In the context of the 6th International Congress of Industry 4.0 that took place at the Pilar Campus of the University, a new strategic alliance was announced between our Center for Agribusiness and Food (CEAg) and the Laboratory of Innovation and Entrepreneurship (LINE) together with the Industry 4.0 Center of the Faculty of Engineering of Pilar.

This initiative was created with the primary objective of promoting Digital Transformation in the agri-food sector in Argentina and Latin America. Through this multidisciplinary collaboration, the goal is to support agricultural companies in general in their ability to adapt and maintain agile response in a rapidly evolving environment. Digital transformation is a strategic priority to ensure the competitiveness and long-term success of agricultural companies.

With the contributions of each of these actors, the alliance will promote this sector's capacity to lead agribusiness opportunities and trends, both locally and globally. It will also generate empirical and applicable knowledge that will enable individuals and organizations to develop digital capabilities, thus contributing to the digital transformation of the entire region.

Thanks to the efforts of its members, our Center for Agribusiness and Food (CEAg) is now a specialized entity with over 15 years of experience and high academic standards. Its mission is to promote the strengthening of agri-food value chains and related institutions as a driver of long-term human, economic, and social development for Argentina. From a university perspective, the center fosters the capacity of the agribusiness sectors to create and lead opportunities and trends related to agribusiness and food, from our country to the region and the world.

On the other hand, since its inception, the Innovation and Entrepreneurship Laboratory (LINE) has been committed to promoting innovation across all areas of the University, and particularly at our campus. From its academic perspective, it fosters the development of talent with an entrepreneurial mindset, aiming to ensure that individuals who join organizations or lead new startups become active agents of this transformative opportunity through the use of technologies and business tools. Furthermore, it plays a significant role in the region's Agrifoodtech innovation ecosystem, participating in the initiatives that led to its creation and consolidation.

Last but not least, the Industry 4.0 Center at the Faculty of Engineering, Pilar Campus, is ideally positioned to lead this initiative due to its holistic vision of Industry 4.0. Furthermore, it possesses experience and international agreements that support the process of assessing a company's digital maturity and developing the appropriate roadmap for achieving success in digital transformation processes for Agriculture 4.0. We are delighted to partner with a center that stands out for its track record.

“Today, undergoing digital transformation is not only an opportunity, but also an obligation for organizations. That is why having this multi-space alliance at the university to promote digital transformation in the agri-food sector is a way to contribute to addressing the complexity of the environment,” emphasized Pablo Avalle, in his dual role as a member of the Innovation and Entrepreneurship Laboratory at the campus.

With this alliance, our Headquarters continues to promote interdisciplinary projects that position us as leaders in the agricultural-entrepreneurial ecosystem and the Universidad Austral It demonstrates its commitment to developing more efficient and sustainable agriculture through connectivity, helping agricultural businesses face the challenges of the future with confidence and determination.