Join us at the Green Minds Gather 2026

The Centre for Sustainable Agrifood Systems (START) invites stakeholders from across the agrifood sector to the conference ”Green Minds Gather 2026: Resilient and Sustainable Agri-Food Systems in a Competitive Europe” which will take place in Copenhagen on 28–29 October 2026.

DTU National Food Institute is involved in the conference through DTU’s participation in START, a research-based collaborative platform founded by the Danish universities. 

The conference brings together researchers, policymakers, industry representatives, civil society actors and innovation stakeholders from across Europe. Together, they will explore how Europe can accelerate the transformation of its agrifood systems while strengthening sustainability, resilience and competitiveness.

From ambition to action

Europe's agrifood systems face a series of interconnected challenges. Climate change is intensifying pressure on water resources and reshaping the conditions for food production, while many promising research findings and innovative solutions struggle to move beyond early-stage development and achieve large-scale impact.

At the same time, policy and regulatory frameworks have a major influence on the speed at which new solutions can be developed and adopted. Green Minds Gather 2026 will explore how research, industry, innovation actors and policymakers can work together more effectively to translate knowledge and ambition into practical action.

Topics include relationship between sustainability and competitiveness, EU initiatives in research and innovation, the management of water and climate pressures, the role of regulation in enabling innovation, and the journey from innovation to adoption and system-wide impact.

Programme

The conference programme features seven main-stage sessions, parallel sessions with thematic tracks, panel debates, presentations, networking activities and a conference dinner.

The first day will open with a discussion of whether Europe can accelerate sustainability while remaining globally competitive and resilient. Participants will also explore how new EU frameworks and initiatives can strengthen Europe’s agrifood research and innovation landscape, as well as how agrifood systems can respond to increasing climate risks, water scarcity, flooding and resource pressures.

The second day will focus on how regulation can support innovation without compromising trust and sustainability.

The programme will also examine why Europe’s strong pipeline of agrifood innovation does not always translate into system-level impact, and what must change across policy, investment and industry to enable promising solutions to be adopted and scaled.

Announced speakers include representatives from the European Commission, the European Parliament, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), the European Environment Agency (EEA), universities, industry organisations and innovation environments.

The conference will conclude by considering the most critical priorities for Europe’s agrifood future and how policy, research and industry can better align to accelerate implementation and deliver impact at scale.

View the preliminary programme for Green Minds Gather 2026

Title

Green Minds Gather 2026: Resilient and Sustainable Agri-Food Systems in a Competitive Europe.

Date

28–29 October 2026.

Venue

Aarhus University
Emdrup Campus
Tuborgvej 164
DK-2400 Copenhagen NV

Registration

Registration takes place via the conference website at Aarhus University

Facts about START

Green Minds Gather is organised by the Centre for Sustainable Agrifood Systems (START), a research-based and interdisciplinary collaborative platform founded by the eight Danish universities, including DTU.

START brings together researchers from universities across Denmark and works to accelerate the transformation of agrifood systems through collaboration across institutions and academic disciplines. 

Learn about START and Green Minds Gather 2026