The recent S3 Conference in Brussels provided an excellent opportunity to bring together several S3 agri-food partnerships for a strategic discussion on how to foster deeper collaboration.

Representatives from Smart Solutions for Agrifood, High Tech Farming, Food Packaging, Ingredients for a Circular Economy, Food4Positive Health Impact, Biosolutions, and Traceability & Big Data gathered at Flanders’ FOOD headquarters to explore ways of building a more interconnected and impactful network.

The meeting began with a round of introductions, where participants shared a common goal: to learn from one another and to develop stronger, more synergistic partnerships. Instead of focusing solely on shared areas, the group emphasized the value of learning from each other's differences, turning them into opportunities for innovation and growth.

A collaborative brainstorming session led to the identification of key topics where cross-partnership cooperation could add the most value. These ideas were then translated into a concrete action plan, with responsibilities assigned and milestones set across short-, mid-, and long-term timelines.

The ambition is clear: to move beyond isolated efforts, reduce duplication, share knowledge, and amplify the collective impact of agri-food innovation across Europe.

The group will reconvene in the coming months to assess progress and refine the collaboration roadmap, laying the groundwork for a stronger, united voice in European agri-food innovation.

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