BioTech2Agri is a project funded by the INTERREG Italy–Slovenia Programme 2021–2027 and falls under the specific objective “Developing and strengthening research and innovation capacities and the uptake of advanced technologies”.
The Programme area is characterised by a rich and diverse agricultural landscape, shaped by territorial morphology and by traditional crops handed down through generations. These very crops – valuable from an agricultural, economic and cultural perspective – today show significant potential to support the diffusion of biotechnological innovation. Biotechnologies, in fact, offer new opportunities for the extraction and valorisation of plant-based active compounds, which can be used to develop value-added products with benefits for human and animal health.
Despite this potential, many opportunities have so far remained only partially explored, mainly because the productive structure of the cross-border area largely consists of small-sized enterprises that often face difficulties in accessing technology transfer and in absorbing the results of applied research. At the same time, Slovenia, Friuli Venezia Giulia and Veneto share a strong commitment to investing in agrifood, health and sustainable lifestyles, recognising them as strategic sectors.
In this context, strengthening cooperation among development agencies, enterprises, clusters, innovation support organisations and research centres is essential. This would foster the adoption of biotechnologies within companies, support the creation of new products and accompany the development of biotech applications for the food, feed, nutraceutical and cosmetic sectors.
The BioTech2Agri project fits precisely into this scenario, aiming to create a common framework for the cross-border area capable of accelerating biotechnology-related value chains. Through the contribution of its partners and the involvement of territorial stakeholders, the project provides companies with qualified support for the innovative use of bioactive compounds derived from plant species typical of the border areas or relevant for their application potential. BioTech2Agri thus seeks to make biotechnological opportunities more accessible and to stimulate new pathways for growth, competitiveness and sustainability in the agrifood supply chains of the Italy–Slovenia area.
Why biotechnologies are now central to agrifood
Biotechnologies, understood as the set of techniques that use living organisms or their components to create or modify products and processes, represent one of the pillars of European innovation. The European Commission is paying increasing attention to this sector, to the extent that it is working on the future Biotech Act, expected in 2026, which aims to accelerate the transition towards more sustainable, safe and technology-intensive production models.
In the agrifood sector, biotechnologies can play a significant role in several respects: improving agricultural productivity, reducing environmental impact through lower use of water, soil, fertilisers and pesticides, and making food safer, more sustainable and more nutritionally valuable.
A distinction is made between traditional biotechnologies, based for example on fermentative, microbial and enzymatic processes, and innovative biotechnologies, which build on advances in molecular biology and genetic engineering and find applications in fields such as pharmacology, veterinary medicine, bioindustry, the environment and agriculture. In the context of BioTech2Agri, particular attention is paid to green biotechnology, linked to agricultural processes, and yellow biotechnology, dedicated to food and nutraceutical production.
The Report on the biotech potential of the cross-border area
The first project phase focused on data collection, stakeholder engagement and the assessment of available technologies. This activity made it possible to develop a clear picture of the competences present in the territories and to understand the real potential of the area in terms of biotechnological innovation applied to agrifood.
The main outcome of this process is the Thematic Report on cross-border potential for biotechnological innovation, which provides a comprehensive overview of the research and innovation ecosystem in Slovenia, Friuli Venezia Giulia and Veneto, with the aim of facilitating the uptake of biotech solutions by agrifood value chains.
The document opens with an introduction dedicated to the opportunities offered by the valorisation of biotechnologies through the extraction of active compounds from plant species relevant to the partnership, and continues with a set of methodological guidelines useful for companies to assess their application feasibility.
The central part of the report is enriched by two thematic insights illustrating in a concrete way how biotechnologies can be used in different agrifood sectors. The first case study focuses on grapevine and olive, presenting the characterisation of the main active compounds, the most suitable extraction technologies and possible final applications in the food, feed, nutraceutical and cosmetic sectors. The second insight focuses on plant cell cultures, illustrating their potential and fields of application as an innovative tool for the sustainable production of bioactive compounds.
The Digital Map: an open tool for the innovation network
Alongside the report, BioTech2Agri has developed an open-source Digital Map designed to make the information collected during the analysis phase immediately accessible. Developed on the PREZI platform, the map allows users to visually explore:
- relevant plant species in the territory,
- biotechnologies applicable to different production sectors,
- public and private actors forming the cross-border innovation network.
The tool is designed to be intuitive, updatable and easy to consult by SMEs, researchers, public bodies and stakeholders, facilitating the matching of innovation demand and supply.
Looking ahead
The evidence collected shows that the cross-border area has a rich and diversified heritage of biotechnological knowledge, skills and technologies. Stimulating demand for innovation among enterprises therefore becomes a priority: only by making this potential visible and accessible can it be translated into new high value-added products, processes and services.
The report and the digital map represent two key tools in this direction.
In the coming months, the project will continue to develop networking activities, technology transfer and direct support to SMEs, in particular through the call “Support to SMEs in the agrifood sector”, open until 9 January 2026 (available here), thus contributing to the growth of the biotech ecosystem and to the competitiveness of agrifood value chains in the Italy–Slovenia area.
