This year’s AVF Summit powered by VertiFarm is on the theme of “Global Food Challenges: Vertical Farming as a Catalyst for Innovation & Climate Action”.

The conference aims to establish vertical farming and its technologies as part of sustainable agriculture. We are bringing global players from business, science and politics to Bavaria to promote innovation and expand international networks. At the same time, the conference will facilitate the transfer of knowledge between international pioneers and regional players.

The aim is to develop a joint action plan that will lead vertical farming successfully into the next decade.

Our Keynote Speaker this year is Julia Rocha Romero, Advisor, Nature-based Solutions at the UNEP-Copenhagen Climate Centre who is speaking on, ‘The Role of Vertical Farming in Climate Action and Food Security’. 

The keynote will be followed by a morning session focussing on  International Perspectives: Exploring Global Trends, Policies and Success Stories.

Dr. Fadi Al-Daoud a greenhouse vegetable specialist at the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Agribusiness will deliver a talk covering, ‘Vertical Farming in Ontario, Canada – Success Stories and Lessons Learned.’

We are also pleased to welcome Fadi Sbaiti, General Manager at Khalifa University AGX in Abu Dhabi, UAE  and Sahul Hameed, Chief Sustainability Officer @ Bin Dasmal Group to speak on, ‘AgTech Innovation for Food Security in MENA’.

The morning completes with a Roundtable Discussion on ‘Women in Ag Tech: Sharing experience and guidance’, with confirmed speakers including:

Tusya Garibashvili a pioneering Georgian entrepreneur and innovator in sustainable agriculture, who introduced vertical and modular farming to Georgia and co-founded Space Farms the country’s first fully controlled indoor vertical farm. a proven, scalable business model that operates successfully in Georgia. Space Farms installs customized modular farms inside restaurants, hotels, and retail spaces, allowing clients to grow fresh produce on-site with zero food miles.

Marie Amman is Senior Innovation & Startup Manager at AgriFoodTech Alliance. Marie has been part of the investment team at BayWa AgriFood Tech Venture GmbH (formerly BayWa Venture GmbH) since September 2024, where she is responsible for start-ups and innovation. The focus is on strategic investments in new technologies that make the production and packaging of food along the value chain more economical and at the same time more sustainable. Focus topics are impact crops, regenerative agriculture, alternative proteins and automation & digitalisation.

Besan Dahboor Engel is is an entrepreneur, astronaut candidate, advisor, and venture builder with over a decade of experience advancing deep-tech innovation across agri-tech, clean energy, biotech, space, and sustainable infrastructure. With 10 years in sustainability and more than 6 years in agtech globally, she operates at the intersection of science, technology, and planetary systems, advising ventures, research hubs, and investors across European and global ecosystems. As Founder & CEO of ReVora, Besan leads the development of carbon-negative, data-rich food infrastructure through advanced hydroponic and closed-environment farming systems, turning bold visions into ventures that serve both Earth and space.

Watch this space as we will be showcasing the rest of our exciting programme in a series of posts over the next couple of weeks.

 

Head over to the website to see the whole programme here and purchase your tickets here.

Remember if you are a member of AVF, you receive 25% off the regular two-day ticket price for our flagship event in Munich, taking place September 3–4 at the H4 Hotel München Messe. Check the latest AVF Newsletter for the member discount code or contact us if you need help.

We look forward to welcoming you in Munich on September 3-4, 2025.

The conference is being supported by: