SHERIDAN, WYOMING – August 27, 2025 – In one week, the Association for Vertical Farming e.V. (AVF) gathers global decision-makers at the H4 Hotel München Messe for a two-day forum focused on controlled environment agriculture (CEA), vertical farming, and resilient food systems. Backed by Messe Dortmund and VertiFarm—with support from the Bavarian State Ministry of Food, Agriculture, Forestry, and Tourism—the 9th AVF Summit (September 3–4) aligns technical innovation with policy signals and investment pathways to help operators move from pilots to profitable, climate-ready scale.
Innovation Spotlight: Program Built for Execution, Not Hype
The 2025 theme — “Global Food Challenges: Vertical Farming as a Catalyst for Innovation & Climate Action” — frames a program that couples real-world case studies with funding, policy, and market access. Day 1 opens with a welcome by Hubert Aiwanger, Bavarian State Minister of Economic Affairs, Regional Development, and Energy, setting a tone of regional innovation with global relevance. Pillar 1 (“International Perspectives”) features Endre Harnes (Avisomo) on retail-integrated platforms and Fadi Al Daoud (Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs) on lessons learned from Canadian deployments.
From Lab to Line: Technical Enhancements with Workflow Value
Operators will find tangible guidance on system design and crop performance. Vertical Farm Tech founder Dr. Reinhard Bott presents “Root health in Vertical Farming,” spotlighting root-zone diagnostics that tie directly to yield stability and SKU planning. Igrox SRL brings LED strategies optimized for controlled-environment conditions, while agenda curation emphasizes how lighting, fertigation, and environmental controls translate into predictable output and margin protection.
Climate Action & EU Funding: Where Strategy Meets Subsidy
Pillar 2, “Vertical Farming – A Catalyst for Climate Action,” links decarbonization goals with practical adoption. Andrea Kienle (Bavarian State Research Center for Viticulture and Horticulture, LWG) shares Bavarian initiatives that connect research to grower uptake. Complementing this, BayFOR’s scientific advisors, Susanne Hirschmann and Nivedita Mahida-Königsdörfer, map European funding opportunities—critical intelligence for CFOs and founders navigating grants, state aid, and cross-border consortia.
New Food Pipelines: Microalgae and Insect-Based Ingredients
Investment and product diversification take center stage in Pillar 3, “Innovative Food Production and Investment.” Alessandro Oliveri (Igrox SRL) explores “Microalgae Production and Innovative Products,” highlighting high-value nutrition and specialty applications. Andreas Köck (entoSOLUTIONS GmbH) details “Insects as an Innovative Source for Food and Medicine,” addressing regulatory pathways and scalable husbandry for mealworms, soldier flies, and cockroaches.
City-Scale Nutrition: Urban Food Systems, Startups, and Science
Day 2’s Pillar 4 showcases municipal models from Brussels to Singapore and Madrid, with contributions from ICLEI’s Peter Defranceschi, GRAIN International’s Mandar Godge, Isifarmer’s Marcos Enriquez, and Prof. Rachel Norman (Stirling University). The Startup Challenge (Pillar 5) connects early-stage innovators with buyers and mentors, while Pillar 6 spotlights “Science and Technology as a Driver for Innovation,” reinforcing the summit’s bridge between R&D and commercialization.
What Providers Gain — and How to Participate
For growers, retailers, and technology suppliers, Munich offers a compact route to partners, funding, and implementation know-how.
- Who should attend: CEA operators, retailers, LED/component suppliers, ag-tech founders, municipal food-policy leaders, investors.
- Why it matters: De-risk capex, validate business models, and align with climate and food-security mandates.
- Access & logistics: Season and day tickets are available via the event’s online shop; students can access discounted rates. Accredited media may register until September 2 by emailing presse@vertifarm.de with proof of specialist-journalist status.
Learn more about the 9th AVF Summit powered by VertiFarm, including the full English-language program and speaker roster, on the official event website.
A concise summary with brand, technology, and benefit for search: AVF Summit 2025 convenes CEA leaders in Munich to scale vertical farming with funding, policy, and real-world tech for climate-ready food systems.
vertical farming, controlled environment agriculture, AVF Summit, climate action, EU funding for ag-tech, microalgae production, insect protein, urban food systems