About me...

My name is Harrij Schmeitz and my passion is very simple: Technological innovation the Agri- & Food business. Ever since my education in horticulture, 

I have been fascinated by the technological development and its impact on the strategy of the company and the sector as a whole. I get energy from working on these innovations with entrepreneurs to bring their technology to the market and in propagating it to companies and society. 

Current tasks...

Technology{}Pull is gebaseerd op de visie dat zonder een prikkel vanuit technologie er geen marketpull komt op de technology komt en mogelijkheden van technology in Agro & Food niet tot waarde komen. Technology{}Pull ondersteund technische ondernemers in het naar de markt brengen van innovatie gebaseerd op dit principe. Kern is het vertalen van technologische kansen naar een innovatie-strategie / concepten in Agro/Food.

Als Statutair Directeur op 1 juni 2013, in opdracht van de Nederlandse AGF-keten (Dutch Produce Association en Frugi Venta (GroentenFruit Huis)), Innovatie & Kenniscentrum opgericht op het gebied van ICT in Tuinbouw. In het Fresh Informationmanagement Center combineren we activiteiten voor sectorale innovatieprogramma’s Frug I Com , Tuinbouw Digitaal en Veggipedia met gerichte activiteiten ter ondersteuning van ondernemers met ICT-innovatie in AGF. Bijv. Veggipedia ; het innovatieprogramma van AGF in het gebruik van Smartphones etc. voor communicatie met consument over product, gebruikswaarde, recepten en herkomst (teler). Zie www.veggipedia.nl of de App via de App-store van Apple en Android.

Als Directeur houd ik me bezig met innovatie-strategie en -beleid op het vlak van informatievoorziening bij bedrijven actief in de Agri en Food-ketens. Kernwoorden hierbij zijn: kennis van de agri-business, marktgedreven, visionair en ondernemend. Ik ben gewend me dwars door organisaties te bewegen om met forse portie doorzettingsvermogen en als bruggenbouwer veranderingsprocessen in gang te zetten/uit te voeren.

Sinds eind 2005 ben ik eindverantwoordelijk voor, Frug I Com, Stichting Platform AGF Keteninformatie, Een samenwerkingsverband, op het vlak van keteninformatiemanagement in AGF, van Teelt (Dutch Produce Association), handel & bewerking (Frugi Venta), retail (Centraal Bureau voor de Levensmiddelenhandel), keten (Productschap Tuinbouw) en de Internationale Standaardisatie-organisatie GS1. Hierbij ook actief in Europesche innovatieprogramma’s als eFOODchain, Future Internet, etc (EU Innovatieprogramma’s). 

Business Drive
The drive for the business always comes first. This can be both the drive from the process and the market opportunities of the company. Here, steering the change is the challenge. Technology is subordinate to the core activities. 

Driven
As Director/projectmanager/supervisor/initiator I do not like to give up. No matter how difficult the cooperation/change is, the result counts. Solution is more important than the problem. Naturally able to create things. 

Visionary
The propagation and practicality of a vision is a huge challenge. Bringing visions together with partners, on the basis of arguments. This both within the company and the chain.

Entrepreneurial
Entrepreneurship is in my blood. However, I like to work with others. After the sales of Agri Information Partners (Founder/DGA), I consciously choose for a role in the businesslife. Only from this perspective can the role of enterprising industry specialist be carried out.

Collaboration
Collaboration is the basis for achieving successful use of ICT in complex chains and companies. Together you can work to find something that can give you success.  

Networker
For years I have been involved with the organization in Agriculture in the field of ICT such as VIAS, Edi Agro Association, etc. After the foundation of Agri Information Partners, I served as secretary for 3 years for the Association of Informatics in the Agricultural Sector (1996-2000) and organized various activities for this professional group. From this function I am active in a variety of boards and steering groups on the connection of ICT in Agri, bot national and international. 

Every day there are dozens of TECHNOLOGICAL INNOVATIONS that can be of high added value for Business & Soctiety. But often it takes too long or does it not happen that innovations in the market are valorised.

On the other hand, innovations often lead to innovation outside the domain for which they are intended. Cross-over of innovations between sectors (agro, food, medical, industry, trade, etc.) offers prospects for both companies in the chain and technology companies.

There is clearly a mismatch between the TECHNOLOGY PUSH and MARKET PULL. However, there is no market demand without technological development. The challenge is to actively link technological development and market needs in the business