On July 8, 2025, in Alixan, at the heart of France’s Drôme region, key stakeholders from the agri-food sector gathered to take on a major challenge: successfully managing both the digital and energy transitions.
Organized by the Innov’Alliance in the framework of the HIGH FIVE project, with support from AENEAM and in partnership with Valence Romans Agglo, Territoire d’Industrie, CIMES, the Drôme Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and the Drôme Food Club, the event was designed to be hands-on, solution-driven, and action-oriented.
Practical Solutions for a Sector in Transformation
From the very beginning, the tone was set: real-world case studies, inspiring testimonials, and actionable tools shaped the day’s discussions. The key message was clear — digitalization and energy transition are no longer optional. They are essential drivers of competitiveness, efficiency, and long-term resilience for businesses in the agri-food sector.
On the digital front, speakers demonstrated how technology is being used to enhance performance management, optimize production processes, and improve traceability. This was done by illustrating the achievements of the HIGH FIVE project, and notably the concrete industry-led innovation and investment projects funded thanks to this I3 initiative.
On the energy side, participants shared concrete initiatives, such as collective energy purchasing, the creation of local energy communities, and on-site energy efficiency improvements, made possible with the support of AENEAM, an EU initiative supported by the LIFE programme.
Financing — often seen as a stumbling block — was also tackled head-on. Experts presented available solutions, including tailored support, public funding options, and innovative financial structures designed to ease the transition.
A Concise, Impactful Format Focused on Action
One of the event’s standout features was the quality of engagement, especially during the informal exchanges that followed at the networking cocktail.
In a compact, high-impact format, attendees gained access to targeted, practical insights — and, most importantly, had the opportunity to connect directly with experts, financiers, and local partners ready to support them.
A Mobilized Ecosystem Turning Challenges into Opportunities
This gathering made one thing clear: successful transition doesn’t happen in silos. It requires strong, ongoing collaboration between industry players, regional authorities, innovation clusters, experts, and institutions.
Together, they are building a dynamic ecosystem capable of transforming today’s challenges into tomorrow’s opportunities.
