Agropôle, located in Molondin in the northern part of Vaud, is built on a stretch of farmland cultivated by a family enterprise since 1600. The land has since been donated to the Agropôle venture and turned into a research campus where companies develop, test and market technology for sustainable food systems.
The campus has 35,000 m2 of rentable property including industrial space, offices, workshops and greenhouses for research and development, along with some 85 hectares of farmland for pilot projects. Agropôle is a one-of-a-kind idea incubator designed to promote farm-to-table initiatives. The campus plans to construct a new building for showcasing its innovations, which should be ready by 2023.
“Today, our technology parks serve as a tightly-knit network of skills and innovation for stimulating business development, fueling our local economy, and creating jobs within our canton. Having Agropôle as part of our Food Valley broadens the range of capabilities we can offer,” says Philippe Leuba, Head of the Vaud Department of Economy, Innovation and Sport (DEIS).
Patrick Barbey, the president of Innovaud, says: “Today’s consumers want their food to be environmentally responsible, and that’s where Agropôle comes in. Vaud businesses can use the campus to develop innovative products and services along the entire food-industry value chain that are sustainable, ethical and of a high quality. Having the campus as part of our network of technology parks will enhance the attractiveness of our canton, both within Switzerland and internationally.”
Alain Schacher, the president of Agropôle, notes: “We’re proud and honored to join Innovaud as one of Vaud’s technology parks alongside other organizations we admire, yet with a unique focus on sustainable agriculture. And I am happy to see this kind of recognition being given to a research campus like ours and to sustainability-oriented innovation in general. I’d also like to highlight the years of hard work put in by the family behind Agropôle in order to give life to their ethics and vision.”
A nutrition and food ecosystem that’s unique in Switzerland
Agropôle is part of Vaud’s bustling ecosystem composed of companies and R&D centers studying advanced methods for nutrition and food technologies. Organizations in the ecosystem include Agroscope de Changins, HEIG-VD, EPFL, Nestlé, EHL’s Innovation Village, and the Swiss Food & Nutrition Valley, of which Agropôle is a member.