Consortium Partners
Centre for Research and Technology Hellas (CERTH)
The Centre for Research and Technology Hellas (CERTH) is a leading non-profit research organisation in Greece, established in 2000 and operating under the supervision of the General Secretariat for Research and Innovation (GSRI). Its mission is to advance innovative research that addresses societal challenges while contributing to national and international economic growth.
CERTH integrates cutting-edge facilities and highly skilled personnel to translate scientific knowledge into technological applications, fostering strong collaborations with industry. Its innovations have led to the creation of 23 spin-off companies, driving economic activity and securing investment funding. Notable initiatives include CERTH 2.0 – Research Excellence for Society and Economy, supported by €33.87 million from the European Investment Bank and the Recovery and Resilience Facility, and its leadership role in Thess INTEC’s 4th Generation Science and Technology Park, focusing on AI, clean energy, sustainable industry, and smart logistics.
In the EmergeNOW project, CERTH plays a pivotal role as the coordinator and scientific leader. It oversees the project’s management and administration, ensuring efficient financial monitoring, coordination among partners, and communication with the European Commission. CERTH also implements robust quality assurance and risk management frameworks to uphold the project’s high standards and address potential challenges effectively. CERTH leads the development of innovative plant health surveillance solutions, including real-time monitoring systems using sensor fusion, hyperspectral imaging, AI-based smartphone imagers, UAVs, and robotic traps. By leveraging advanced AI algorithms, CERTH develops tools to detect and predict biotic and abiotic stressors in fruits, enabling data-driven plant health management. It also develops the Citrus Digital Social Collaboration Platform to support knowledge exchange among EmergeNOW stakeholders. In addition, CERTH coordinates the integration of technical developments across work packages, ensuring alignment with project objectives, while supporting dissemination, exploitation, and commercialisation activities to maximise project impact.
Benaki Phytopathological Institute (BPI)
Established in 1929, Benaki Phytopathological Institute (BPI) was the first Greek research institute to have a broad scientific basis in plant health and plant protection. Since then, the Institute has earned itself a reputation as a guardian of quality, safety and sustainable development in agriculture. Those of us working here today are mindful of this legacy and remain committed to the highest standards of respect for the environment and human health, thereby supporting the wider economy and civil society of Greece.
Alongside our many other roles and tasks, we at BPI specialize in risk assessment and advice on the safe usage of agricultural chemicals with regards to the protection of human health and that of the environment more generally. The Institute also performs analytical work and mandated checks to ensure the safety of foodstuffs and other agricultural products. Due to the wealth of general and specialized knowledge retained by our scientific staff, our modern infrastructure and range of professional connections, BPI is uniquely well-positioned to offer a range of services to partners from both state and private sectors; national, international and multi-national.
Within EmergeNOW, BPI participates in all Working Packages, mainly by: a) providing material (e.g. DNA) to other partners for the development and validation of in-situ molecular diagnostic tools for CBS (Phyllosticta citricarpa), b) acquiring images of fruit symptoms resembling those of HLB (‘Candidatus Liberibacter’ spp.) and caused by other biotic or abiotic agents to train digital tools on differential HLB diagnosis, c) identifying key volatile organic compounds as fingerprints for characterising infestation by HLB-vectors and for training e-nose sensors for the detection of HLB vectors, and d) supporting demonstration and validation of the above tools for in-situ pest detection, and training of the Phytosanitary Inspectors on the use of these tools.
iKnowHow (IKH)
IKnowHow (IKH), a Greek technology firm based in Athens, was founded in 2002 and has grown significantly, employing over 120 engineers and IT professionals. The company holds a substantial market share in Greece, Cyprus, and Europe, offering bespoke software solutions and specialised ICT strategy consulting services. iKnowHow is organised into three business units—digital government, healthcare, and robotics—and provides advanced enterprise applications in areas such as digital government, business automation, information security, digital transformation, e-health, and industrial automation.
iKnowHow’s mission is to deliver technology and innovation with passion, leading by example, and ensuring reliable delivery of promises. Its vision is to be the trusted choice for companies seeking meaningful technology solutions and a preferred workplace for individuals passionate about innovation and a people-first culture.
The company specialises in crafting custom automation systems and advanced software solutions, including cyber-physical systems that integrate physical and computational components. With a human-centric approach tailored for both public and private sectors, iKnowHow’s solutions enhance human capabilities, streamline operations, and promote business growth. From strengthening security to developing cutting-edge robotics and automation systems, deliver innovation that meets specific needs and drives progress.
Consiglio Per La Ricerca In Agricoltura E L'Analisi Dell'Economia Agraria (CREA)
CREA is the leading Italian research organization dedicated to the agri-food supply chains. We operate as a legal entity under public law, and are supervised by the Ministry of Agriculture, Food Sovereignty and Forests (Masaf). Our scientific activity covers agricultural crops, livestock, fishery, forestry, agro-industry, food science and socio-economics. We have full scientific, statutory, organizational, administrative and financial autonomy. CREA was established in 2015, from the merging of CRA (Council for Agricultural Research) and INEA (National Institute of Agricultural Economics), two country-wide institutions active since mid of last century. CREA know-how ranges from genetics and physiology to mechanics and robotics; from innovative techniques for the management of sustainable productions, including practices to improve soil fertility and plant protection, to silviculture, under natural and cultivated ecosystems, and livestock farming; from agro-food industry processes to the nutritional properties of foods and dietary aspects. Consumer protection and education as well as waste reduction are also top priorities in all our activities. CREA possess several farms and experimental fields, allowing us to carry out our studies in the same conditions farmers operate under. This enables us to validate the results of our research, verifying their feasibility and easing dissemination to the final users.
Sidroco Holdings Ltd (SID)
Sidroco Holdings Ltd (SID), a newly established company based in Nicosia, Cyprus, focuses on developing security components for the IoT domain, visualisation frameworks for WSNs, threat detection and analysis, and reliable implementations of networking concepts and security solutions. Founded to address the demands of the evolving NG-IoT landscape, SID leverages the potential of big data to analyse real business environments. It specialises in providing comprehensive network security solutions with maximum flexibility and reliability, ensuring business continuity and enabling cutting-edge technologies.
SID integrates security analysis, master planning, and concept design to offer cost-effective controls that safeguard information assets against perceived threats. Its innovative technological solutions include aerial surveillance, monitoring systems, and integrated IDS enhanced with robust visual-based anomaly detection. Additionally, the company develops vision-based IPS systems tailored to modern IoT and network infrastructures, with a focus on addressing critical threats such as hijacking, DoS, jamming attacks, and rooting destruction in fixed, mobile, and flying IoT devices.
Engaged in R&D, SID designs lightweight security components and pioneering solutions for various industrial sectors, including energy, healthcare, and autonomous driving. Its areas of expertise encompass artificial intelligence, security and privacy, telecommunication and 5G networks, big data visual-aided analytics, smart transportation systems, and smart farming systems. Sidroco aims to significantly impact the NG-IoT era by delivering innovative products, platforms, and solutions aligned with the digital transformation needs of critical and non-critical domains.
Within the project, SIDROCO is responsible for implementing cybersecurity mechanisms and blockchain components, developing the Decision Support System, and managing the Data Management Plan.
Stratagem Energy LTD (STRATA)
STRATAGEM Ltd is an independent Research and Innovation SME committed to work on research and innovation projects towards sustainable development. STRATAGEM provides insightful, timely and focused research on Innovative solutions along with Business services. STRATAGEM is comprised by an expert team of high qualified Researchers, Communication and Innovation Managers focusing to provide and offer first class R&D&I services divided into 3 departments: 1) Sustainability Impact Assessment Department; 2) Innovation Management Department; 3) Dissemination/Communication Department.
In EmergeNOW project STRATAGEM is the Dissemination and Exploitation Manager, leading the respective work package, carrying out activities related to Communication and Dissemination, branding, Clustering activities, Exploitation, Business Planning and Innovation Management. Additionally, STRATAGEM leads the activities related to the analysis of the social and economic benefits of plant health diagnostics for imports.
Panagrotiki Enosis Kyprou (PEK)
Panagrotiki Enosis Kyprou (PEK) was established in 1942 and is a non-government, non-profitmaking organisation. Fully identified with the needs of the agricultural sector, the main objectives of PEK are the development of the agricultural economy, the improvement of the conditions and standard of living of the rural world, the social and technological rise of the agricultural sector and the protection of the environment. Actively involved in agricultural actions, PEK participates in all consultations that concern the farmer, supporting and advocating its well-intentioned interests. Within EmergeNOW, PEK focuses on a social analysis study, specifying the overall inspectors’ requirements, country-specific needs and specific incentives on the plant health diagnostics for detecting and identifying plant pests during import controls, and also plays a crucial role in Cyprus pilot sites.
Agdia EMEA (AGDIA)
Agdia EMEA is the European, Middle Eastern, and African branch of Agdia, specialized in plant pathogen diagnostics and provides rapid detection kits such as ImmunoStrip® tests and isothermal amplification solutions for fast, on-site pathogen identification.
Based in France, Agdia EMEA supports growers, laboratories, and regulatory agencies with dependable tools and technical expertise, offering user-friendly, field-ready kits that support crop health through quick and accurate diagnostics. Within EmergeNOW, Agdia EMEA will contribute to the development and validation of rapid molecular diagnostic kits for the detection of Citrus Greening and Citrus Black Spot diseases.
University of Catania (UNICT)
The University of Catania (UNICT) is a public research university founded in 1434, the oldest in Sicily and one of the oldest in Italy, with about 38,000 students and 17 departments. UNICT has consolidated expertise in agriculture, plant health and biotechnology and a long track record in European research and innovation projects.
In EmergeNOW, UNICT will develop and apply FAST (Fluorescent Array-based Sensing Technology) for rapid on-site detection of Citrus Black Spot (CBS) and Huanglongbing (HLB) caused by Phyllosticta citricarpa and ‘Candidatus Liberibacter’ spp. UNICT will also support AGDIA’s experimental activities on RPA-based detection assays for CBS and HLB, contributing to assay optimisation, validation and transfer to practice.
National Agricultural Research Organisation (NARO)
The National Agricultural Research Organisation (NARO) is an agency of the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries (MAAIF). The NARO was established as a body corporate by the National Agricultural Research Act of 2005. It is mandated to coordinate and oversee all aspects of public-funded agricultural research in Uganda. The NARO comprises a Governing Council, a Secretariat and 16 Public Agricultural Research Institutes (PARIs) spread across the country. NARO undertakes research in all aspects of agriculture, including crops, livestock, fisheries, forestry, agro-machinery, natural resources and socio-economics.
The National Crops Resources Research Institute (NaCRRI) under the policy guidance and co-ordination of the NARO is hosting the EmergeNOW project. The NaCRRI conducts research on pests and diseases and their management; climate resilience; crop variety development; crop agronomy; pre- and post-harvest management; nutrition enhancement; industrial products; genetic resources conservation; increased shelf-life; value addition; and innovative biosciences research and training. Within EmergeNOW, NARO participates in pre-pilot systemic innovation testing and optimization, and validation by outside experts to support plant health inspections and import controls.
Plant Protection Research Institute (PPRI)
Plant Protection Research Institute (PPRI), established in 1968, is the leading national research agency on plant protection in Vietnam. PPRI’s mandates are to conduct research and technology transfer in relation to insect pests and plant pathogens and their management.
In EmergeNOW, PPRI will involve in the following activities: data collection and annotation of target pests for AI models’ training, development of portable, cost-efficient and user-friendly diagnostic tools for ACP and HLB, testing and optimizing the pre-pilot systemic innovation technologies developed in this project.
PCA TECHNOLOGIES S.r.l. (PCA)
PCA Technologies is an Italian company specialized in the field of electronic noses. Founded in 2000 and located near Milan, Italy, PCA Technologies is a partner and distributor of Airsense Analytics GMBH, a German company leader in the electronic nose market. Within the EmergeNOW project framework, PCA Technologies leads the deployment of IoT based e-nose sensors for D. citri, T. erytreae and C. citrisuga detection and is responsible for providing the e-noses and analyzing the data collected by the partners.
European and Mediterranean Plant Protection Organization (EUP)
Euphresco (EUP) is an international platform supporting research coordination and transnational collaboration. Amongst the objectives of Euphresco, there is: i) to maintain and enhance linkages with organizations, and networks, ii) to develop an information hub for the exchange of research information by the stakeholders, in particular the policymakers.
In EmergeNOW, the Euphresco Network Office is involved in supporting dissemination and open science activities. It is planned that the digital research objects produced in the framework of the EmergeNOW project will be referenced in the Digital Research Object Portal DROP and disseminated through Euphresco channels. The Euphresco network office will also support the EmergeNOW partners in clustering activities, linking scientists around the world and facilitating collaborative work.
The Regents of the University of California (UCR)
The University of California, Riverside (UCR) is a top-ranked public land-grant research university and part of the 10-campus University of California system, governed by the Regents of the University of California. Originating as the Citrus Experiment Station in 1907, UCR was established as a campus in 1954 and has since evolved into a diverse institution recognized for social mobility and research excellence in Inland Southern California. Soon after UCR’s establishment, the Citrus Clonal Protection Program was created and is now recognized as a world-renowned program of the National Clean Plant Network (NCPN) that provides pathogen-tested, citrus propagative materials to California and other citrus-producing areas of the USA and the world. Housed within UCR’s Department of Microbiology and Plant Pathology, the program serves as a critical defense against devastating diseases by pathogen elimination and distribution of tested budwood, thereby supporting the safety and sustainability of California’s multi-billion-dollar citrus industry. Within EmergeNOW, UCR will support partners across all work packages (WP1–WP7), with a focus on data collection and providing materials for the development of molecular and AI-driven diagnostic tools for the detection of Phyllosticta citricarpa, Diaphorina citri, and ‘Candidatus Liberibacter’ spp.
Instituto Valenciano De Investigaciones Agrarias (IVIA)
The Valencian Institute of Agricultural Research (IVIA) is an autonomous entity of the regional government, located in Valencia (Spain), that promotes scientific and technological progress in the agri-food sector. Its Plant Protection and Biotechnology Center focuses on the diagnosis, characterization, and sustainable control of plant pathogens.
Within EmergeNOW, IVIAs main role is to develop molecular approaches to identify Phyllosticta citricarpa and HLB-associated `Candidatus Liberibacter´ spp., based on High Throughput Sequencing adapted to portable devices to enable rapid frontline detection.