In 2024, team form National Research and Development Institute for Food Bioresources – IBA Bucharest participated in the full cycle of the EIT-funded EIT InfraBooster programme. The programme was based on a comprehensive methodology developed by the
University of Warsaw and enriched through extensive knowledge transfer and mentoring support offered by University of Warsaw in collaboration with the EIT Communities.
As a result of this participation, a new service “Precision Testing and Mapping for Fertilizer Technologies and Crop Management” (AgriSmart) was designed, developed, and successfully introduced to the market.
The agricultural equipment producers need to validate fertilizer distribution technologies in real conditions. For them, AgriSmart Validation offers a customized R&D testing service based on precision mapping and remote sensing. This service includes in-field testing using agricultural drones equipped with NDVI and multispectral cameras, combined with high-resolution orthophoto generation and digital analysis. It ensures reliable data collection and spatial visualization to validate machine performance, crop response, and optimized input use.
Unlike standard lab tests or field demonstrations, our service provides scalable, real-time field validation with expert interpretation, using infrastructure and expertise from the METROFOOD-RO, the national node or the European Research Infrastructure METROFOOD-RI. It results a support for agritech companies in product optimization, marketing validation, and compliance with sustainability goals.
Our Team involvement included:
- Participation in the EIT InfraBooster Foundation module, enhancing knowledge on research infrastructures (RIs) potential applications and analytical skills for evaluation and identification of the commercially viable RIs;
- Participation in the in the EIT InfraBooster Practitioner module, which supported the end-to-end design of new services leveraging RIs at scientific institutions. This included: analyzing the unique capabilities of RIs, identifying potential industrial partners, initiating industrial outreach, preparing and refining marketing materials that communicated key differentiators and client benefits, identifying potential clients, and initiating the sales process. These activities were guided by tailored individual and team mentoring offered by University of Warsaw, and culminated in presenting the service concept during the EIT InfraBooster demoday pitch finals. The key value proposition of the new service was also featured in the EIT InfraBooster services catalogue: