After the success of the previous editions, the Digital Agenda Team of the Italian Veneto Region announced the theme of VeneToStars 2026, a European challenge for innovative ideas based on Space-derived data and technologies applied to the Agrifood sector.
Young innovators, students and recent graduates from all over Europe are invited to submit their ideas on how space data and technologies (e.g. Copernicus, Galileo, EGNOS) can support agriculture, food production, environmental sustainability and climate resilience in the Veneto Region and beyond.
What is needed to join the challenge? A team of at least 2 young Europeans aged 18–25, a multidisciplinary mindset, and creative ideas on how space can contribute to areas such as crop and vineyard monitoring, water management, aquaculture, forestry, smart harvesting, logistics or weather forecasting for agrifood.
Applications will close on 3 April 2026 at www.venetostars.com.
Ten finalist teams will be hosted in Venice during the international event Space Meetings Veneto 2026 (11–13 May 2026), where they will have the opportunity to meet companies, investors, end users and stakeholders from the space and agrifood ecosystems, and to pitch their ideas to an international jury including institutional and industry experts.
Moreover, for the first time in the history of VeneToStars, cash prizes will be awarded to the top-ranked teams, in addition to mentoring, visibility and access to the Veneto innovation ecosystem.
The winning teams will also be invited to spend one week in the Veneto Region in summer 2026, taking part in a tailor-made programme including mentoring, coaching, technical and entrepreneurial sessions, with the goal of advancing their ideas towards a prototype and potentially testing them in a real-world environment.
