AGENTIAL AI AgBio 2025 Event Schedule
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Explore the detailed schedule and speaker lineup for AGENTIAL AI AgBio 2025.
Evening Welcome Networking Event
6 MAY
18:00 – 20:00
at JW Marriott Hotel Bangkok
Conference & Exhibition
7 MAY
08:00 – 18:00
at JW Marriott Hotel Bangkok
Conference & Exhibition
8 MAY
08:50 – 18:00
at JW Marriott Hotel Bangkok
6 May 2025
17:00
Check-in & Badge Collection for Exhibitors and Delegates attending the Welcome Reception
Location: JW Marriott Bangkok, Floor 3 – Sukhumvit Grand Ballroom & Sukhumvit View
18:00 – 20:00
Welcome Reception – Limited Spots!
This special evening offers a unique opportunity to meet our keynote speakers, other industry experts, and fellow delegates in a relaxed environment before the main conference begins.
Location: JW Marriott Bangkok, Lower Lobby Floor – Tsu Japanese Restaurant
7 May 2025
Location: JW Marriott Bangkok, Floor 3 – Sukhumvit Grand Ballroom
08:00
Delegate Check-in & Badge Collection
08:50
Welcome Address
Graeme Smith
Chair of AGENTIAL AI AgBio 2025
09:00
Dignitary Opening
Angela Macdonald
Australian Ambassador to Thailand
09:10
AI and Digital Innovation in Agriculture: Thailand’s Next Frontier
Preesan Rakwatin
Executive VP, Thailand’s Digital Economy Promotion Agency (depa)
09:30
Berries, Bots & Bees: The Power of Deep Tech Vertical Farming
• AI and robotics at work – Discover how Oishii combines advanced automation with natural pollination to grow premium produce.
• Exclusive reveal – For the first time, hear insights on Oishii’s acquisition of Tortuga AgTech’s technology and team.
• What’s next – Learn how this move is driving higher yields, healthier crops, and a more sustainable future in agriculture.
Hiroki Koga
Co-Founder & CEO
Oishii
09:50
AI’s Vertical Leap: Transforming Tomorrow’s Food Factories
This session explores how artificial intelligence is revolutionizing vertical farming systems. Discussions will examine how digital twins and machine vision are enabling smarter facility design, precision quality control, and predictive maintenance to maximize operational efficiency. Panelists will address current developments in the plant factory landscape and identify critical R&D priorities needed to advance technologies across industry, academia, and society. The conversation will highlight how real-time data integration, smart growing strategies, and AI-optimized resource management are transforming controlled environments, while addressing the challenges in system integration and knowledge transfer that must be overcome to fully realize AI’s potential in next-generation agriculture.
Moderator
Roel Janssen
CBO
Planet Farms
Eri Hayashi
President
JPFA
Key Discussion Points
• State of the industry – Key developments and ongoing challenges in Japan’s plant factory landscape.
• Future R&D priorities – What innovations are needed to advance plant factory technologies and operations.
• AI’s broader impact – How AI can drive progress across industry, academia, and society in controlled environment agriculture.
Laura van de Kreeke
Farmer
Growy
Key Discussion Points
• AI meets vertical farming – How real-time data, sensors, and digital twins are transforming precision and automation in controlled environments.
• Smart growing strategies – How Growy leverages AI to optimise space, light, climate, and water for maximum efficiency and yield.
• Bridging the gaps – Tackling challenges in system integration and grower knowledge to fully realise the potential of AI-powered agriculture.
Daniel Tzvetkoff
Founder
Stacked Farm
Key Discussion Points
• Smarter facility design – Using digital twins and AI to optimise vertical farm layout and process efficiency.
• Precision quality control – Applying machine vision to monitor crop quality and standardise outputs.
• Maximising uptime – Leveraging AI for predictive maintenance and improved equipment reliability.
10:30
Beyond Glass and Steel: The High-Tech Evolution of Modern Greenhouses
This session explores the technology revolution transforming greenhouse agriculture across diverse environments. Discussions will examine how solar energy and seawater desalination can create sustainable growing systems in resource-scarce regions, alongside insights from cutting-edge propagation facilities specializing in grafted vegetables. Panelists will address emerging technologies poised to reshape operations while offering practical strategies for overcoming adoption barriers through ecosystem-wide collaboration. The conversation will highlight innovations tailored for tropical climates, exploring how customized designs and data-driven cultivation methods enable year-round production. Particular attention will be given to maximizing efficiency through precise environmental control and resource management rather than simply expanding capacity.
Moderator
Graeme Smith
Chair of AGENTIAL AI AgBio 2025
Steve Marafiote
CEO
Sundrop Farms
Key Discussion Points
• Sustainable utilities into the future in an unstable policy environment globally
• Consumer demands on healthier products and considerations for greenhouses
• Labour considerations and the value of robotics
• How to decide on the type of Greenhouse given the commercial and environmental conditions
Jack Mooney
CEO
Provenance Propagation
Key Discussion Points
• Pioneering plant propagation – Insights from Australia’s leading hi-tech propagation facility, with a focus on grafted vegetables and sustainable growing methods.
• Healing success in grafting – Research-driven understanding of the factors influencing grafted plant recovery and performance.
• From field to facility – Lessons from 16+ years in horticulture, spanning nursery management, international experience, and leadership in advanced propagation systems.
Alastair Delooze
Oceania BDM
Denso
Key Discussion Points
• What’s next in horticulture – A look at emerging technologies set to transform growing operations.
• Overcoming adoption barriers – Practical strategies to help growers build confidence and integrate new tools.
• Shared responsibility – Why successful tech adoption requires collaboration across the entire agtech ecosystem.
Menno Keppel
Founder & CEO
Agri Solutions Asia
Key Discussion Points
• Innovating for the tropics: Addressing tropical climate challenges with tailored greenhouse designs that make year-round production possible.
• Data-driven cultivation: Leveraging light data and advanced plant control to transform processes from plant killing to precision manipulation.
• Maximising efficiency: Focusing on improving production per m² rather than simply expanding capacity for sustainable success.
11:10
Morning Coffee Break & Networking
11:40
Cannabis 4.0: Digital Twins, AI, Optimized Genetics, and the Future of Precision Cultivation
This dynamic session explores the technological revolution in medicinal cannabis cultivation. Industry leaders will discuss how precision growing techniques like plant steering and root zone management are enabling pharmaceutical-grade consistency and quality. Panellists will examine AI’s transformative impact across the cultivation ecosystem—from climate and irrigation optimization to data-powered breeding programs and automated quality control. The conversation will highlight how genetics development is meeting regulatory demands across global markets, while exploring the game-changing potential of digital twin technologies adapted from other industries. Particular attention will be given to Nvidia Omniverse applications for real-time simulation and predictive modelling that are setting new standards for consistency, compliance, and yield optimization in medicinal cannabis production.
Moderator
Bryan Ebstyne
CEO
Austranna
Ben Nikaj
Senior Crop Advisor
Grodan
Key Discussion Points
• Precision growing for cannabis – How plant steering and root zone management (RZM) support consistency, yield, and cannabinoid quality in controlled environments.
• Sustainable high-performance cultivation – Using root zone data to optimise water and nutrient use while maintaining pharmaceutical-grade standards.
• Sensor-driven control – How the Grodan GroSens Suite enables real-time monitoring and optimisation of root conditions for consistent outcomes.
Jesus Diaz
Cultivation Director
Austranna
Key Discussion Points
• Genetics meets regulation – Developing over 50 premium cultivars tailored to global market and compliance needs.
• End-to-end expertise – Leading large-scale cultivation, post-harvest optimisation, and GMP-aligned production systems.
• Science-driven strategy – Applying real-world insights to build sustainable, high-performance cannabis operations.
Chase Martin
Founder
Umami Seed Co
Key Discussion Points
• AI-driven cultivation control – From real-time climate, lighting, irrigation, and energy optimisation to predictive fertigation and targeted pest response, AI agents are transforming every layer of environment management.
• Data-powered breeding & quality – How AI accelerates genetic selection, trait scoring, and yield forecasting—enhancing both breeding programs and post-harvest quality control.
• Automation beyond the grow room – Exploring AI’s role in labour efficiency, inventory logistics, and automated SOPs using computer vision, audio, and video analysis.
Ben Niehaus
CTO
SpexAI
Key Discussion Points
• Digital Twin, how can we leverage a digital representation of a cultivation facility to improve yield and efficiencies.
• Chemical Imaging, how Spectral Imaging enables growers to understand the chemical make up of plants, including THCA and CBDA.
• HPLvD, a hidden threat uncovered with AI and Spectral Reflectance.
12:20
From Green Fingers to Data-Driven Cultivation
• Precision growing explained – Understanding plant steering and the critical role of root zone management in Controlled Environment Agriculture.
• Impact on performance and sustainability – How effective root zone strategies boost yield, quality, and resource efficiency.
• Sensor-powered optimisation – Using Grodan’s GroSens Suite to monitor, analyse, and refine root zone conditions in real time.
Ben Nikaj
Senior Crop Advisor
Grodan
12:40
EU-APAC Cannabis Regulations: Building Market Access Bridges
• Navigating the European landscape – Understanding legal frameworks, quality standards, and market access pathways for medicinal cannabis across Europe.
• The German model – Insights into Germany’s approach to reimbursement, regulation, and patient access for medical cannabis.
• Market trends & outlook – Key developments shaping the European cannabis sector and what they mean for future growth.
Sita Schubert
General Secretary of European Medicinal Cannabis Association (EUMCA)
13:00
Lunch & Networking
14:00
Data-Driven Vertical Farming: Propagating Perfect Plants, On Time, Every Time
• AI-powered precision – How Growy’s automated system uses real-time data and predictive analytics to optimise growth, reduce inputs, and ensure consistency.
• Scalable smart farming – Turning precision agriculture into a commercially viable model through space efficiency, automation, and digital twin technology.
• Future-focused integration – Bridging agronomy, technology, and operations while addressing knowledge gaps and system challenges in AI-powered agriculture.
Laura van de Kreeke
Farmer
Growy
14:20
Impacts and Practical Use of AI in Horticultural Research
• AI in action – Real-world applications, successes, and setbacks of AI across horticultural crops and disciplines.
• Shifting the landscape – How AI is changing research methods, workforce needs, and the future skillsets required in horticulture.
• Opportunities and risks – Exploring the potential of AI to support researchers while addressing its limitations and ethical concerns.
Francois Laurens
President
ISHS
14:40
Next-Gen Crop Science: How AI and Innovation Are Reshaping Global Agriculture
This session explores the cutting edge of crop science through the integration of AI, genomics, and predictive technologies. Discussions will examine how AI bridges genomic and phenotypic data to enable more precise breeding decisions and agricultural management. Panellists will share insights on developing high-performing varieties for diverse markets while addressing the needs of both commercial operations and smallholders. The conversation will highlight how data-driven approaches are transforming crop value chains, accelerating trait selection, and enhancing disease prediction to create more resilient agricultural systems. Particular attention will be given to strategic innovation partnerships and future integration possibilities where AI combines with gene editing and other technologies to drive sustainable, climate-resilient agriculture adapted to evolving global challenges.
Moderator
Michael Abdo
Business Unit Manager
Illumina
Bram Koppert
Director APAC
PRIVA
Key Discussion Points
• Optimising genetics – How AI and data are accelerating variety screening and trait selection for improved crop performance.
• Predictive breeding – Leveraging machine learning to forecast outcomes and guide breeding decisions with greater accuracy.
• Resilient crops – Developing varieties with higher yield potential, stress tolerance, and adaptability to future climate conditions.
Pollaratch Wanichakul
Director, CPF Ventures, CEO’s Office
CPF Group
Key Discussion Points
• Driving digital transformation in agri-food – Leading innovation at CPF by integrating AI and AgriTech to enhance crop value chains and operational efficiency.
• Strategic innovation at scale – Collaborating with global startups to apply cutting-edge technologies in crop production and agricultural systems.
• Cross-sector expertise – Bridging technology, business strategy, and digital tools to advance sustainable agriculture across Southeast Asia and beyond.
Loren Trimble
Head of Asia Breeding R&D
Bayer Crop Science
Key Discussion Points
• Breeding innovation at scale – Developing high-performing corn and rice varieties for diverse markets across Asia.
• R&D to real-world impact – Bridging advanced breeding techniques with grower needs, from commercial farms to smallholders.
• Data-driven crop science – Leveraging insights and technology to accelerate product development and agricultural outcomes.
Sapna Nauhria
Industry Director
Microsoft
Key Discussion Points
• Scaling digital ag – Driving AI and IoT adoption through real-world pilot projects and cross-sector collaboration.
• Enabling sustainable farming – Partnering with government and industry to promote efficient, tech-enabled agriculture.
• Empowering through innovation – Advancing inclusive agtech ecosystems with a focus on impact, equity, and long-term resilience.
Deepak Pareek
Founder
HnyB Tech Incubations
Key Discussion Points
• AI-powered optimisation – Enhancing yield, quality, and resource efficiency through real-time control of CEA environments.
• Advanced prediction tools – Using AI for disease detection, pest management, and yield forecasting in crop production.
• Future integration – Combining AI with gene editing and blockchain to drive sustainable, climate-resilient crop development.
15:40
Afternoon Coffee Break & Networking
16:10
Computer Vision to Digital Twins: Next-Gen Greenhouse Intelligence
• From data to decisions – How sensors, computer vision, and AI are enabling smarter, more efficient greenhouse management.
• Digital twins in action – Leveraging simulation models for autonomous operations and AI training.
• Next-gen greenhouse systems – Real-world examples of autonomous control driving yield, quality, and resource efficiency.
Silke Hemming
Teamleader research Greenhouse Technology
WUR
16:30
Dynamic Crop Cultivation: Profitable Precision Growing by Connecting AI, Plant Models and Sensors
• Responsive cultivation – Adapting growing conditions in real time to match plant needs, growth stages, and energy cost fluctuations.
• Tech integration – Combining plant sensors, mechanistic crop models, and AI to enhance prediction accuracy and yield outcomes.
• Climate-resilient profit – How this integrated approach supports sustainable, cost-effective crop production in a changing climate.
Leo Marcelis
Professor of Horticulture
WUR
16:50
From Skyrise to Table: Asia’s Smart Urban Farming Breakthroughs
This session explores Asia’s innovative approaches to urban food production. Vertical farming pioneers will share how they achieve remarkable yields—10 tons of pesticide-free greens monthly from just 400 square meters—through smart technology. Panelists will discuss AI-powered solutions that optimize plant health in high-density environments while addressing scaling challenges. The conversation highlights success stories from Hong Kong to Southeast Asia, where micro-farms now supply premium restaurants in import-dependent cities. Speakers will examine how integrated AI systems enable resource efficiency and climate resilience while creating transparent, shortened supply chains for growing urban populations.
Moderator
Eri Hayashi
President
JPFA
Sansin Sriphiromrak
CEO
DiStar Fresh
Key Discussion Points
• High-yield innovation – Producing 10 tons of pesticide-free leafy greens monthly from just 400 sqm through smart, efficient vertical farming.
• Consumer-first agriculture – Redesigning food systems with transparency, sustainability, and direct-to-consumer models.
• Global vision, local roots – Combining hands-on farming with advocacy and ecosystem design to shape the future of clean, fair food production.
Jessica Fong
Founder & CEO
Common Farms
Key Discussion Points
• From micro-farm to major impact – Scaling from 300 to 10,000 sq.ft. to supply premium, pesticide-free produce to top restaurants across Hong Kong and Macau.
• Optimising space, feeding cities – Leveraging indoor, climate-controlled farming and sensible automation to grow specialty crops in a city that imports 99% of its food.
• Redesigning urban food systems – Combining F&B insight, sustainability, and innovation to shorten supply chains and enhance nutrition in dense urban environments.
Geert Liezenga
CEO
Varmers
Key Discussion Points
• Farming in tight spaces – High-density vertical farming in a 7x11m multi-story system in central Bangkok.
• Scaling smartly – From trial phase to 30x commercial growth with leading supermarket partners.
• Automation in action – Using intelligent systems to deliver clean, pesticide-free produce efficiently.
Gerard Lim Kim Meng
Director & CEO
Agroz Inc
Key Discussion Points
• AI meets CEA – How Agroz OS uses AI to optimise decision-making and resource efficiency in controlled environment farming.
• Sustainable, year-round production – Leveraging vertical farming to boost yield, quality, and food security amid global challenges.
• From vision to reality – Real-world case studies showcasing Agroz’s integrated, AI-powered approach to building climate-resilient food systems.
17:30 – 18:00
Closing Remarks & Networking
8 May 2025
Location: JW Marriott Bangkok, Floor 3 – Sukhumvit Grand Ballroom
08:50
Welcome Address
Graeme Smith
Chair of AGENTIAL AI AgBio 2025
09:00
Beyond Boundaries: CEA and AI Shaping Sustainable Food Systems on Earth and in Space
• Resource-Aware Climate Control: Crop centric and resource-efficient climate control in greenhouses and vertical farms.
• CEAgrivoltaics: Co-Production of Food and Energy, explore synergies between CEA and solar power generation
• From Earth to Space: CEA to support life in extreme environments and Space Exploration
Murat Kacira
Director Controlled Environment Agriculture Centre, Professor, Biosystems Engineering
The University of Arizona
09:20
Sustainable CEA at Scale: The Sundrop Story
• Innovative resource use – How Sundrop Farms leverages solar energy and seawater desalination to grow fresh produce without relying on fossil fuels or freshwater.
• Turning arid into productive – Transforming resource-scarce regions into sustainable agricultural hubs using advanced greenhouse systems.
• Global scalability – Exploring the potential of Sundrop’s model to drive climate-resilient, scalable food systems worldwide.
Steve Marafiote
CEO
Sundrop Farms
09:40
Strategic Roadmap: A Holistic Economic Perspective on Sustainable Ag
• Economic models underestimate risk – Nobel laureate Nordhaus estimates minimal GDP loss from severe warming, contradicting scientific warnings of catastrophic outcomes.
• Markets are misled – Reliance on optimistic economic forecasts has led markets to drastically underprice climate risk.
• Food security at stake – With agriculture among the most vulnerable sectors, AI is critical to building resilience and ensuring global food stability.
Steve Keen
World renowned “climate” economist & author
10:00
Built for Precision: How AI Powers Every Layer of Stacked Farm
• Smarter facility design – Using digital twins and AI to optimise vertical farm layout and process efficiency.
• Precision quality control – Applying machine vision to monitor crop quality and standardise outputs.
• Maximising uptime – Leveraging AI for predictive maintenance and improved equipment reliability.
Daniel Tzvetkoff
Founder
Stacked Farm
10:20
From Lab to Field: The AI Research Pipeline Transforming Modern Agriculture
This research-focused session brings together leading academics from Kasetsart University, University of Arizona, and Wageningen University & Research who are pioneering AI applications in controlled environment agriculture and crop science across multiple continents.
Moderator
Eri Hayashi
President
JPFA
Murat Kacira
Director Controlled Environment Agriculture Centre, Professor, Biosystems Engineering
The University of Arizona
Key Discussion Points
• Smarter farming with robotics – Leveraging automation to streamline labour, improve consistency, and boost efficiency in CEA operations.
• Circular CEA systems – Transforming agricultural waste into energy and resources through closed-loop, waste-to-value technologies.
• Renewable energy integration – Powering CEA with solar, wind, or other clean energy sources to reduce environmental impact and operational costs.
Teerasit Kasetkasem
Associate Professor
KU
Key Discussion Points
• Advancing AI for agriculture – Over two decades of research applying machine learning and deep learning to real-world farming challenges.
• Remote sensing & spatial analysis – Using satellite and drone imagery to improve crop classification, monitoring, and yield prediction.
• National AI leadership – Supporting Thailand’s AI for AgriTech efforts through academic research and work with the Thai AI Association.
Silke Hemming
Teamleader research Greenhouse Technology
WUR
Key Discussion Points
• Smart algorithms development – greenhouse and crop control algorithms development, potential for scalability, fast adaptability, robustness for large-scale operation
• Data availability – collection of connected FAIR data, publicly available for research and operation, -data ownership and sharing
• Data security – cyber security, greenhouse operation by cloud service vs local service
Leo Marcelis
Professor of Horticulture
WUR
Key Discussion Points
• Do we have enough data? – Assessing data readiness for AI in CEA.
• Closing data gaps – Tackling issues of quality, access, and standardisation.
• Enabling better models – Generating high-value datasets to drive deep tech research.
11:00
Morning Coffee Break & Networking
11:40
Latest Update to Thailand’s Medicinal Cannabis Regulations
Tewan Thaneerat
Deputy Director-General of the Department for Development of Thai Traditional and Alternative Medicine, The Ministry of Public Health
12:00
Import and Export of Cannabis Under the Plant Quarantine and Plant Varieties Protection Laws in Thailand
Maythasith Konkarn
Director of Academic Group, Office of Agricultural Regulation, Department of Agriculture
12:20
Medicinal Cannabis Crossroads: Navigating Global Markets from Asia-Pacific Hubs
This panel brings together key leaders from the Australian and Thai cannabis sectors, offering expert insights into regulatory compliance and export strategies. It will focus on the dynamic pathways from Asia-Pacific markets to Europe, exploring challenges, opportunities, and the evolving landscape of global medicinal cannabis trade.
Moderator
Bryan Ebstyne
CEO
Austranna
Paul Long
CEO
Little Green Pharma
Key Discussion Points
• Navigating Australia’s import pathway – Understanding the licensing, GMP compliance, and regulatory frameworks essential for foreign cultivators entering the Australian medicinal cannabis market.
• Market growth and outlook – Exploring the drivers behind Australia’s rapid market expansion and projections for imported volumes in the coming year.
• Strategic insights for exporters – Offering guidance for new entrants and identifying emerging opportunities within the broader Asia-Pacific region.
Rehan Mehta
CEO
Thai Stick
Key Discussion Points
• Challenging perceptions – Building credibility and legitimacy in a stigmatized and rapidly evolving cannabis industry.
• Thailand’s strategic edge – Exploring the country’s potential to become a global cannabis hub through policy, location, and agricultural strengths.
• Sustaining beyond the hype – Lessons in resilience and adaptability as the industry matures and early momentum fades.
Tommy Huppert
Founder | Director
Cannatrek
Key Discussion Points
• Unlocking APAC potential – Positioning Australia, Japan, and Thailand as strategic hubs in a growing regional cannabis economy.
• Japan as a gateway – Tapping into Asia’s high-trust medicinal market through a compliant, pharma-grade approach.
• Building trusted supply chains – Emphasising transparency and scalability to meet future demand and secure investor and regulatory confidence.
Natcha Klahan
COO
World Pharma Solutions
Key Discussion Points
• Regulatory stigma in Asia – Thailand stands at the forefront amid cultural and legal resistance across the region.
• Setting the standard – With strengths in indoor cultivation, GMP facilities, and exports, Thailand has the potential to lead, not follow.
• Science-led progress – Collaboration, education, and data-driven policy are critical to shaping a credible, regional cannabis industry.
13:00
Lunch & Networking
14:00
Digital Twins – Simulated Plants Based on Physics
• Beyond monitoring – Why passive observation isn’t enough, and the need for dynamic, data-rich cultivation models.
• Digital twins in action – Lessons from other industries using digital environments to optimise real-world systems.
• Future of cultivation with Omniverse – How platforms like Nvidia Omniverse can simulate, predict, and transform controlled environment agriculture.
Ben Niehaus
CTO
SpexAI
14:20
Inside a World-Class Multi-Hectare Cannabis Facility: AI-Driven Automation at Scale
• AI from seed to harvest – Transforming large-scale cannabis cultivation with automation and intelligent control.
• Smarter, faster operations – Using data, machine learning, and digital copilots to streamline decisions and workflows.
• Adaptive cultivation systems – Integrating pest management and environmental control for continuous optimisation and performance.
Bryan Ebstyne
CEO
Austranna
14:40
Automate to Cultivate: How to Produce 16 Million Bags of Leafy Greens with Just 6 People
• Science before systems – Agronomy-led research defines optimal crop conditions before engineering automation around them.
• Automation at scale – Industrial systems handle everything from seeding to harvest, enabling 16M bags with just six people.
• Precision through software – Gaia VF provides real-time data, monitoring, and control to drive continuous optimisation and scale.
Roel Janssen
CBO
Planet Farms
15:00
What If Your Greenhouse Could Start Growing the Crop by Itself?
• Digital evolution in agriculture – From data-driven growth to a full Digital Suite, explore how Priva’s AI tools support growers across skill levels and crop types.
• Tech meets trust – Why adoption is as much about building grower confidence as it is about delivering innovation—with smarter decisions enabling scale.
• Breakthrough innovations – A look into Priva’s latest solutions like the Green Twin, Priva Eco, and Plantonomy—plus AI tools for climate control and crop analysis.
Manuel Madani
Head of region SEA
PRIVA
15:20
Afternoon Coffee Break & Networking
15:50
Genetic Algorithms – How AI is Rewriting the Code of Cannabis, Novel Crops, and Traditional Agriculture
• Unlocking crop potential – How DNA sequencing and AI are revolutionizing plant breeding for elite cannabis varieties, novel crops, and traditional agriculture.
• Beyond genomics alone – Using AI as the critical bridge connecting genetic data with observable plant traits to accelerate breeding decisions.
• Precision agriculture’s future – Leveraging genomic insights to develop more climate resilient, productive crop varieties while enhancing sustainability and profitability.
Michael Abdo
Business Unit Manager
Illumina
16:10
From Manual to Machine: Evolution in Plant Propagation
• The Need for Change: Growing labour challenges, the demand for higher quality and
consistency, and pressure for faster turnaround have driven the shift toward automation.
• Technological Innovations: Integration of climate-controlled systems and automated
seeding processes, and how it has streamlined operations.
• AI & IoT Applications: From smart sensors to AI-powered data processing,
technologies like Track32 help capture real-time germination data, allowing for precise
and informed decision-making.
• What’s Ahead: Expansion of facilities and automation lines, continuing to push the
boundaries of what’s possible in modern plant propagation.
Jack Mooney
CEO
Provenance Propagation
16:30
Engineering the Future: Innovators Breaking New Ground in CEA
This session showcases innovative approaches to Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA) through resourceful engineering and technical creativity. Discussions will explore closed-loop systems integrating Microbial Fuel Cells with hydroponics to convert waste into energy, alongside machine learning applications for hyper-efficient climate control. Panelists will share insights on designing vertical strawberry farms for tropical climates and developing lean scaling strategies that prioritize labor efficiency over costly automation. The conversation will highlight success stories of self-built technology stacks proving their worth across thousands of harvests, demonstrating how independent innovation and engineering-led design are creating sustainable, AI-enhanced growing systems in diverse global environments.
Moderator
Roel Janssen
CBO
Planet Farms
Lenon Modesto
Researcher
Sony CSL
Key Discussion Points
• ML-driven climate control – How machine learning enables hyper-efficient environment management, contributing significantly to yield and energy savings.
• Engineering-led design – Leveraging mechanical engineering expertise to independently design, build, and operate high-performance CEA systems.
• Bootstrapped scalability – Insights on building a profitable, investor-ready agritech venture through in-house innovation and energy optimisation.
Ty Dickson
Co-Founder & Director
April Sun Farms
Key Discussion Points
• Closed-loop sustainability – Integrating Microbial Fuel Cells with hydroponics to convert organic waste into bioelectricity and recycled nutrients.
• AI-enabled precision – Using real-time monitoring and AI-driven control to optimise energy use, nutrient delivery, and plant health.
• Next-gen resource efficiency – Combining sensors, IoT, and automation to create a highly efficient, self-sustaining food production system.
Sanuja Cooray
Co-Founder & CTO
Honest Greens
Key Discussion Points
• Built from the ground up – Developing Sri Lanka’s first commercial indoor vertical farm with a fully self-built tech stack, from hardware to software.
• Proven at scale – 16,000+ harvests demonstrating consistent yield improvements and cost efficiency in real-world conditions.
• AI-powered global expansion – Deploying full-stack systems worldwide, with embedded AI agents to support operators and scale sustainable farming across diverse environments.
Jayson Fumera
Co-Founder
Intellifarm
Key Discussion Points
• Model-based design in tropical climates – Designing and simulating indoor vertical strawberry farms for economic and resource efficiency in the Philippines.
• Proof of concept under pressure – Building the country’s first indoor strawberry farm amidst global market downturns and local infrastructure challenges.
• A guerrilla approach to scaling – Adopting a lean, labor-driven strategy over high-capex automation to create a sustainable path toward commercial viability.
17:10 – 18:00
Closing Remarks & Networking