Moldova opens Agrotek Arena, an incubator for digital agriculture, robotics, and foodtech education
Moldova has launched Agrotek Arena, an incubator and pre-accelerator focused on digital agriculture, robotics, and food technology.
The initiative is part of the Innovate Moldova Programme, funded by Sweden, and aims to modernize the country’s agri-food sector through research, innovation, and international collaboration.
A Memorandum of Understanding was signed on July 9, 2025, by the Ministry of Digitalization and Economic Development, the Technical University of Moldova (UTM), the Innovate Moldova Programme, and the Ukraine-Moldova American Enterprise Fund.
The incubator will occupy 1,300 square meters across two refurbished floors and host up to 30 residents, including startups, student entrepreneurs, researchers, and agri-food companies. It is expected to benefit over 3,000 students, farmers, and food processors annually by providing access to prototyping labs, greenhouses, and innovation support programs.
Doina Nistor, deputy prime minister and minister of digitalization and economic development, says, “Agriculture remains a backbone of Moldova’s economy. Yet, without modern tools and forward-thinking infrastructure, its full potential cannot be realized. Agrotek Arena will serve as a launchpad for innovation, helping us bridge the gap between academia, industry, and global partners.”
Shared funding and international partnerships
The $1 million project is financed through a shared funding model. Innovate Moldova and the Ukraine-Moldova American Enterprise Fund are supporting the refurbishment of shared spaces, while UTM is providing rent-free facilities and overseeing energy efficiency upgrades. Residents will contribute by equipping their own offices.
Agrotek Arena will also work with European and North American technology providers. Partnerships include Davis Weather Stations for climate-smart farming, Biosfera’s GPS AgTech solutions for resource optimization, and SAS Cropio ERP systems for real-time farm data analytics. These collaborations aim to accelerate Moldova’s agricultural transformation and create opportunities with partners in the EU, EFTA, and North Atlantic regions.
Laying the foundation for future agri-tech development
The incubator is based on UTM’s five-hectare Mircești campus in Chișinău and connects to an additional 570 hectares in the Criuleni region. It marks the first major milestone in the planned Agrotek Park, which will include high-tech farming sites, applied R&D centers, and repurposed infrastructure for labs and innovation hubs.
Sergiu Rabii, programme director at the Innovate Moldova Programme, says, “This is more than a building—it’s the beginning of Moldova’s transformation into a regional hub for sustainable agri-tech. By fostering ties between startups, universities, and international partners, we are laying the groundwork for high-value job creation and export-ready technologies.”
