Milan, 5 May 2025 – On the afternoon of 5 May, within the framework of TuttoFood Milano 2025, the official launch took place of a collaboration agreement among the main players in Italian and Euro-Mediterranean agro-food research and innovation. 

The signing between Cl.uster A.grifood N.azionale CL.A.N., the Italian PRIMA Secretariat, the Agritech and OnFoods Foundations, and the METROFOOD-IT Research Infrastructure marks the operational start of the Network for Research, Innovation and Technology Transfer (ReRITT).

The goal is ambitious: to connect academia, research centres and businesses in order to enhance innovation in support of a sustainable transition and competitiveness within the agro-food system, strengthening dialogue between the scientific community, industry, and institutions.

Supported by the Italian Ministry of Universities and Research (MUR), the network stems from a shared intention to create tangible synergies among the key promoters of major national initiatives funded under the PNRR (AGRITECH, OnFoods, METROFOOD-IT) and the Euro-Mediterranean PRIMA programme.

The official presentation featured:

• Paolo Mascarino, President of CL.A.N.
• Daniele Del Rio, President of the OnFoods Foundation
• Danilo Ercolini, Scientific Director of the Agritech Foundation
• Angelo Riccaboni, President of the PRIMA Foundation
• Claudia Zoani, Coordinator of the METROFOOD-IT Infrastructure
• Giovanna Cristina Varese, Coordinator of the MIRRI-IT Infrastructure
• On behalf of the MUR

The discussion was moderated by Cristiano Spadoni, a communication expert in innovation within the agrifood sector.

Following the presentation, a roundtable discussion titled “L’approccio all’Open Innovation delle imprese del sistema agroindustriale e dei più vocati territori italiani” was held, involving representatives from companies, consortia, and research centres committed to developing concrete solutions for more sustainable agriculture and food systems.

ReRITT positions itself as an open and operational platform for promoting shared projects, services and tools, exchanging knowledge and technologies to tackle the challenges of agro-food sustainability on both a national and international scale.

“The launch of the new Network for Research, Innovation and Technology Transfer in the Agrifood Sector (ReRITT), which brings together programs funded by the Ministry of University and Research (MUR) with the support of the National Agrifood Cluster CL.A.N., marks a key milestone for both research and industry,” say Daniele Del Rio (OnFoods Foundation), Danilo Ercolini (Agritech Foundation), Angelo Riccaboni (PRIMA Foundation), Giovanna Cristina Varese (MIRRI-IT), and Claudia Zoani (METROFOOD-IT). “With this agreement, and thanks to MUR’s support and CL.A.N.’s coordination, we’re making the results of our research, training, and technology transfer available to Italian companies.
Our goal is to foster concrete collaborations and support the adoption of technological and organizational solutions that drive the green and digital transition, protect Italian food excellence, and address the challenge of food security. By connecting these cross-cutting initiatives with businesses, we aim to spark a real shift toward agrifood systems that are more sustainable, competitive, and resilient—aligned with the One Health approach and ready to face the current, complex global trade landscape”.