AgriFuture:
a business-idea validation programme for the sustainability of the agri-food system.
AgriFuture is a validation pathway for high-tech business ideas aimed at improving the economic, environmental, and social sustainability of the agri-food system. The programme supports teams in moving from concept to proof of concept, combining interactive training, specialist mentoring, and real-world testing - working closely with sector businesses as end users.
Training, mentoring, and field testing to turn ideas into verifiable solutions for sustainable agri-food systems.
ClientSardegna Ricerche
Primary serviceTraining
Related servicesDecision support; Innovation & Technology
Period2025
BeneficiariesUp to 10 project proposals / teams per programme cycle
Commitment12 months | 56 hours of workshops | 20 hours of mentoring | field validation
Context and need.
In the agri-food sector, the ecological and digital transition requires innovations that work in real-world conditions. A good idea is not enough: usefulness, feasibility, and adoption must be tested in operational settings. This programme was designed to bridge that gap, supporting ideas that can help manage natural resources and waste more effectively, improve food quality and safety, and increase efficiency and resilience in contexts exposed to climate vulnerability.
Objectives.
- Select and support 10 ideas through progressive development stages, including field testing.
- Strengthen participants’ technical and transversal skills (innovation management, processes, budgeting, planning, and control).
- Build an evidence-based validation pathway: real feedback, field data, iterations, and continuous improvement.
Target group.
The programme targets university students, PhD candidates, early-career professionals and researchers, and potential university spin-off teams, including interdisciplinary backgrounds (agricultural and food sciences, engineering, computer science, biology, and social sciences).
Rurinnova's role.
RURINNOVA designed and delivered the training and mentoring components, supported the validation process, and facilitated connections between teams and agri-food businesses acting as end users for real-world testing.
How it works.
The programme is structured into integrated phases:
- Scouting and selection of the best proposals admitted to the pathway.
- A validation pathway (~12 months) including:
◦ 6 interactive workshops (56 hours total) based on a lab-style approach and active learning. - Specialist mentoring (20 hours) covering technical, managerial, economic, and legal aspects, with operational monitoring.
- Field testing: teams are matched with one or more agri-food businesses to test usefulness, usability, and applicability in real contexts.
- Results valorisation through a public presentation and a final validation report.
Methodology.
The programme combines Challenge-Based Learning and Active Learning, with practical activities, simulations, and case work, and a structured validation process based on iterative cycles informed by feedback and data collected directly in the field. End-user validation may include interviews, questionnaires, and focus groups. Final assessment aims to measure how well the solution addresses the identified need and to identify critical issues and improvements for subsequent development stages.
Results.
The core outcome of AgriFuture is testing ideas: moving from implicit assumptions to explicit, validated hypotheses, supported by evidence gathered in real operational conditions and a clearer understanding of usefulness, limitations, and next steps (including technical and organisational adjustments).
Lessons learned and replicability.
- In the agri-food sector, validation is most effective when carried out in real settings, with end users involved and data collected in the field.
- A sector-specific pathway improves proof-of-concept quality by integrating production constraints, territorial context, and adoption conditions.
- The combination of workshops, mentoring, and iterative testing makes the model replicable for new calls and challenges, while keeping the same core logic: need → test → evidence → decisions.
