Vision page
Our Mission: Driving the Twin Transition in Agri-Food
At SIXFOLD, our core mission is to drive the twin transition across the European agri-food sector.
By building a dynamic, regionally embedded ecosystem of Living Labs across the EU, we aim to foster deep- tech innovations tailored to the needs of the agri-food industry. Our focus lies in addressing the barriers that agri-food companies face when adopting deep-tech solutions.
The implementation of deep tech such as AI and machine learning, robots and co-bots, and biotech presents unique challenges within the food industry. Shedding light on these challenges (barrier cases) within the European network of Living Labs and collaboratively defining solutions with innovators and regulations will accelerate the implementation of deep-tech innovations. This approach will fast-track Europe's digital and green (twin) transition.
Why SIXFOLD Matters
Key Objectives: Driving Transformation, Shaping the Future
The SIXFOLD project is dedicated to advancing several critical objectives:
- Empower a network of Living Labs: Build and strengthen an interconnected, regionally embedded network of Living Labs across Europe to foster experimentation and innovation.
- Expand deep tech adoption: Identify barriers, develop best practices, and scale solutions to bring cutting-edge technologies to the agri-food sector.
- Collaborate to innovate: Facilitate co-creation and knowledge exchange among stakeholders, ensuring that solutions are tailored to real-world societal needs.
- Create long-term impact: Develop a sustainability plan with a governance model, actionable guidelines, and a roadmap for future growth.
Catalyzing a Resilient and Innovative Agri-Food Future
In a time when transformation is crucial, SIXFOLD emerges as a pivotal force for change:
- Sustainability at the forefront: Committed to sustainability, we work to ensure a greener and more resilient agri-food sector.
- Digital transformation: We're driving agri-food companies into the future, delivering cutting-edge solutions to address real-world challenges.
- European unity: By fostering collaboration and connections across regions, we are strengthening the foundation of a cohesive and resilient European agri-food ecosystem.
Contribution to the European Strategic Policies
The European Green Deal sets out to make Europe the first climate-neutral continent by 2050. It maps a new, sustainable and inclusive growth strategy to boost the economy, improve people's health and quality of life, care for nature, and leave no one behind.
The Farm to Fork Strategy is at the heart of the Green Deal. It addresses the challenges of sustainable food systems and recognises the links between healthy people, healthy societies and a healthy planet. The Farm to Fork Strategy is of particular importance for the agri-food industry as part of the food system, and will strongly contribute to achieving a sustainable, competitive economy, from farmers to consumers. It aims to reduce the environmental impact of the agri-food industry and make it more competitive on a global scale by taking action on reduction of food loss and waste, increasing the availability of alternative proteins, making the production of our food more efficient and more environmentally friendly via digitalisation.
To achieve the goals set out in the Farm to Fork strategy, the introduction of deep tech innovations in the agri-food industry and the entire food system is a condition sine qua non. Innovation shapes the agri-food industry,
transforms it and is indispensable to achieve the overarching objectives of the twin green and digital transition.
A wave of deep tech innovations, supported by initiatives like SIXFOLD, is finding its way to the European agri-food industry. Deep technology or deep tech is a classification of an institution, an organisation or a start-up company, with the expressed objective of providing advanced and emerging technology solutions to deep societal challenges. As for the technologies, deep tech involves the vast utilization of advanced, cutting-edge technological solutions, combining fields of science and engineering in the physical, biological and digital spheres: artificial intelligence and machine learning (including big data), robotics (including co-bots), biotechnology and life sciences, language processing, advanced material science, and nanotechnologies.
