The Mattivi Group, an independent Italian company specializing in berry breeding, officially joins the second edition of the AgXis 2025-2026 program in Canada, taking on a strategic role as a partner in the strawberry and raspberry supply chain.
The program, launched by Zone Agtech in the province of Québec, aims to identify and accelerate the development of technological solutions capable of addressing the concrete needs of local producers. The current edition foresees the selection of 25 technology companies — 5 for each of the main horticultural sectors in Québec — which will benefit from a year of testing, validation, and technical support in direct collaboration with farms.
"Participating in the AgXis program is a fantastic opportunity for the Mattivi Group to work more closely with producers, to better understand the specific needs of the Quebec agricultural market, and to immerse ourselves in a thriving innovation ecosystem. The unique dynamics of the Agtech Zone and the strength of local collaborations provide an ideal environment to explore new synergies and adapt our solutions to real-world conditions," said Luca Mattivi, CEO of the Mattivi Group.
Mattivi’s contribution to the Canadian supply chain
In the strawberry and raspberry sector, the Mattivi Group will support the Association des producteurs de fraises et framboises du Québec (APFFQ) in identifying and guiding the five selected companies. The goal is to accelerate the development of technologies in three priority areas:
Automated harvesting: systems for interlaced row crops, plasticulture, under tunnels and open field, including harvesting assistance devices.
Artificial intelligence: predictive and disease detection models, yield estimation tools, and decision-support systems.
Water management: technologies for monitoring and optimizing irrigation.
Proximity and optimization for computer vision
According to Luciano Mattivi, active in the berry sector since 1975, "this project meets the need to enhance the market presence of locally produced products, to meet consumers’ quality demands. Local produce, particularly strawberries, has a lower environmental impact and superior taste characteristics."
The issues of automated harvesting and artificial intelligence are also crucial in the work of a modern breeder: "Our varieties," says Luciano Mattivi, "are designed for automated harvesting: for example, in the Karima strawberry the fruits are well exposed, the plants do not hide the berries, and therefore computer vision systems can optimize harvesting thanks to improved visibility of the entire crop."
A bridge between two innovation ecosystems
The AgXis program offers selected companies a support package that includes expert consulting, field analysis, opportunities for real-world trials, access to workspaces and funding networks, as well as the chance to obtain one of five final grants of $5,000.
Thanks to its network of contacts and in-depth knowledge of the agronomic and logistical challenges of strawberry and raspberry production, Mattivi will act as a facilitator between technology developers and the operational needs of over 350 Canadian farms in the sector.
