2nd ANNUAL AEROFARMS
AGTECH INNOVATION SUMMIT
AeroFarms is hosting the 2nd Annual AeroFarms AgTech Innovation Summit, bringing together thought leaders from the world of horticulture, food, R&D, engineering, and indoor vertical farming to discuss the future of food supply, speed breeding, and AgTech innovation. Join world experts to explore the latest Research and Development breakthroughs for totally controlled environmental agriculture and to hear about how Abu Dhabi, UAE is becoming the nexus for AgTech innovation.
Interested in what the future of food looks like in our changing world?
- 16 FEBRUARY, 2023
- 9 AM GST
AGENDA
TIME (GST)
THEME
9:00 AM – 10:00 AM
Welcome Check-In Networking Session
10:00 AM – 10:15 AM
Opening Keynote
10:15 AM – 11:00 AM
Panel: The Intersection of Food Security, Sufficiency and Sustainability on the Road to COP 28
11:00 AM – 12:00 PM
Panel 2: Role of Public and Private Partnerships to Drive Breakthroughs
12:00 PM – 1:00 PM
Lunch
1:00 PM – 1:15 PM
Lunch Keynote
1:15 PM – 2:00 PM
Research Q+A: Creating Resilient Urban Food Systems
2:00 PM – 3:00 PM
Innovation Hour
3:00 PM – 3:30 PM
Coffee Break
3:30 PM – 4:15 PM
Research Q+A: AgTech Innovations for Next Generation Solutions
4:15 PM – 5:00 PM
Closing Keynote
5:00 PM – 6:00 PM
Networking Session and Refreshments
Featured Speakers

Eng. Abdulla Abdul Aziz AlShamsi
Acting Director General
Abu Dhabi Investment Office

Ralph Nehmé
Managing Director
AeroFarms

Joe Munyaneza
National Program Leader (Specialty Crops)
USDA

Vonnie Estes
Vice President of Innovation
International Fresh Produce Association

John Reich
Scientific Program Director
Foundation for Food & Agricultural Research

Jan Westra
Strategic Business Developer
Priva

Jan van den Berg
Manager Strategic Alliance & Partner
BASF

Paul Wilford
Senior Research Director, Robotics and Video Analytics
Nokia Bell Labs

Matt Karau
Director of the Engineering Design Studio & Senior Lecturer of Engineering Design
NYU Abu Dhabi

Dr. Mohammed Abdul Muhsen Al-Yafei
Associate Professor & Vice Dean, Department of Integrative Agriculture
College of Food and Agriculture, UAE University

Benjamin Greaves
Controlled Environment Agricultural Engineer
StarLab Oasis LTD

Leo Marcelis
Head of Horticulture and Product Physiology
Wageningen UR

Erik Runkle
Professor/Floriculture Extension Specialist, Department of Horticulture
Michigan State University

Neil Mattson
Professor and Greenhouse Extension Specialist, School of Integrative Plant Science Horticulture Section
Cornell University

David Rosenberg
CEO and Co-Founder
AeroFarms

Becky Anderson
Managing Editor & Anchor
CNN Abu Dhabi

Mohamed Al Hosani
Director, Domestic Direct Investment
Abu Dhabi Investment Office (ADIO)

Fadi Sbaiti
General Manager
AeroFarms AgX

Sonny Ramaswamy
President
Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities

Tom Stenzel
Executive Director
CEA Alliance

Sarah Goldberg
Director of Communications & Legislative Affairs
Foundation for Food & Agriculture Research

Kelsey Warner
Future Editor
The National UAE

Dr. Shamal Mohammed
Director of AgTech and R&D
Silal

Stacy Kimmel
Senior Vice President of R&D
AeroFarms

Mani Rajaram
Vice President – Infrastructure Finance (Real Assets)
HSBC

Henry Gordon-Smith
Founder & CEO
Agritecture
ABOUT US

We are an award-winning vertical farming company passionately solving agriculture’s biggest challenges, growing real food for elevated flavor and a brighter future for all.
Since 2004, we have been transforming agriculture with people and planet in mind. As a Certified B Corporation, we use the latest breakthroughs in indoor vertical farming, artificial intelligence and plant biology to fix our broken food system and improve the way fresh produce is grown and distributed locally and globally.
We have built a proprietary agriculture platform to grow a wide array of products, delivering superior flavor, better quality and improved nutrition with the most sophisticated levels of traceability and food safety in our industry
