Viaverda

What Viaverda does

Viaverda is a private, membership-based applied research and advisory center headquartered in Destelbergen, Belgium, serving the Flemish potato, vegetable, ornamental horticulture, and green space management sectors. It operates two research sites — a 24-hectare complex at Destelbergen (46 greenhouse compartments, multi-layer LED cultivation, open-field plots, demonstration gardens) and an approximately 17-hectare site at Kruisem (~5,000 m² of greenhouses, an aquaponics installation, a phytolab, a 14-booth sensory tasting room, and a camera-equipped potato processing line). Its mandate is to translate applied research into practical advice, demonstrations, training, and tools for growers, municipalities, and the broader sector.

The organization's core offerings include applied research projects (pollinator support, water management, crop protection, biodiversity, climate-resilient green spaces), knowledge dissemination through study days, field visits, webinars, and a knowledge portal, and digital products such as the Florlog logistics webtool for ornamental horticulture and an energy/water use calculator for multi-layer cultivation. Its multi-layer vertical farming system incorporates AI-powered camera monitoring for plant growth, disease, and pest detection. The business model is a hybrid of (i) public-sector funding from the Flemish government, VLAIO, the European Union (EAFRD and Horizon Europe), Province of East Flanders, Boerenbond, and AVBS, (ii) premium membership fees from over 80 sector companies including BASF, Bayer, Biobest, Corteva, Syngenta, and Koppert, (iii) paid membership for individual growers and green space managers, (iv) training and professional services including phytolicense certification, and (v) venue rental for sector meetings.

Name

Viaverda

Legal name

Viaverda

Website

https://viaverda.be

Company type

Private

Founded year

2024

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Viaverda is a Flemish applied research and advisory center operating two ~41-hectare sites that delivers trials, demonstrations, training, and digital tools to potato, vegetable, ornamental horticulture growers, and municipal green space managers in Belgium.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Applied Agricultural & Horticultural Research Services

NAICS

Greenhouse, Nursery, and Floriculture Production (1114), Nursery and Floriculture Production (11142), Support Activities for Crop Production (11511), Landscape Architectural Services (54132)

SIC

Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731), Agricultural Services (700), Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA) / Vertical Farming (Indoor LED Farms) (AFAGAHAJ)

akta.pro secondary industries

CEA Monitoring, Sensors & Automation Software (SCADA, IoT, Climate/Recipe Control) (AFAAAHAG), Environmental Control & Climate Systems (HVAC, CO₂, Ventilation, Dehumidification) (AFAAAHAB), Biosecurity, Pest & Disease Control for CEA (IPM, Screening, Sanitation) (AFAAAHAK)

Keywords

• Applied agricultural research
• Horticulture advisory services
• Vertical farming systems
• Ornamental horticulture research
• Green space management

Headquarters

HQ city

Krusemark

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Membership fees: Viaverda operates a paid membership model where members pay annual fees in exchange for access to all advice and information materials including newsletters, website content, telephone advice, trial field visits, and study days.
2. Government funding: Core operational funding is provided by government bodies including the Flemish government (Vlaanderen), VLAIO (Flemish Innovation & Entrepreneurship Agency), the European Union, Province of East Flanders (Oost-Vlaanderen), as well as sector organizations Boerenbond and AVBS.
3. Premium membership fees: Companies and organizations from the agricultural and horticultural sectors pay premium membership fees to support Viaverda's research. Over 80 premium members are listed.
4. Training and education services: Viaverda offers training activities, professional development courses (including phytolicense training), and educational programs for the horticulture and agriculture sector.
5. Venue rental: Meeting rooms are available for rental to organizations from the agricultural and horticultural sector and socio-cultural associations from the region.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Viaverda operates a membership-based applied research and advisory center serving the Flemish potato, vegetable, ornamental horticulture, and green space sectors. It conducts practical field and greenhouse research, runs variety and cultivation trials, delivers expert advice to growers and municipalities, and disseminates knowledge through study days, field visits, webinars, publications, and digital tools. The organization operates two research sites in Belgium — Destelbergen (24 hectares) and Kruisem (~17 hectares) — equipped with greenhouse complexes, open-field trial plots, laboratories, an aquaponics installation, multi-layer cultivation facilities, and a sensory tasting room.

Product overview

Viaverda is a practice-oriented research center serving the Flemish potato, vegetable, ornamental horticulture, and green space sectors. The organization operates two sites (Destelbergen and Kruisem) and provides research, demonstrations, and advisory services. Its core offerings include vertical farming technology (Meerlagenteelt) with AI-powered monitoring for young plant cultivation, digital tools such as the Florlog logistics optimization webtool and energy/water consumption calculators, a comprehensive knowledge portal with publications and research results, and professional events like Fieldlab Groen. Research projects in areas such as biodiversity, pollinator support, water management, and climate-resilient green spaces support the agricultural and horticultural sectors.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Viaverda Membership (Applied Research & Advisory Subscription) Paid annual membership granting Flemish growers, sector organizations, and green space managers access to Viaverda's applied research results, expert advice, trial field visits, study days, telephone consultations, and sector-specific newsletters across potato, vegetable, ornamental horticulture, and green space domains.
• Florlog Webtool Web-based digital tool that calculates optimal and cost-effective transport logistics for ornamental horticulture growers, enabling comparison of transport options and group shipments to reduce costs.
• Energy and Water Use Calculator for Multi-Layer Cultivation Standalone calculator tool that estimates energy use and water consumption for multi-layer (vertical farming) cultivation systems, based on empirical data from Viaverda's own multi-layer facility.
• Kennisportaal (Knowledge Portal) Online knowledge platform publishing Viaverda's research results, publications, info sheets, and sector resources, organized by sector (potatoes, vegetables, ornamental horticulture, green space) and theme (crop protection, water, soil, biodiversity, energy).
• Phytolicense Training and Continuing Education Professional training and education activities for the Flemish horticulture and agriculture sector, including phytolicense training delivered through study days, field visits, and webinars, qualifying participants for continuing professional development credits.
• Fieldlab Groen (Inspiration Day for Green Professionals) Annual inspiration and networking day for Flemish green infrastructure professionals offering interactive workshops on biodiversity, soil care, water management, plant diseases, and functional green spaces, plus discussion of sector quality labels such as Groengek(l)eurd.

Quantifiable outcome

• Viaverda's multi-layer cultivation system demonstrates energy-efficient crop production under LED lighting in highly insulated, daylight-free compartments
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability2 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

16 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• Praktijkcentra PlantcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerViaverda is part of the Praktijkcentra Plant network, a Flemish collaboration of 10 government-recognized practice centers for arable farming, fruit, vegetables, and ornamental horticulture. The network conducts practice-oriented research in close collaboration with growers, industry, and other research institutions in Flanders. Viaverda represents the ornamental horticulture and green space sector within this network.
• Agrolink VlaanderencoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerViaverda is an active partner in Agrolink Vlaanderen, the Flemish research network for the entire agricultural and horticultural sector, connecting research institutions including UGent, KU Leuven, ILVO, HoGent, Inagro, and others.
• Technopool SierteeltcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerViaverda is a founding member of Technopool Sierteelt, a collaboration between UGent, HoGent, ILVO, and Viaverda, funded by Province East Flanders, that unites the entire research chain in Flemish ornamental horticulture. Viaverda leads innovation in vertical farming and multi-layer cultivation within this network.
• EnerpediamajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerViaverda is a partner of Enerpedia, a collaboration of 11 agricultural trial centers in Flanders that bundles knowledge and news on energy in agriculture and horticulture through a website, info sessions, study days, one-on-one advice, and thorough farm screenings.
• B3W (Begeleidingsdienst voor Betere Bodem en Waterkwaliteit)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerViaverda participates in B3W, a service that guides agricultural and horticultural businesses toward sustainable soil and nutrient management. Eleven partners combine their knowledge and experience within this project, initiated by the Flemish government.
• Regionaal Landschap Meetjesland & LeievalleimajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerViaverda partners with Regionaal Landschap Meetjesland & Leievallei in the Blooming Buzzness Leader project, which aims to improve habitats for wild pollinators by creating bee-friendly environments in municipalities.
• GRAB (Groupe de Recherche en Agriculture Biologique)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerViaverda partners with GRAB in Avignon, France for the EcoGreation project, which involves the kick-off and establishment of a demonstration garden for organic agriculture research.
• HOGENTcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerViaverda collaborates with HOGENT (Hogeschool Gent) in the Beau Vivaces project to compare the biodiversity potential of native versus cultivated ornamental perennials, using weekly pollinator observation blocks.
• ILVO (Instituut voor Landbouw-, Visserij- en Voedingsonderzoek)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerViaverda collaborates with ILVO in the SIER+ project to evaluate, quantify, and economically valorize the functional benefits of woody ornamental plants for pollinators and human nutrition, building a publicly accessible plant database.
• UGent (Universiteit Gent)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerViaverda collaborates with UGent in multiple projects including SIER+, Technopool Sierteelt, and ReGreeneration. Viaverda and UGent co-organize the Vertifarm 2027 international congress in Ghent.
• BASFminorOthersBASF is a premium member of Viaverda, supporting the organization's research activities in the agricultural and horticultural sector.
• Bayer CropScience BelgiumminorOthersBayer CropScience Belgium is a premium member of Viaverda, supporting the organization's research activities in crop protection and agricultural innovation.
• Biobest GroupminorOthersBiobest Group is a premium member of Viaverda, supporting research in biological control and beneficial organisms in horticulture.
• Koppert BelgiumminorOthersKoppert Belgium is a premium member of Viaverda, supporting research in biological pest control and beneficial insects.
• Corteva Agriscience BelgiumminorOthersCorteva Agriscience Belgium is a premium member of Viaverda, supporting seed and crop protection research.
• Syngenta Belgium / Syngenta NetherlandsminorOthersSyngenta is a premium member of Viaverda, supporting Viaverda's research activities in seeds and crop protection.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Wageningen University & Research (WUR): Dutch applied and academic agricultural research powerhouse operating Wageningen Research alongside the university. Broad incumbent: comparable applied horticulture, greenhouse technology, and CEA research portfolio, but with international scope, large commercial spin-out activity, and broader mandate than Viaverda's regional focus.
• Teagasc: Irish national authority for agricultural research, advisory, and education. Broad incumbent: combines applied research farms, member-based advisory services, and training delivery — the same triad Viaverda operates in Flanders — but at a national Irish scale.
• Agroscope: Swiss federal competence center for agricultural research. Broad incumbent: operates applied and strategic research across crops, livestock, and food, with greenhouse and open-field facilities; structurally similar public-mandate model but with national Swiss scope.

Direct peers

• Proefcentrum Hoogstraten: Flemish applied research center for greenhouse vegetables and strawberries. Direct peer: member of the Praktijkcentra Plant network alongside Viaverda, with greenhouse trial infrastructure and grower advisory services targeting an overlapping Flemish horticulture constituency.
• NIAB (National Institute of Agricultural Botany): UK applied plant science and horticulture research center. Direct peer: conducts independent variety and agronomy trials, provides member-based knowledge services, and operates applied horticulture trial sites — directly comparable to Viaverda's trial-and-advisory offering.
• GRAB (Groupe de Recherche en Agriculture Biologique): French applied research group dedicated to organic agriculture. Direct peer: Viaverda's named partner on the EcoGreCreation demonstration-garden project; comparable applied research, demonstration, and grower-advisory role in a defined regional sector.
• Inagro: West Flemish applied research and advisory center for agriculture, horticulture, and food. Direct peer: operates trial sites and demonstration facilities, runs member-based advisory services, and is a co-trial partner with Viaverda on potato variety trials (Challenger, Innovator).
• Delphy: Dutch applied research and consultancy for horticulture and agriculture. Direct peer: provides member-based advisory, trial-based R&D, and digital decision-support tools to growers across sectors (greenhouse, ornamental, open-field), mirroring Viaverda's applied research and knowledge-transfer model.
• ILVO (Instituut voor Landbouw-, Visserij- en Voedingsonderzoek): Flemish strategic research institute for agriculture, fisheries, and food. Direct peer: shares Flemish/EU public funding, conducts applied and strategic research in crops, livestock, and food, and collaborates with Viaverda in Agrolink Vlaanderen.
• pcfruit: Belgian applied research center for pome and stone fruit. Direct peer: part of the Praktijkcentra Plant network, conducts field trials and integrated pest management research, and competes with Viaverda for Flemish/EU project funding in the fruit and broader horticulture space.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@viaverda_research
• Facebookfacebook.com/Viaverda-61558988199881
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/viaverda
• Instagraminstagram.com/viaverda_research

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 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 Viaverda