On March 13, 2018, the event “Innovation as a Business Driver in Plant Production” was held, jointly organized by IFAPA, IAS-CSIC, CAJAMAR, and BIOVEGEN. The event, which took place at the IFAPA Auditorium in Córdoba, gathered more than 100 professionals from the sector, including researchers, companies, and funding entities.
The event served to showcase new technological trends in plant biology and their possibilities, the added value that research brings to the economic activity of the private sector in plant production, and how this can stimulate the private sector to engage in R&D activities and collaborations with public research centers. Financing tools and support for the development of R&D projects were also presented, such as those offered by CDTI and the BIOVEGEN platform.
Additionally, to strengthen science-business relationships and the development of R&D projects to enhance the competitiveness of the sector, attendees had the opportunity to mobilize R&D proposals and hold bilateral meetings with interested companies or researchers. Several meetings were also held with an expert from CDTI (the main Spanish public agency for the financing of business R&D) to analyze the innovation interests of the companies requesting the meeting.
Gallery
Program and presentations of the event
10:00 a.m. Welcome
- Jerónimo José Pérez Parra. President IFAPA
- Leonardo Velasco Varo. Director IAS-CSIC
- Carlos Fernández Sierra. Manager of Agro-food Business at Cajamar Caja Rural
- Gonzaga Ruiz de Gauna Gutiérrez. Coordinator of the BIOVEGEN Platform
Block I FINANCING
10:15 a.m. BIOVEGEN as a catalyst for R&D projects
- Gonzaga Ruiz de Gauna Gutiérrez. Coordinator of BIOVEGEN
10:35 a.m. Funding opportunities from CDTI for companies in the plant production sector
- Carlos Franco Alonso. Department of Health, Bioeconomy, Climate, and Natural Resources. CDTI
Block II APPLIED SCIENCE
10:50 a.m. “Beneficial microorganisms in agro-biotechnology”
- Jesús Mercado Blanco. IAS-CSIC
11:15 h. “Genetic Improvement of Olive: Achievements and Perspectives”
- Lorenzo León Moreno. IFAPA Córdoba
11:40 h. Break
Block III COMPANY
12:00 h. Examples of Public-Private Collaboration in Genetics and Plant Improvement
- Citrus: CITRUSEQ-CITRUSGENN project. Carlos Baixauli Soria. Cajamar Caja Rural
- Improvement and Innovation in Crops José Pellicer. EUROSEMILLAS
- Development of Biofertilizers from Bioresidues. José María Gómez Palacios. BIOMASA PENINSULAR
- Olive. Manuel Cera Hermoso. TODOLIVO
- Rosa. Jesús Antonio Moreno Ortega. CONTINENTAL PLANTS
- Garlic. Francisco Sánchez Müller. PROACO
1:30 PM. Discussion
1:45 PM. Conclusions and closure