The winners were chosen from a total of nearly 300 companies based in 23 different countries that responded to the Institute’s call for applications, the largest number since the creation of this initiative in 2022
During Digital Agriculture Week, the AgTechs selected will have the opportunity to present their technological solutions to key players in the agrifood ecosystem, hold meetings with investment funds, and generate strategic partnerships
San José, 11 August 2026 (IICA). The Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA) and a specialized jury has selected the 15 AgTech startups that will be part of the fifth edition of Digital Agriculture Week (DAW), the foremost regional event for promoting the digital transformation of agrifood systems in the Americas, which will take place in Costa Rica from September 7-10.
Companies from 13 countries in the Americas were selected from among nearly 300 based in 23 nations that responded to the call for applications launched by IICA in April. The number of applications received was a record, and twice as many as in 2025.
The startups chosen are: Unibaio and BOLD AI Agro from Argentina, Red Diamond Compost from Barbados, Agrimet from Bolivia, ManejeBem from Brazil, Farmer.Community from Canada, Bruna from Chile, Neonativa and AgroData Connect from Colombia, Tlaloc Agrofintech from El Salvador, Harvverse from Honduras, TERRA IO from Mexico, Froniva from Paraguay, NOVAGRI from Peru, and Agroo from Venezuela.
With IICA covering all their expenses, the AgTechs that take part in the DAW will have the opportunity to present their solutions to key players in the agrifood ecosystem, hold meetings with investment funds, and generate strategic partnerships.
“One of the biggest plusses of this initiative is that it connects people. These startups will be able to link up with each other, with investment funds, accelerators, corporations, universities, national agricultural research institutes, and international organizations. These interactions are essential to strengthen collaboration, create new opportunities, and continue consolidating Latin America and the Caribbean’s AgTech ecosystem,” said Federico Bert, who is in charge of IICA’s work related to digital agriculture.
The successful applicants were chosen by a special jury made up of representatives of two startups (Suyana and Agrosmart), the University of Buenos Aires (Argentina), the University of Córdoba (Spain), Bayer, the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC), the World Bank, the CRUSA Foundation, The Yield Lab, Incofin, Seedstars and Activa CATIE funds, Endeavor, the Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation (EMBRAPA), and IICA.
Priority was given to AgTechs offering solutions designed to increase productivity and competitiveness; improve natural resource management and farmers’ resilience; shorten marketing circuits and make them transparent; facilitate technical assistance and rural extension; and enhance risk management and food health and safety. Special consideration was given to those that incorporate the use of artificial intelligence in a concrete, demonstrable way, and to those that offer biological solutions.
As well as focusing on the quality and degree of technological maturity of the solutions, the evaluation process sought to create a representative group of the different innovation ecosystems in the region and promote exchanges between entrepreneurs from different contexts.
“The quality of the applications was extremely high. Today, AgTechs have become the driving force behind new agrifood innovation ecosystems, they are the main generators of technological solutions that make it possible to respond to challenges such as productivity, sustainability, climate resilience and risk management, and one of IICA’s priorities is to help these innovations reach the countries and scale up their impact,” Bert explained.
Digital Agriculture Week
The 2026 edition of the DAW is being organized by IICA with the support of strategic partners such as ECLAC, the World Bank, Bayer, the University of Córdoba (Spain) and the CRUSA Foundation, with more than 20 entities helping to promote the event.
It will focus on four main areas: cross-cutting digital innovations, actions to speed up the adoption of technologies, the digitization of technical assistance and rural extension, and the design of policies to promote digitalization in the countries.
There will also be sessions on digital technologies applied to agricultural research and development, the development of insurance for agricultural risk management, as well as various spaces for dialogue and networking to strengthen innovation ecosystems.
The event will bring together public and private stakeholders involved in the development and adoption of digital technologies, including startups, incubators, accelerators, investment funds, agricultural research institutes, multilateral organizations, academia, and policymakers.
It will be broadcast on the Institute's YouTube channels in Spanish (@IICAnoticias), English (@IICAnews) and Portuguese (@IICAnoticiaspt).
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