We reinforced our commitment to agri-food innovation at Food 4 Future alongside FATE and the NUTRIALITEC ecosystem
From May 13 to 15, the Bilbao Exhibition Centre (BEC) hosted over 8,000 professionals attending Food 4 Future–Expo FoodTech to discover the latest innovations aimed at automating and digitizing agri-food production plants, as well as updates in packaging and logistics.
Once again, artica+i was present at this essential event for the entire agri-food value chain, where strategies, solutions, and trends that are enhancing productivity, efficiency, and sustainability in food industry production plants are showcased. All of this was presented by more than 379 industry experts who shared their experiences and perspectives at the Food 4 Future World Summit, Europe’s largest food innovation congress.
Institutions once again played a key role in this new edition of Expo FoodTech. Representatives from the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, the Basque Government, ICEX, and other authorities participated in this space for reflection on the strategies transforming the foodtech industry in areas such as innovation, safety, regulation, trends, and new ingredients.
Additionally, the event featured an exhibition area with the participation of 247 companies, including our own, in collaboration with FATE.
Our experience at F4F
Throughout the three-day fair, we were present with a stand where we had the opportunity to welcome clients and collaborators from the agri-food innovation ecosystem.
This space was part of FATE’s corporate stand, an association that brings together Agri&Foodtech startups, companies, organizations, and professionals, which we joined late last year as a collaborating partner.
This is a strategic alliance for both our Engineering and Innovation Consulting departments. Our involvement in the association allows us to stay in contact with cutting-edge tech companies that help us integrate the most advanced technologies into our engineering projects. Similarly, we strengthen our networking efforts through events such as Food 4 Future.
Moreover, we had the opportunity to promote NUTRIALITEC, an ecosystem we participate in to drive food innovation through sustainable extraction technologies and omics, with a particular focus on the valorization of agri-industrial by-products.
This ecosystem, in which we participate as the Technical Office, acts as a hub integrating key players in the food sector, including companies, research centers, and public administrations. Through this collaborative approach, NUTRIALITEC aims to accelerate knowledge transfer and adopt innovative technologies to address global challenges such as food security, climate change, and nutritional health.
Success stories and trends from industry leaders
This international fair offered an attractive parallel program of conferences and roundtables, as well as a leading European congress focused on the transformation of the food and beverage sector.
The congress brought together more than 450 international experts participating in over 125 sessions, addressing the main challenges and opportunities in terms of productivity, efficiency, and sustainability.
Throughout the three-day event, the role of technology in the evolution of the agri-food sector was emphasized, showcasing advances in automation, robotics, 3D printing, and artificial intelligence applied throughout the value chain—from on-field production to final distribution.
Innovative solutions were presented, such as robotic systems for agricultural tasks, voice-controlled technologies for food preparation, autonomous transport systems, and sensors adapted to rural environments. The potential of 3D printing as a key tool for improving operational efficiency and machinery maintenance was also highlighted.
Artificial intelligence was a central theme of the event, emphasizing its capacity to optimize processes, reduce waste, and enhance sustainability. Its integration with digital twins and the Internet of Things was presented as a promising path toward greater connectivity and operational intelligence. Furthermore, there was a call to overcome cultural and structural barriers to digital transformation to prevent a technological divide in the sector.
The role of start-ups in the future of FoodTech
The fair also featured dedicated spaces for emerging companies that are contributing to the advancement of foodtech innovation. In this context, the Expo FoodTech Startup Forum was held once again, bringing together over 200 startups from around the world to showcase their disruptive projects to business leaders, investors, entrepreneurs, potential partners, technology clusters, associations, and universities—with the aim of creating synergies and fostering collaboration.
Disruption was the main focus of this forum, which featured proposals applying technologies such as automation and robotics, Industry 4.0, refrigeration and climate control, logistics, energy, agrotechnology, food processing and packaging, and food science and safety.
