My Secret Sauce for a Successful Agritechnica Visit — and What I’m Excited to See in 2025

Oct 14

It’s hard to believe, but in just one month Agritechnica will take place in Hannover. This is by far my favorite trade show; the scale and diversity are simply unmatched.

While it’s still often seen as a “machinery show,” Agritechnica has evolved far beyond that. Technology, startups, and components are now center stage, reflecting the increasing digitalization, data-driven nature, and connectivity of agriculture.

Of course, the biggest share of the show remains dedicated to equipment: from small family-run manufacturers to the global OEMs. You’ll see machines and brands you’ve never heard of, from every corner of the world. And that’s the magic of Agritechnica: it’s a truly global meeting point for agricultural innovation.

For those who haven’t attended before, here are a few key insights and recommendations.

Part I — What to Expect at Agritechnica 2025

📍 The Scale

Agritechnica takes place at the Hannover Fairgrounds, one of the largest exhibition sites in the world. The event uses 23 halls plus outdoor areas, almost the entire fairground. Imagine the largest trade show you’ve been to, and then double it. That’s the scale we’re talking about.

🗓️ The Schedule

The show runs from Sunday through Saturday, a full week of activity.
In the past, the first two days were the so-called “exclusive days,” mainly for the industry and media. This year, the structure is slightly different:

Sunday: Innovation Day
Monday–Tuesday: Exclusive agribusiness days (higher ticket price, but these are the days when most industry leaders are on-site)
Wednesday: International Farmers Day
Thursday: Digital Farming Day

If your goal is to meet industry leaders or explore strategic partnerships, plan to be there early in the week (Sunday to Tuesday). Later in the week, the audience shifts to students, farmers, and families, with Saturdaytraditionally being the Family Day.

🚀 Startups and Technology

If your focus is startups and AgTech, Hall 21 will be your place to be. The organizers have brought all startup and tech exhibitors together in this central hall, creating a great ecosystem feel.

Of course, technology is everywhere across the fair — from country pavilions and component suppliers to OEM booths.

If you’re involved with startups or investing, consider joining the Investor Program on Wednesday, which includes a series of panels and a pitch competition.

⏰ How Much Time to Plan

How long you should stay depends on your goals, but I’d recommend at least two full days, ideally three or more. That gives you time to walk the halls, have meetings, and still explore and discover new innovations without rushing.

🏠 Where to Stay

Hotels in Hannover are very expensive at this point, so I recommend staying in a nearby town with a train connection. Laatzen is directly next to the fairgrounds, but towns like Hildesheim, Peine, or Celle also work well. There’s a train station right at the fair entrance, making commuting easy.

🤝 Meetings and Networking

Agritechnica week is hectic, especially for people from the industry side. Reach out early to your contacts and lock in meetings well in advance. Group your appointments by hall to avoid long walks, crossing the fairgrounds can easily take 30 minutes.

The event always feels like a big reunion, a chance to catch up with colleagues, friends, and partners from around the world.

🏆 Innovation Awards

The Agritechnica Innovation Awards are a highlight every year. This year, 2 innovations received Gold Medals, 22 received Silver, out of 234 applications, covering everything from automation and alternative power systems to sensing, data analytics, and AI-driven control systems. We just wrote an article to list the key technologies that have been recognized

🧭 Preparation Tips

I strongly recommend mapping out your visit and prioritizing which halls you want to explore. Agritechnica is enormous, and running from one end to the other can easily take time and energy you’d rather spend discovering tech.

After several editions of Agritechnica, I’ve learned that preparation makes all the difference. But beyond logistics, what truly excites me is seeing where the industry is heading. Below are the technology areas I’ll be watching most closely in Hannover.

Part II — What I’ll Be Watching Closely

🧠 Autonomy-Ready Implements

Many autonomy efforts today focus on automating the power unit — tractors, carriers, or robots. But to make a fully autonomous system, the implements behind these power units must also be “autonomy-ready.”
That means equipping implements with sensors that monitor work quality, soil engagement, and implement health, and creating a real-time feedback loop to the tractor or robot.
I’m particularly interested to see how companies are integrating position sensors, load sensors, and camera-based verification into implements, and how well these systems communicate via ISO-BUS or proprietary architectures to close the loop.

🤖 Autonomous Concepts

I’m curious what new autonomous machines or retrofit solutions will be showcased. Are we seeing more dedicated robots, or are manufacturers focusing on automation kits that extend existing equipment?
At the last Agritechnica, we saw a wave of new autonomous tractor prototypes,now I’m watching for real, field-ready products and for how OEMs are positioning themselves in this transition.

💻 Digital Platforms and FMIS Evolution

There’s a clear transition underway in the digital space. The classical FMIS (Farm Management Information System) category is consolidating, while new digital solutions are emerging, often built around decision intelligence and recommendation systems rather than pure record-keeping.

I expect to see more task management tools, AI-based advisory systems, and data orchestration layersthat connect the digital and machine worlds.
It’s also a crucial backbone for autonomy, autonomy cannot scale without robust data management and interoperability.

⚙️ Smart Systems and Sensors

“Smart” machinery continues to gain ground. Expect to see more equipment with integrated sensors for application rate verification, soil condition monitoring, and machine diagnostics. For example, Fertilizer spreaders with flow and distribution sensors that measure and adjust rates on the go.

All of this contributes to closed-loop systems that make equipment more adaptive and precise.

🧩 Practical AI

AI is a big buzzword, but I’m most interested in seeing practical, working applications.
For example:

AI co-pilots that support operators with guidance and decision-making.
Vision-based systems that detect implement health, monitor crop flow and crop loss, scan the environment, and provide recommendations for optimizing machine settings.
On-machine learning models that optimize performance in real time.

We’re moving from “AI as a concept” to AI embedded in everyday farm operations, and Agritechnica will be a great showcase for that transition.

🚀 Startups and Newcomers

The startup pavilion in Hall 21 will be one of my first stops. I’m particularly curious to see:

What new robotics and sensor companies are emerging.
Which digital platforms are rethinking farm data.
How startups are approaching on-farm automation, whether in spraying, weeding, or monitoring.

🌿 Precision Spraying

This is a topic I’ve been deeply involved in over the past two years, and the pace of progress is impressive.
There are now multiple technological approaches, ranging from Spot spraying to coverage optimization and nozzle innovations, all of which are compatible solutions and a category that is gaining speed as it reflects one of the key challenges in using chemical inputs more efficiently.

Few categories illustrate the intersection of AI, hardware, and agronomy better than this one.

🌱 Alternative Weeding Technologies

Two years ago, mechanical weeding dominated the show. This year, I expect to see more alternative approaches, from laser-based systems to electric weeding and mixed mechanical–optical solutions.
Laser systems, in particular, are maturing quickly, and several startups have announced new models. It will be interesting to see which of these concepts is moving toward commercial scale.

⚡ Alternative Powertrains

At the last Agritechnica, electrification was a major theme. I’m curious to see whether that continues and if we’ll now see commercially ready electric tractors or implements.
I also expect more concepts around hydrogen-powered systems and hybrid solutions that combine battery and fuel-cell technology.
This will show how far the industry has come in making alternative propulsion systems practical beyond prototypes.

🌾 Looking Ahead

Agritechnica is always more than a trade fair, it’s a reflection of where global agriculture is heading: more connected, more automated, and more intelligent.

I’m looking forward to being there together with Michael and Maxence, exploring new technologies, meeting with partners and innovators, and discussing how we can help companies commercialize, scale globally, and build lasting strategic partnerships.

See you in Hannover!