FoodSeed-Backed Innovation: Italian Startups Tackle Wine Industry’s Climate Crisis

With over 696,000 hectares of vineyards and an estimated production of 41 million hectoliters in 2024 (+7% compared to 2023 ), the Italian wine supply chain confirms itself as an important strategic lever for the national economy. FoodSeed now comes to the rescue.

But behind these positive numbers lie increasingly urgent challenges. On the one hand, global warming is changing production times and methods and, in more extreme cases, damaging the harvest. On the other hand, prolonged periods of drought reduce the availability of water for vines: in Abruzzo, Campania and Marche, production losses have exceeded 40%.

Finally, extreme out-of-season events, such as frost, hailstorms and cloudbursts, make it increasingly difficult to plan agricultural management, compromising the quality of the grapes and impacting the competitiveness of the sector.

According to recent estimates, the Italian wine sector has suffered losses exceeding 1 billion euros in the last year alone. In an increasingly complex context, research and innovation are confirmed as essential tools to guarantee the resilience and sustainability of the entire supply chain. FoodSeed now want to help the wine industry.

FoodSeed: Made in Italy technologies to safeguard the future of wine

Faced with global challenges, the answer comes from two Made in Italy startups selected by FoodSeed, the AgriFoodtech acceleration program of the National Network of CDP Venture Capital SGR, created with the support of Fondazione Cariverona, UniCredit and Eatable Adventures – among the main FoodTech accelerators at a global level, as well as co-investor and operational manager of the program.

FoodSeed has, in fact, bet on BeadRoots and Agreen Biosolutions, two Italian companies committed to revolutionizing viticulture with sustainable and innovative technologies to combat the climate crisis and support one of the most iconic sectors of Made in Italy.

Alberto Barbari, Regional VP Italy of Eatable Adventures, emphasizes: “Italian viticulture is a symbol of our identity and our economy, but today more than ever it needs innovation to face climate and economic challenges. BeadRoots and Agreen Biosolutions represent two concrete examples of how technology can support the sector, ensuring productivity and sustainability. Through Open Innovation, we can build a future in which Italian wine continues to excel in the world. Investing in advanced and sustainable technological solutions is essential to preserve the quality and competitiveness of Italian wine in the global panorama.”

BeadRoots: Optimizing Water Use in Vineyards

BeadRoots, a biotechnology startup based in Lecce, has developed superabsorbent polymers of natural origin capable of improving soil water retention and gradually releasing water to the roots of vines, limiting evaporation. This solution allows to reduce water consumption by up
to 40% , helping winemakers to face the increasingly frequent drought.

The polymers, in addition to being 100% biodegradable, also contribute to improving soil fertility without leaving harmful residues and stimulate the presence of beneficial bacteria, with positive effects also on the productivity of the vines. The first tests on wine crops are demonstrating how hydrogels can represent a strategic ally in the areas most affected by drought. The company eneterd the acceleration program promoted by FoodSeed.

Agreen Biosolutions: ozonated oils for sustainable viticulture

Agreen Biosolutions based in Udine, has instead created OZ.ON , an innovative ozonized oil that increases plants’ resistance to climate stress by 30% and strengthens their natural defenses against parasites and diseases. This technology allows to reduce the use of chemical pesticides by up to 50% , offering a more sustainable alternative for winemakers and improving the quality of grapes without negatively impacting the environment.

A biostimulant product, which acts both in the preventive and curative phase and offers a concrete response to European requests in terms of reducing environmental impact. Thanks to OZ.ON, winemakers can now protect their crops in an effective, sustainable and competitive way also from an economic point of view.

The Eatable Adventures foodtech accelerator

Eatable Adventures, a leading food-tech accelerator, identifies and supports the most innovative and disruptive food startups in the food world, helping them grow in the global market.

With the aim of acting on the agri-food front and pushing the adoption of more sustainable business models, under the banner of a wiser and smarter use of technology, Eatable Adventures has developed more than 40 annual programs, a community of over 25,000 founders and entrepreneurs and a dealflow of 3,000 projects in 2022.

By promoting a synergy between innovation, ethics and sustainability, the company works on the promotion, development and democratization of technologies in food, to build the food system of tomorrow: sustainable, efficient, healthy and safe at a global level.

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(Featured image by Susie Burleson via Unsplash)

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