This event to accelerate the development of the sector was attended by more than 160 participants from 9 different countries
The event to accelerate resin innovation IdiForest was held online on 6, 7, 8 and 9 October. The difficulties arising from the situation of COVID-19 meant that it had to be held in this format, but with the use of digital tools to make it dynamic and constructive.
The aim of the event, organized by the Cesefor Foundation, was to promote the competitiveness, sustainability and social impact of non-wood forest products through the use of ICT and emerging technologies. The invitation to participate was collected by more than 160 people who registered to attend the event. Of these registrations, the presence of 9 different countries (Spain, Portugal, Mexico, Peru, Italy, Turkey, Belgium, Brazil and Croatia) should be highlighted.
The general objective
The conferences were dedicated to stimulating the transfer and exchange of knowledge on the use of emerging technologies that can radically improve productivity, sustainability, supply capacity, benefits and social impact. As an example, those dedicated to the Internet of Things and its application to the agricultural sector, sensor technology within the mycological sector or the processes of traceability and transparency in the hunting market, highlighting the possibilities of these technologies, present and future.
In a second block, the Techday conferences were held, a series of conferences promoted by the Institute of Business Competitiveness (ICE), the Regional Government of Castilla y León and the Science Park of the University of Valladolid, to create effective links between NWFP entrepreneurs, technologists and potential investors. Artificial Intelligence focused on the forestry sector, the possibilities of monitoring productions such as chestnuts or resin, or how ICTs are applied to the field of food safety, were the topics discussed.
Finally, workshops were held on the acceleration of innovation and entrepreneurship in non-wood forest products, with special mention to the exploitation of resins. Different entrepreneurs and startups presented their projects, among which initiatives such as EasyQ stood out. Thanks to its extensive experience in the food safety sector and its broad technological knowledge, EasyQ has managed to develop software with which to facilitate and speed up the food safety and quality work of the different companies in the food sector. The M2Sensors project provides consultancy services related to sensor networks for environmental, structural and energy efficiency monitoring. Blockimpulse, a company that offers consultancy and personalized development based on Blockchain + IoT, accompanying companies in their digital transformation and AGM Global, which offers innovative solutions in the control of irrigation techniques, allowing the control of production, water consumption and energy resources through precision agricultural technologies.
Finally, work teams were organized to learn methodologies for creating prototypes and developing business models in order to launch and test the viability of different ideas and how to make these ideas or projects visible. This whole process was accompanied by mentors, professionals with experience in the forestry sector and in entrepreneurship who helped to focus on what is really important for the ideas and projects to be viable.
The ideas of the future
Five ideas were selected to be developed:
idiForest has been developed as a transversal initiative that combines the exchange of knowledge on the latest research, development and innovation in emerging technologies with non-wood forest products, with a dynamic part of promoting innovation projects and expert advice.
The idiForest presentations are available here: PRESENTATIONS.
