About


Rosa Prati


R&D Manager  -  Activity Leader

Rosa Prati is the R&D manager in Caviro with expertise in industrial research, circular economy, food safety and quality assurance. Her technical expertise is mainly focused on chemistry, chemical engineering and with the aims of this sector evolve in oenology and agronomy activities. She earned her M.sc in chemistry at University of Bologna in 2002 and in 2021 in Agricultural science and technologies. She has worked in Caviro since 2002 as laboratory manager, quality and safety assurance and in the last decade as Research and Development manager with management and coordination of research projects in the wine and circular economy sectors at regional, national and European level.

Rosa Prati


R&D Manager  -  Activity Leader

Rosa Prati is the R&D manager in Caviro with expertise in industrial research, circular economy, food safety and quality assurance. Her technical expertise is mainly focused on chemistry, chemical engineering and with the aims of this sector evolve in oenology and agronomy activities. She earned her M.sc in chemistry at University of Bologna in 2002 and in 2021 in Agricultural science and technologies. She has worked in Caviro since 2002 as laboratory manager, quality and safety assurance and in the last decade as Research and Development manager with management and coordination of research projects in the wine and circular economy sectors at regional, national and European level.

Roberto conti


PhD - R&D Scientist

Roberto Conti  is a R&D Scientist  in Caviro with expertise in analytical and  green chemistry and by-products valorisation. He earned his PhD in 2016 at University of Bologna. From 2016 to 2018 he worked as postdoc research fellow at University of Bologna on biochemical processes to obtain bio-plastic and chemicals from agricultural sidestreams.
Since 2018 he is working in Caviro as R&D scientist fulfilling research projects about circular economy and sustainable agriculture. 

Roberto conti


PhD - R&D Scientist

Roberto Conti  is a R&D Scientist  in Caviro with expertise in analytical and  green chemistry and by-products valorisation. He earned his PhD in 2016 at University of Bologna. From 2016 to 2018 he worked as postdoc research fellow at University of Bologna on biochemical processes to obtain bio-plastic and chemicals from agricultural sidestreams.
Since 2018 he is working in Caviro as R&D scientist fulfilling research projects about circular economy and sustainable agriculture. 


Giovanni Ferrucci


Sales manager

Giovanni Ferrucci is Business manager of Enomondo srl, a CAVIRO Group company since 2010.
His deal is the purchasing of all raw material for compost production and with his team the evaluation of all the materials inside and outside the company in order to obtain a good compost quality with a specific focus on the development of the soil improver sector.
He work for CAVIRO since 1987 and in his work experience he held the roles of Packaging Purchasing Manager of CAVIRO until 1995, Purchasing Manager for all the group’s plants until 2005 and Project Development Manager of CAVIRO until 2010, then with the compost sector development he started in this company evolution.

Giovanni Ferrucci


Sales manager

Giovanni Ferrucci is Business manager of Enomondo srl, a CAVIRO Group company since 2010.
His deal is the purchasing of all raw material for compost production and with his team the evaluation of all the materials inside and outside the company in order to obtain a good compost quality with a specific focus on the development of the soil improver sector.
He work for CAVIRO since 1987 and in his work experience he held the roles of Packaging Purchasing Manager of CAVIRO until 1995, Purchasing Manager for all the group’s plants until 2005 and Project Development Manager of CAVIRO until 2010, then with the compost sector development he started in this company evolution.


Giovanni Nigro


Wine supply chain manager

Responsible for the wine and olive-growing sector of the CRPV, agronomist and project manager with over 20 years of experience in the organization, management and coordination of research projects in the wine and olive oil sectors at regional, national and European level.
Scientific manager of numerous research, experimentation and dissemination projects, funded by public and private bodies, relating to all the technical-economic aspects of the viticultural and oenological sector. Author of over 70 technical and scientific publications. He has participated, both as an auditor and as a speaker, in numerous conferences, workshops, seminars and technical meetings concerning the wine sector, which also include the recovery and enhancement of the by-products generated by the wine sector.

Giovanni Nigro


Wine supply chain manager

Responsible for the wine and olive-growing sector of the CRPV, agronomist and project manager with over 20 years of experience in the organization, management and coordination of research projects in the wine and olive oil sectors at regional, national and European level.
Scientific manager of numerous research, experimentation and dissemination projects, funded by public and private bodies, relating to all the technical-economic aspects of the viticultural and oenological sector. Author of over 70 technical and scientific publications. He has participated, both as an auditor and as a speaker, in numerous conferences, workshops, seminars and technical meetings concerning the wine sector, which also include the recovery and enhancement of the by-products generated by the wine sector.

Paola Tessarin


PhD - Senior  Scientist

In 2011 she achieved a Master’s degree in Food Science and Oenology at the University of Florence. In 2016 she obtained a PhD in Agricultural, Environmental and Food Sciences and Technologies, at the Department of Agricultural Sciences of the University of Bologna. After gaining experience in the field and laboratory, in research centers in Italy and abroad, in 2018 she began a collaboration with the CRPV, within the wine and olive-oil sector. She is currently involved in numerous Regional Projects within the RDP 2014-2020, which concern issues including the evaluation of innovative adaptation strategies in the vineyard and in the cellar to the changed climate context, the assessment of the carbon footprint in relation to highly sustainable viticultural strategies, the recovery and enhancement of by-products from the wine production chain, the safeguarding of regional viticultural biodiversity, the implementation of innovative process solutions for mechanized and sustainable management in the field and in the cellar. She is co-author of scientific publications (9 of which in IF journals) and technical publications (25).

Paola Tessarin


PhD - Senior  Scientist

In 2011 she achieved a Master’s degree in Food Science and Oenology at the University of Florence. In 2016 she obtained a PhD in Agricultural, Environmental and Food Sciences and Technologies, at the Department of Agricultural Sciences of the University of Bologna. After gaining experience in the field and laboratory, in research centers in Italy and abroad, in 2018 she began a collaboration with the CRPV, within the wine and olive-oil sector. She is currently involved in numerous Regional Projects within the RDP 2014-2020, which concern issues including the evaluation of innovative adaptation strategies in the vineyard and in the cellar to the changed climate context, the assessment of the carbon footprint in relation to highly sustainable viticultural strategies, the recovery and enhancement of by-products from the wine production chain, the safeguarding of regional viticultural biodiversity, the implementation of innovative process solutions for mechanized and sustainable management in the field and in the cellar. She is co-author of scientific publications (9 of which in IF journals) and technical publications (25).


Nicolas Greggio


PhD - Research fellow

Nicolas Greggio is currently Research Fellow at CIRSA (Interdepartimental Research Centre for Environmental Science) – University of Bologna in the Environmental Management Research Group (EMRG). He is PhD in “Environmental Science-Protection end Management of Environmental Resources”. He is  environmental geochemistry expert working on different matrices such as, soil, sediments, surface and groundwater and living organism. Biochar and its usage in nutrients recovery and remediation are also part of his research field. 

Nicolas Greggio


PhD - Research fellow

Nicolas Greggio is currently Research Fellow at CIRSA (Interdepartimental Research Centre for Environmental Science) – University of Bologna in the Environmental Management Research Group (EMRG). He is PhD in “Environmental Science-Protection end Management of Environmental Resources”. He is  environmental geochemistry expert working on different matrices such as, soil, sediments, surface and groundwater and living organism. Biochar and its usage in nutrients recovery and remediation are also part of his research field. 

Diego Marazza


PhD,Researcher

Adjunct professor, he works on models and system analysis applied to the soil carbon cycle, biomass treatment, regeneration, reuse and recycling of production waste for the development of new products

Diego Marazza


PhD,Researcher

Adjunct professor, he works on models and system analysis applied to the soil carbon cycle, biomass treatment, regeneration, reuse and recycling of production waste for the development of new products

Alessandro Buscaroli


PhD - Researcher 

Alessandro Buscaroli is a Researcher in Pedology at the Department of Biological, Geological and Environmental Sciences of the University of Bologna. Since 2002 he has been teaching soil science and geomatics applied to environmental surveys.

Alessandro Buscaroli


PhD - Researcher 

Alessandro Buscaroli is a Researcher in Pedology at the Department of Biological, Geological and Environmental Sciences of the University of Bologna. Since 2002 he has been teaching soil science and geomatics applied to environmental surveys.

Marco Medici


PhD - Research fellow

Marco Medici, Eng.PhD, is currently a postdoctoral researcher at University of Bologna, leading a research and extension program on precision agriculture and agri-food sustainability. His present research interests include the adoption and cost-benefit analysis of ICT, business model innovation in food supply chains, the Internet of Food, and telemetry data systems for traceability.

Marco Medici


PhD - Research fellow

Marco Medici, Eng.PhD, is currently a postdoctoral researcher at University of Bologna, leading a research and extension program on precision agriculture and agri-food sustainability. His present research interests include the adoption and cost-benefit analysis of ICT, business model innovation in food supply chains, the Internet of Food, and telemetry data systems for traceability.


Heike Knicker


PhD - Research Professor

Since 2008,Heike Knicker is working as a Research Professor at the Instituto de Recursos Naturales y Agrobiología de Sevilla which is part of the Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Cientificas, Spain. Most of her research is dedicated to issues related to soil biochemistry. 

Heike Knicker


PhD - Research Professor

Since 2008,Heike Knicker is working as a Research Professor at the Instituto de Recursos Naturales y Agrobiología de Sevilla which is part of the Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Cientificas, Spain. Most of her research is dedicated to issues related to soil biochemistry. 

Miguel Sanchez Monedero


PhD - Researcher

Miguel A. Sánchez-Monedero currently works as researcher  at the Department of Soil and Water Conservation and Organic Waste Management, Spanish National Research Council. Miguel does research in Environmental Science, Soil Science and Waste Management.

Miguel Sanchez Monedero


PhD - Researcher

Miguel A. Sánchez-Monedero currently works as researcher  at the Department of Soil and Water Conservation and Organic Waste Management, Spanish National Research Council. Miguel does research in Environmental Science, Soil Science and Waste Management.


Dimitris Tslatas


PhD - Associate Professor

Dr Dimitris Tsaltas is an Associate Professor of the Department of Agricultural Sciences, Biotechnology and Food Science at the Cyprus University of Technology. He has a BSc in Agricultural Sciences and an MSc in Plant Protection from the Agricultural University of Athens. He gained his PhD from Imperial College London in Molecular Plant Pathology and continued his postdoctoral training at the University of Connecticut (USA) in Molecular Microbiology. He also worked at the Agricultural Research Institute (Cyprus) as a Research Advisor within the Crop Protection Department.

Dimitris Tslatas


PhD - Associate Professor

Dr Dimitris Tsaltas is an Associate Professor of the Department of Agricultural Sciences, Biotechnology and Food Science at the Cyprus University of Technology. He has a BSc in Agricultural Sciences and an MSc in Plant Protection from the Agricultural University of Athens. He gained his PhD from Imperial College London in Molecular Plant Pathology and continued his postdoctoral training at the University of Connecticut (USA) in Molecular Microbiology. He also worked at the Agricultural Research Institute (Cyprus) as a Research Advisor within the Crop Protection Department.

Michalakis Christorforou


PhD - Researcher

Dr. Michalakis Christoforou is an Associate Researcher specialized on Plant Pathology and Remote Sensing. He graduated from the Department of Agricultural Sciences of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki with a BSc in Plant Protection in 2005, he possesses an MSc in Horticulture from Reading University, UK in 2007 and he committed research in the molecular identification and quantification of potato cyst nematodes at the Department of Agricultural Sciences, Biotechnology and Food Science at Cyprus University of Technology (CUT) for the requirements of his PhD thesis (2013). During the period 2009-2021, he contacted research on several projects (LIFE, Interegg, FP-7, COST action, etc) working as a Scientist Researcher at CUT,  having experience related to the remote sensing technique applications, the identification of plant pests and diseases and ecosystem restoration. Dr Christoforou is teaching Nematology, Agricultural Machinery and Remote Sensing at CUT and Mycology and Parasitology at the European University of Cyprus (EUC).

Michalakis Christorforou


PhD - Researcher

Dr. Michalakis Christoforou is an Associate Researcher specialized on Plant Pathology and Remote Sensing. He graduated from the Department of Agricultural Sciences of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki with a BSc in Plant Protection in 2005, he possesses an MSc in Horticulture from Reading University, UK in 2007 and he committed research in the molecular identification and quantification of potato cyst nematodes at the Department of Agricultural Sciences, Biotechnology and Food Science at Cyprus University of Technology (CUT) for the requirements of his PhD thesis (2013). During the period 2009-2021, he contacted research on several projects (LIFE, Interegg, FP-7, COST action, etc) working as a Scientist Researcher at CUT,  having experience related to the remote sensing technique applications, the identification of plant pests and diseases and ecosystem restoration. Dr Christoforou is teaching Nematology, Agricultural Machinery and Remote Sensing at CUT and Mycology and Parasitology at the European University of Cyprus (EUC).


Maarten Vandecruys


Founder and CTO

Maarten Vandecruys is the founder of Urban Crop Solutions, a turnkey and tailor-made installation provider in the field of indoor closed environment vertical farming. As a company, it provides both the engineered equipment as well as the after sales services to grow crops at the push of a button.

Maarten Vandecruys


Founder and CTO

Maarten Vandecruys is the founder of Urban Crop Solutions, a turnkey and tailor-made installation provider in the field of indoor closed environment vertical farming. As a company, it provides both the engineered equipment as well as the after sales services to grow crops at the push of a button.

Oscar Navarrete


PhD - Chief Scientist

He gained his PhD at Gent University (BE) in Plant Biotechnology. He oversees the biological R&D department at Urban Crop Solutions. His research is focused on crop growth performance under different environmental conditions, as well as lighting conditions. In addition, research is also focused on high value crops, medicinal plants, and resource efficiency.

Oscar Navarrete


PhD - Chief Scientist

He gained his PhD at Gent University (BE) in Plant Biotechnology. He oversees the biological R&D department at Urban Crop Solutions. His research is focused on crop growth performance under different environmental conditions, as well as lighting conditions. In addition, research is also focused on high value crops, medicinal plants, and resource efficiency.