News » 22.05.2025 - Thailand: Where CEA, crop sciences and AI converged
In 2+ days that brought together some of the best minds in controlled environment agriculture, AI innovation, and advanced crop sciences, the inaugural Agential AI AgBio 2025 hopes that it has set a new standard for agricultural technology conferences in the Asia-Pacific region.
Convergence of technologies and industries
Bangkok's JW Marriott played host to what many are already calling a watershed moment for the future of agriculture. The inaugural Agential AI AgBio 2025, held May 7-8 with an evening networking event on May 6, sold out completely with 250 industry leaders, researchers, and innovators attending what proved to be the first event of its kind globally – where controlled environment agriculture (CEA) and advanced crop sciences intersected under the transformative umbrella of artificial intelligence.
"What we witnessed here was unprecedented," said Graeme Smith, Chair of Agential AI AgBio 2025, "and as Chair, I wish to thank the many speakers, moderators, panellists, researchers and delegates that travelled from across the globe who represented a vast range of universities, institutions, commercial enterprises, and suppliers from many countries, to share our vision of bringing all these sectors together to this inaugural event and seeing it materialize so successfully. The transformational power of AI in AgBio was beautifully demonstrated over 2 full days that showcased the 'best of the best' in how to better use and leverage AI to significant future benefit that will enhance the productive capacity of plants and systems, leading to greatly improved global food security and economic outcomes. I cannot thank them enough for their contributions and freely giving of their time and expertise that made this event a must-attend in the future."
Graeme Smith, Chair of AGENTIAL AI AgBio 2025, speaking during a conference session in Bangkok.
The groundbreaking nature of the event was perhaps best exemplified by its unique sponsor lineup. In a first-ever industry convergence, platinum sponsor PRIVA – the recognised leader in innovative greenhouse technology – stood alongside CEA specialist Grodan and genomics pioneer Illumina, signalling a future where high-tech farming environments will be increasingly integrated with advanced plant genetics and breeding technologies.
Michael Abdo, Business Unit Manager of Illumina on genomics increasingly important role in agriculture.
Manuel Madani, Head of region SEA at PRIVA, emphasised: "Agential AI AgBio brought much-needed clarity and leadership to Southeast Asia's tech landscape. With local expertise, the region is building sustainable growth. The event successfully united the most innovative minds, bringing the right community together for smarter, scalable solutions."
Showcasing the future of food production
Among the many highlights of the packed agenda, several presentations captured the imagination of attendees and illustrated the revolutionary potential of AI-powered agriculture.
Hiroki Koga, Co-Founder & CEO of Oishii, delivered a captivating session on "Berries, Bots & Bees: The Power of Deep Tech Vertical Farming." Koga's insights into how Oishii has revolutionised berry production through precise environmental control and technology integration demonstrated the remarkable possibilities when AI meets traditional farming wisdom.
Hiroki Koga, CEO and Co-founder of Oishii, shares never-before-seen insights into how his farm combines AI, robotics, and natural pollination to grow premium strawberries and tomatoes.
Steve Marafiote of Sundrop Farms showcased how sustainable CEA can work at scale, highlighting the company's innovative approach to using solar power and desalinated seawater to grow produce in traditionally challenging environments.
"The Agential AI AgBio conference for Sundrop was an ideal opportunity to be a part of a global aggregation of some of the foremost businesses and thinkers that could share knowledge and accelerate the progress of AI and innovation in protected cropping and high quality, healthy food production at scale," remarked Marafiote.
Daniel Tzvetkoff's presentation on "Built for Precision: How AI Powers Every Layer of Stacked Farm" provided a comprehensive look at vertical farming's potential when AI is integrated into every aspect of operations. Tzvetkoff demonstrated how Stacked Farm's systems leverage data and automation to maximize efficiency and crop quality.
Where CEA meets crop science
A central theme throughout the conference was the inexorable movement toward integration of CEA technologies with cutting-edge crop sciences. Expert panels featuring researchers from prestigious institutions like Wageningen University & Research (WUR) and The University of Arizona highlighted how AI is bridging these previously separate domains.
Silke Hemming, Teamleader of Greenhouse Technology Research at WUR, noted: "More multidisciplinary exchange between research and industry will accelerate the development of AI in horticulture."
Leo Marcelis, Professor of Horticulture at WUR, noted: "The symposium showed the power of AI in horticulture. By combining AI, sensors, data and crop simulation models we can improve crop production and quality as well as the sustainability of production."
Silke Hemming (WUR), Murat Kacira (University of Arizona), Teerasit Kasetkasem (Kasetsart University), and Leo Marcelis (WUR) discuss "From Lab to Field: The AI Research Pipeline Transforming Modern Agriculture" at Agential AI AgBio 2025.
The convergence was further explored in sessions on genetic algorithms, computer vision, and digital twins – technologies that are redefining what's possible in plant breeding, cultivation, and farming operations. Speakers from Microsoft, Illumina, CP Group and Bayer Crop Science demonstrated how AI is accelerating innovation across the entire agricultural value chain.
Ty Dickson, Co-Founder & Director of April Sun Farms, reflected: "This inaugural event set a new standard—bringing together top-tier leaders in future farming. It was well-executed, highly informative, and showcased real advancements in AI and next-gen agtech. The hospitality and amenities were exceptional, and the networking opportunities were genuinely valuable. If you want to stay ahead of where agriculture is heading, this is the event to be at."
Unparalleled networking and exhibition experience
Beyond the stellar speaker lineup, attendees praised the exhibition floor that featured a carefully curated selection of businesses focused on AI applications in CEA and crop science. The high-profile networking opportunities yielded meaningful connections that many participants noted would lead to concrete partnerships and collaborations.
Laura van de Kreeke, Farmer at Growy, shared: "What an exceptional experience at Agential AI AgBio 2025, connecting with industry leaders about AI implementation and data-driven approaches to enhance facility efficiency and sustainability. The presentations offered invaluable insights into current applications and future potential. An exceptional conference featuring relevant discussions with industry pioneers!"
Roel Janssen, CBO of Planet Farms, added: "I thoroughly enjoyed the AGENTIAL AI AgBio event. Networking with like-minded innovators in the Agtech/AI-space was very valuable for the further development of our Gaia OS operating system. I already look forward to the follow up to the event and can't wait for next years' line-up."
Moderator Roel Janssen, CBO of Planet Farms, and Daniel Tzvetkoff, CEO of Stacked Farm, share a light moment during their panel at Agential AI AgBio 2025, discussing AI and automation in vertical farming.
Regional impact and global significance
The event highlighted Thailand's growing prominence in agricultural innovation, with keynote presentations from Preesan Rakwatin, Executive VP of depa, and participation from Australian Ambassador HE Dr. Angela Macdonald underscoring the international significance of developments in the region.
An impactful presence from Australia
"Agential AI AgBio Bangkok brought together the right people and the right ideas at the right time," said Bryan Ebstyne, CEO of Austranna. "The energy, expertise, and collaboration on display signal a bold future for AI-powered horticulture across Asia-Pacific. I'm already looking forward to next year."
Specialized sessions and industry developments
The conference featured dedicated sessions on various specialized agricultural technologies and approaches, including innovation in vertical farming, precision growing, and advanced breeding techniques. These sessions highlighted the need for technology-driven approaches to ensure quality and regulatory compliance across different agricultural sectors in the Asia-Pacific region, including medicinal crops.
Ben Niehaus, CTO of SpexAI; Simulated plants based on physics
Multiple panel discussions covered the regulatory frameworks developing across different countries, facilitating important conversations about international market access and standardization.
Looking ahead
Following the success of this year's event, the Agential AI AgBio organizing team has confirmed that plans for the 2026 conference are already underway. While details remain to be announced, expectations are high for an even larger gathering that will build on the foundations laid this year.
Rehan Mehta, CEO of Thai Stick, shared: "The event was thoughtfully organized and brought together some truly big names and great thinkers from across various adjacent industries. It was an engaging experience from start to finish, and I eagerly await their next chapter!"
Source: www.floraldaily.com
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