GreenTechLab

What GreenTechLab does

GreenTechLab is a multidisciplinary applied research lab operating within Fontys Hogescholen (Fontys University of Applied Sciences), a publicly funded Dutch university of applied sciences. Located in Venlo in the Noord-Limburg agricultural region of the Netherlands, the lab operates under the "Smart Sustainable Solutions" research line and was founded around 2014 with a current core team of six researchers and project leaders. Its mandate is to bring together students, teachers, researchers, and regional industry partners to develop applied high-tech solutions for the agricultural and food processing sectors, addressing labor shortages, pesticide reduction, and post-harvest processing inefficiency.

The lab's portfolio centers on robotics, computer vision, digital twin simulation, and sensor-based monitoring. Active research projects include the Appelplukrobot (apple picking robot developed with RIWO, Munckhof Fruit Tech Innovators, WUR, and Saxion), the Scarecrow crop-protection system, the AI- and digital-twin-powered Broccoli Verwerkingslijn (with Belgian partner VIVES), the Flex inleg en verpakking automated bread packaging line, an AI-powered weed control robot, and a sensor-based air quality (PM10) monitoring initiative. Underlying technical competencies span mechatronics, mechanical engineering, software development, process technology, and industrial product design, with AI, robotics, digital twins, and sensor systems as the headline enabling technologies.

The lab does not operate as a commercial enterprise. It has no commercial pricing, generates no product revenue, and distributes outputs through collaborative applied research projects, student internships, graduation assignments, and the AI-systems and A-systems minor programs rather than through product sales. Operations are funded through Fontys institutional research budgets and project-based grants, including the flagship-tier Interreg Smart Farming & Food Processing European program. Customers are therefore regional industry and business partners in the agricultural and food processing sectors, alongside Fontys students who participate via minors and project-based learning. Parent entity is Fontys Hogescholen, a Dutch state-funded higher education institution.

Name

GreenTechLab

Legal name

Fontys GreenTechLab

Website

https://greentechlab.nl

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

GreenTechLab is Fontys Hogescholen's Venlo-based multidisciplinary applied research lab developing AI, robotics, and digital-twin solutions for the regional agricultural and food processing sectors via student-led projects and industry partnerships.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Applied Agricultural Technology Research

NAICS

Computer Training (611420), Computer Systems Design and Related Services (54151)

SIC

Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731)

akta.pro primary industry

STEM Project-Based Learning (PBL) & Challenge Platforms (EDAFANAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

STEM & Maker Education (Makerspaces, Coding Clubs, Robotics) (EDAAAFAL), IoT, Sensors & Embedded Systems (Arduino/Raspberry Pi) Programs (EDAMADAI), STEM, Digital Literacy & Maker Education Nonprofits (BPAGADAG)

Keywords

• Agricultural robotics
• AI sorting systems
• Digital twin technology
• Applied research services
• Food processing automation

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Infrastructure

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

GreenTechLab is an applied multidisciplinary research facility that develops AI-, robotics-, and digital-twin-based prototypes and solutions for the agricultural and food processing sectors. Its deliverables include named research projects such as the Appelplukrobot, Scarecrow, Broccoli Verwerkingslijn, and Flex inleg en verpakking, alongside Air Quality Monitoring with sensors for PM10 fine dust mapping. Outputs are produced collaboratively with industry partners and embedded in Fontys educational programs (AI-systems and A-systems Minors) that give students hands-on involvement in real industry challenges.

Product overview

GreenTechLab is Fontys Hogescholen's multidisciplinary research initiative focused on Smart Sustainable Solutions, bringing together students, teachers, researchers, and industry partners at the Venlo campus. The initiative encompasses multiple ongoing research projects including the Appelplukrobot (apple picking robot), Scarecrow (modern crop protection), Flex inleg en verpakking (automated bread packaging), and Broccoli Verwerkingslijn (AI-powered broccoli sorting). These projects are supported by educational programs including the AI-systems Minor and A-systems Minor, which provide students hands-on experience working on real-world sustainability and high-tech challenges for regional businesses.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Appelplukrobot An apple picking robot project to improve efficiency and productivity in fruit cultivation through automation, targeting the Dutch and European horticulture sector.
• Scarecrow A modern scarecrow system using advanced methods to deter birds and other animals from damaging crops in vegetable and fruit cultivation.
• Flex inleg en verpakking Research into bread packaging solutions that eliminate the need for human contact during the packaging process, developed for the bread and bakery automation sector.
• Broccoli Verwerkingslijn An automated sorting solution for broccoli plants after harvesting using AI and digital twin technology for efficient processing, developed in collaboration with VIVES (Belgium).
• AI-systems Minor An exchange/minor program under the High-Tech AI Solutions theme where students work on real-world industry challenges related to sustainability and technology through GreenTechLab projects.
• A-systems Minor A High-Tech Agricultural Solutions minor where students tackle sustainability and high-tech questions for regional companies through GreenTechLab projects.

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability6 records

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and minor.

• RIWOcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration partner in the development of the apple picking robot (Appelplukrobot). RIWO worked with GreenTechLab, Munckhof Fruit Tech Innovators, WUR, and Saxion to develop the first prototype of the groundbreaking apple robot.
• Munckhof Fruit Tech InnovatorscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMunckhof Fruit Tech Innovators collaborated with GreenTechLab and other partners (RIWO, WUR, Saxion) on developing the apple picking robot prototype for the fruit cultivation sector.
• WUR (Wageningen University & Research)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic research partner collaborating with GreenTechLab on the apple picking robot development project. WUR brings agricultural research expertise to the partnership.
• SaxioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner university of applied sciences collaborating with GreenTechLab on the apple picking robot development. Saxion brings additional research capacity and expertise.
• VIVEScoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerVIVES (a university of applied sciences in Belgium) partnered with GreenTechLab on the broccoli sorting project using AI and digital twins. VIVES contributes to the cross-border innovation collaboration.
• Interreg Smart Farming & Food ProcessingflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerGreenTechLab is a supporting knowledge partner in the Interreg Smart Farming & Food Processing European program. This flagship program promotes innovation in the agricultural and food processing sectors and involves three major innovation projects: Broccoli Verschuren, ScareCrow, and BioBakkerij De Trog.
• Gilde Opleidingen VenlominorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEducational partner collaborating with GreenTechLab and De Eker on the cork recycling project to preserve valuable cork from bottle corks.
• De EkerminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCork processing partner working with GreenTechLab and Gilde Opleidingen Venlo on an innovative project to preserve and recycle cork from bottle corks.

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• IMEC: Leading European R&D center in nanoelectronics, AI, and digital twins. IMEC overlaps with GreenTechLab's AI and digital-twin technology stack but at vastly larger scale and broader scope, serving as a relevant broader-incumbent reference point.
• TNO: The Netherlands' main applied-research organization. TNO operates at much larger scale across agritech, robotics, and AI, and represents the broader incumbent ecosystem of Dutch public research that GreenTechLab operates within.

Direct peers

• VIVES University of Applied Sciences: Belgian hogeschool collaborating with GreenTechLab on the AI broccoli-sorting project. VIVES operates the same practice-based research model targeting regional SMEs and shares comparable educational programs and cross-border agritech research scope.
• Saxion University of Applied Sciences: Dutch hogeschool partner on the apple-picking robot. Saxion runs comparable applied-research labs with industry partners and similar mechatronics/AI project portfolios, making it a like-for-like peer in structure and scale.
• Octinion: Belgian/Dutch agritech that built a strawberry-picking robot. Geographically and technologically adjacent to GreenTechLab's apple-picking robot and Belgian partners, with similar robotic soft-fruit automation ambitions.
• Ecorobotix: Swiss developer of AI-powered weeding robots targeting exactly the same pesticide-reduction use case as GreenTechLab's weed-control robot, with a commercially deployed product line in fruit and vegetable crops.
• Naio Technologies: French agricultural robotics company specializing in weeding and crop-maintenance robots. Direct overlap with GreenTechLab's AI weed-control robot project and similar positioning around reducing chemical herbicide use.
• Saga Robotics: Norwegian agricultural robotics company specializing in fruit and vegetable automation (UV-C treatment, picking, logistics). Direct overlap with GreenTechLab's horticultural automation focus, including apple and strawberry handling.
• Wageningen University & Research (WUR): The Netherlands' flagship agricultural research university. WUR is a co-development partner on GreenTechLab's apple-picking robot and shares the same applied-research orientation around smart farming, agritech, and food processing, making it the closest peer in mission and project portfolio.

Emerging players

• Carbon Robotics: US-based AI weeding-robot company using computer vision and laser technology. Addresses the same agricultural weeding use case as GreenTechLab, but at a more advanced commercial stage and with venture-scale funding.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/school/greentechlab

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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

M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about GreenTechLab