Third International AgriVest Conference to Showcase Potential for Investment in Agricultural Technology

JERUSALEM, March 30, 2015 /PRNewswire/ --

AgriVest, a partnership between Israel's Ministry of Economy, Trendlines Agtech and GreenSoil Investments to be held at Weizmann Institute of Science on 27^th April 2015 

The third international AgriVest conference, an initiative of Invest in Israel, the investment promotion center at the Israeli Ministry of Economy, the Trendlines Group and Trendlines Agtech and GreenSoil Investments, will take place at the Weizmann Institute of Science on April 27, 2015.

During the conference, which serves as a unique platform for meetings between potential investors and key executives in the global agricultural industry, Israeli startups will present their finest in agritech innovation to hundreds of professionals, government officials, businesspeople, scientists and leading investors from Israel and abroad.

The growing need and demand for food security, together with the challenges of creating a sustainable, eco-friendly agriculture, constitutes fertile ground for development and innovation in agritech. The growing awareness around the world is that the only way to overcome the gap between supply and demand is by using new and advanced technologies which can offer solutions to improving the chain of agricultural production and food supply.

During the conference, two panels will feature senior agritech officials from Israel and the world: The industry panel moderated by Eyal Lipetz-Eliassi, DuPont, includes Sam Fiorello, Danforth Plant Science Center, Ofer Haviv, Evogene, Pam Marrone, Marrone Bio Innovations, Barry J. Schindler, Greenberg Traurig, and Alexander Wigelmann, KWS SAAT. Adam Anders, Anterra Capital, Dror Berman, Innovation Endeavors, Dan Hodgson, Linn Grove Growth Fund, Arama Kukutai, Finistere Ventures fund, Michael Lee, Syngenta Ventures, and Jinesh Shah, Omnivore Partners will participate in the investment panel moderated by Gideon Soesman, GreenSoil Investments.

The focus of the event will be a presentation by 12 selected Israeli startups*, who will show their finest in the Israeli agricultural industry to investors from Israel and the world. The companies were selected by a professional, independent commission headed by Chief Scientist at the Ministry of Agriculture Avi Perl, from more than 40 companies that competed for the privilege of presenting at the conference. They will be graded by the participants and at the end of the day the leading company will be awarded a prize presented by Oded Distel, Director of Invest in Israel at the Israeli Ministry of Economy and Dr. Nitza Kardish, CEO of Trendlines AgTech.

Oded Distal, Director of Invest in Israel at the Israeli Ministry of Economy added: "The Ministry of Economy is delighted to once again be showcasing some of the most exciting and innovative Israeli agtech companies at AgriVest. We have seen the value that this event has had for Israeli companies in the past and hope that this year will result in positive relationships being developed between companies, investors and government officials both in Israel and around the world".

Dr. Nitza Kardish, CEO of  Trendlines Agtech, said: "In recent years the global challenges of supplying food for a growing population are getting worse, and demand is on the rise. Agricultural technology presents the infrastructure for resolving the very serious issue of world hunger. Israel can and needs to present the world with solutions, including innovative developments which fulfill the future needs of global agricultural markets. We have the tools, the knowledge and the ability to lead development of technological research in agriculture, and to realize the possibilities of this field as a successful export industry. The AgriVest conference is a window of opportunity and a platform for meetings between investors and entrepreneurs. There is huge interest around the world in Israeli developments and they carry significant economic potential, as well as benefits for Israel's global image."

Gideon Soesman, Co-Founder and Managing Partner, GreenSoil Investments remarked: "AgriVest showcases technologies that will enable us to produce unique foodstuffs, additives, seeds and agricultural products to combat the stress on our dwindling natural resources. Investing in new crops, treatment methods, waste reduction and yield enhancement will provide solutions to the world's food crisis and can deliver sizable returns to investors."

Raphael Meisner, CEO of Rootility, winner of AgriVest 2013: "AgriVest was a perfect platform for us - we presented our company, met with investors and created strategic ties."

AgriVest takes place the day before Agritech - the International Agriculture Exhibition and Conference - scheduled for April 28 to 30, 2015, in Tel Aviv. Agritech is one of the world's leading conferences in the field of agricultural technologies. Agritech features hundreds of Israeli agritech developments, from greenhouses and irrigation to water management and dairy farming. In 2012, 8,100 foreign visitors attended Agritech.

* The companies featured in this year's conference are: BioFishency, CropX, DouxMatok, Ecofer Fertigation, EQUInom, FuturaGraft, Groundwork BioAg, Hinoman, Phenome Networks, Saturas, Valentis Nanotech and VIBE Technologies.

For more information or to register to attend the event, please contact:
Keren Ofek-Machluf
keren@ofirpr.co.il
+972-4-9535030