Bayer’s crop science division, Zone Agtech, and Axceta have signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to launch a three-party collaboration aimed at developing an innovation consortium to advance agritech and greenhouse technology across Canada.
The collaboration aims to drive the development and adoption of digital and IoT-based technologies, positioning the consortium as a leader in smart agriculture.
“We are proud that Bayer has chosen Quebec as the foundation for developing the Canadian market, thanks to the strong network of partners within Zone Agtech, Axceta’s technological expertise – already contributing to Bayer’s innovations – and the depth of Quebec’s AI ecosystem,” said Marilou Cyr, general director of Zone Agtech.
The consortium will be structured around Bayer’s HortiView platform, a digital crop management solution designed for international horticultural production markets. In its beta version, HortiView offers a range of management tools developed by third-party solution providers including but not limited to pre-harvest functionalities to help producers optimize seasonal planning, fertigation, irrigation, and disease control. The vision is to simplify primary data collection and enable growers to benefit from a curated marketplace of modular, connected agronomic services that support data-driven decisions that help them maximize crop production and optimize resource use.
“The Canadian horticulture industry is highly advanced, diverse and innovation-oriented, which makes it an ideal environment to deploy novel digital solutions to support farmers,” said Chris Pienaar, global fruit & vegetable digital new value lead at Bayer.
“We are pleased to be working with Zone Agtech and Axceta to further develop HortiView platform and accelerate the agtech space in Canada – all while improving efficiency and productivity for growers. They are excellent partners to take this solution to the next level.”
Zone Agtech, an ecosystem bringing together 250 members and partners, will assess financial feasibility and mobilize key co-investors and partners for the consortium.
“This initiative will solidify Quebec’s position as a hub for agricultural innovation, attracting top-tier investors, industry leaders, and cutting-edge startups,” Cyr said.
Axceta will serve as a technology partner, contributing its embedded software, cloud infrastructure, and data-driven agricultural solutions.
“This partnership aligns perfectly with Axceta’s mission to provide tools to assist our farmers to cope with a shortage of qualified labour while stimulating the local innovation ecosystem,” said Sherif Zaroubi, CEO of Axceta.
“We look forward to working with Bayer and Zone Agtech to deliver impactful innovations.”
The MOU outlines key objectives for the partnership, including supporting the adoption of digital and IoT-based agricultural technologies for optimized resource management; establishing a consortium that attracts investment and fosters collaboration between industry leaders, startups, and academic institutions; and enhancing environmental sustainability and economic resilience in horticultural production through data-driven decision-making.
