Future Farming transcends agriculture: the emphasis is on Future rather than on Farming
we profoundly care for the Future, perceiving it as a living entity. As humans, we're fortunate witnesses to a transformative era in manufacturing, birthing tools that nurture its growth. This allows us to cultivate the Future itself, tending to its needs like farmers tend to their land
here, we Farm the Future
Future Farming is the act of working with Nature to create amazing things. It's like we're teaming up with Nature to design and shape what's to come. It's our voyage of discovery along the emerging frontier where Technology and Biology converge. It is our personal take on Nature Co-Design: the realm of our exploration is the Future Farming Matrix
our 3D Project space
it is defined by 3-axes: Biology and Technology are the first two of the axes, x and y:
but not least important, the z-axis maps the strategic competences to transform a promising fragment of intellectual property into a tangible Project, primed for market-scale:
within this three-dimensional space, different R&D domains can be outlined, spreading through industries: from ag & food technology to cosmetics and nutraceuticals, from bio-materials to bio-pharmaceuticals and eco-remediation, from genetic improvement to seamlessly integrated, circular ecosystems
environmental and financial sustainability are common denominators and a mandatory filter we apply by default
focus on
tech scale-up and tech transfer
Italy has a significant capacity to express talent. Italian researchers consistently emerge as winners of prestigious grants across Europe and the world
unfortunately, a considerable portion of them choose to build their careers abroad after completing their higher education paths: according to ISTA, around one million Italians have emigrated between 2012 and 2021, a quarter of whom hold a degree. Additionally, those with a high propensity for entrepreneurship also leave. Attracting talent becomes even tricker: the OECD attractiveness index ranks Italy worryingly low. For individuals with a master's or a research doctorate, Italy ranks low on the list, alongside Mexico, Greece, and Turkey. It is last in terms of income for highly educated workers
this stands as a pivotal moment for the Country, both a potential pitfall and an opportunity, contingent upon the ability to discover a formula that eventually works
we envisioned an organization that acts exactly where the bottleneck is: a catalyst for technology transfer from Intellectual Property stakeholders to industrial partners, able to speak the language of both
so, why Italy?
and why Venice?
Italy harbors the necessary qualities and resilience to reclaim its position as a global hub for excellence in Research and Development. While this might not apply universally, in the realm of Future Farming we are resolutely poised to assert its natural advantage
Future Farming embodies a deep-tech endeavor, rooted in profound scientific research and technological strides. These advancements transcend digital implications, exerting a profound influence on the manufacturing realm; and Italy's manufacturing eco-system remains internationally acclaimed and sophisticated
in Italy, during the Renaissance, the culture of cross-pollination between sciences and arts indelibly marked human history; Italy has all what it takes to retaining, attracting, and empowering talent
Italy is the obvious sweetspot for the Future Farming revolution
let's give Venice the recognition it deserves and shape it into the world's oldest city of the Future
when it comes to picking up a place in Italy, there's no better choice than Venice: throughout history, Venice has always been a beacon of social, engineering, artistic and economic innovation
the Future Farming Initiative, formally
the Future Farming Initiative is a public-private partnership, with ZERO owning 51% and the Ca' Foscari University of Venice owning 49%. The Initiative is supported by public investment coming from the European Community - Next Generation EU program, within the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR)*
corporate governance
a Board of Directors made of 5: 3 members are appointed by ZERO, 2 members are appointed by the University Cà Foscari of Venice
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Prof. Carlo Bagnoli
BOARD MEMBER & CHAIRMAN
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Andrea Alessio
BOARD MEMBER
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Daniele Modesto
BOARD MEMBER & CEO
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Enzo d'Isanto
BOARD MEMEBER
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Prof. Antonio Marcomini
BOARD MEMBER
we apply a federated model aimed at sharing labs facilities and tech transfer platform with global academic institutions and research organizations
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University of VERONA
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University of PADOVA
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University of TRENTO
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University Cà Foscari of VENICE
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University IUAV VENEZIA
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University of UDINE
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University of TRIESTE
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SISSA TRIESTE
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OGS Trieste
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University Federico II of NAPLES
scientific commitee
Prof. Paolo Sambo (chairman), Prof. Alvise Perosa, Prof. Francesca Malfatti, Dott.ssa Giulia Lucertini, Prof. Riccardo Rigon, Dott. Franco Coren, Prof. Gianluigi Rozza, Prof. Elodie Vandelle, Prof. Nicola Tomasi, Prof. Stefania De Pascale
it’s an coral, collaborative effort: the pool of competences that can be tapped into grows exponentially, just as the possibilities for cross-cutting synergies, but to step in you must be open to contamination and to question the status-quo
Future Farming Initiative sits on 6 green hectares facing the Venice lagoon: it’s a beautiful and inspiring environment for creative sparks, offering accommodations, dining and sports facilities
we are around the corner from H-Campus, one of Europe's largest eduction and innovation campuses, where we are studying specialized training programs for Future Farmers