Many of our most pressing challenges, both in Europe and globally, revolve around food production and security. Demand for food is projected to increase by 98% by 2050, while the situation of available arable land and other natural resources is expected to remain unchanged or even deteriorate. This creates a big demand for innovation across the entire food system.
Among a global transformation, the EU aims to support sustainability, throughout the agrifood sector, to contribute positively to the goals of the European Green Deal. Through initiatives like FOOD 2030, the EU aims to foster sustainability within the agri-food sector, addressing critical issues such as food waste. Notably, the EU's food waste per capita is among the highest in the world, costing an estimated €143 billion annually—equivalent to 20% of EU food production.
According to an EU report, the most impactful innovations are coming from agile, small-scale agri-food developers. Around 67% of innovators creating data-driven solutions have revenues below €1 million, showing that start-ups and SMEs are leading the charge in digitization and new production methods.
These technological advancements—whether aimed at reducing environmental impact, optimising waste, or increasing yields—are essential for the transition to sustainable, resilient food systems. Such positive technologies, whether focused on reducing environmental footprints, optimising waste, or improving yields, are of paramount importance in the transition towards more sustainable and resilient food systems.
In terms of technological innovation, we are just at the beginning of the transformative potential of AI and machine learning. Harnessed in areas like crop disease detection and predictive analytics. As an example, AI-driven platforms are now able to analyse satellite imagery and in-field sensor data to predict and manage crop diseases before they become widespread, drastically reducing the need for chemical interventions. Similarly, automated weed control systems, like those developed by Blue River Technology, use computer vision to differentiate between crops and weeds, allowing for precise herbicide application that cuts down chemical use by up to 90%.
Further use of robotics, including drones and ground-based robots, is revolutionising tasks like planting, weeding, and harvesting — performing these with a level of precision and efficiency that manual labour can't match. These technologies, combined with predating innovations such as IoT-enabled smart farming systems, are creating a more connected, efficient, and sustainable agricultural ecosystem.
Dutch enterprises are at the forefront of advancements in cell-cultured meat, vertical farming, seed technology, and robotic agricultural processes. The scene is particularly significant for transforming ideas of agricultural land use. Farming occupies 38% of the planet’s land surface. And the majority of that is low production – occupying large areas of crucial environmental resource while producing very little. Whereas in the Netherlands, AgriTech helps maximise yields from limited land, making it the world’s second largest food exporter, behind the US.
It’s an interconnected response from SMEs. Nymark client Lgem exists at one of its many intersections with sectors such as BioTech, with solutions facilitating the production of lab-grown algae at scale through vertical farming abilities and greenhouse integrated solutions.
As our clients are at the forefront of where innovations are made, Nymark has a unique vantage point in seeing various industries through a holistic lens. “This helps us spot larger, cross-industry patterns that could be overlooked if encountered in isolation, all in our overall goal to help positive technologies grow,” says Nymark Strategist Soufyan Lamdini.
"We're in a period of transition where outdated systems are being replaced by smarter, cleaner, and more sustainable solutions—something we’re passionate about at Nymark. Some are radically changing the status quo: AI, software developments, data use, and their physical vehicle in advanced robotics all look promising. But it's important to note that this is just a small part of a very big whole. We’re also aware of exciting developments in biotech and genetic engineering, as well as the rise of alternative proteins, which are rethinking the entire food chain by themselves.”
Lamdini also highlights the importance of scale-ups achieving sustainable growth: “We're hopeful that scale-ups with significant impact can make the leap in their growth journey by not only creating a good product but also building a resilient business—two elements that, at this stage of a company’s maturity, need to be in lockstep. To grow sustainably and achieve their mission at scale.”
Read more about Nymark’s Five-Stages® process.
