreements for open publication of research results and benefits from shared strategic initiatives.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• John Innes Centre: UK-based independent research centre in plant science and microbiology with strong competitive grant capture and publication output. Comparable in the publicly funded, publication-driven agriscience research model, though narrower in disciplinary scope.
• CSIC (Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas): Spain's largest public research institution covering natural and social sciences, including Estación Experimental de Aula Dei which collaborates with Agrotecnio on wheat research. Comparable as a publicly funded Spanish research body, though much broader in scope than Agrotecnio's agrifood focus.
• Wageningen University & Research: Global leader in agrifood and life sciences research with a similar interdisciplinary seed-to-plate model covering plant, animal, food, and environmental sciences. Comparable in research breadth and structure, but operates at a vastly larger scale and with stronger international industry engagement.
• INRAE (Institut National de Recherche pour l'Agriculture, l'Alimentation et l'Environnement): France's national agrifood and environment research institute with a multidisciplinary model covering crops, livestock, food processing, and environmental sciences. Comparable as a publicly funded interdisciplinary agrifood research organisation, though at much larger scale.

Regional players

• CITA Aragón (Centro de Investigación y Tecnología Agroalimentaria de Aragón): Aragón's regional agrifood research centre with programmes in plant genetics, animal production, and food quality. Directly comparable to Agrotecnio's agronomic, animal, and food science pillars, and listed as a co-collaborator on the FETALNUT project.
• IFAPA (Instituto Andaluz de Investigación y Formación Agraria, Pesquera, Alimentaria y de la Producción Ecológica): Andalusia's regional agrifood research and training institute covering crops, livestock, and food technology. Comparable as a Spanish regional public agrifood research body with applied-research orientation and competitive grant funding, but operating in a different geography.

Others

• University of Lleida (UdL): Host institution of Agrotecnio, providing academic staff, administrative infrastructure, and official scientific and technical services delivery. Comparable as the institutional backbone Agrotecnio operates within, though primarily an academic university rather than a focused research centre.

Emerging players

• IRBLleida (Institut de Recerca Biomèdica de Lleida): Lleida-based biomedical research institute and Agrotecnio's joint partner on the AgroHealth programme bridging agrifood and biomedical research. Comparable as a publicly funded regional research centre with a different core domain (biomedical) but overlapping institutional ecosystem.
• Agricultural Research Organization (ARO / Volcani Institute): Israel's national agricultural research organisation covering plant science, animal science, and food technology. Comparable in the interdisciplinary agrifood research model, but operating with a national security and export-oriented mandate rather than regional focus.

Direct peers

• IRTA (Institut de Recerca i Tecnologia Agroalimentàries): Catalonia-based public agrifood research institute covering crop, animal, and food sciences with industry-facing technology transfer. Directly comparable as a publicly funded Spanish agrifood research centre with overlapping livestock, food processing, and plant science programmes.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/agrotecnio

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles15 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Agrotecnio - Fundació Centre de Recerca en Agrotecnologia