On June 5th, 2025, the Watson project participated in the online event “The Future of Knowledge Sharing Platforms at a European Level“, a collaborative initiative co-organised by Watson and four other EU projects that are members of the Sustainable Food System (SFS) Innovation Platform: Wasteless, EU4Advice, FAIRCHAIN and COREnet.
This joint event brought together 69 participants to reflect on how European knowledge-sharing platforms can evolve to meet real-world needs, promote sustainable innovation and foster cross-sector collaboration.
Trust, transparency and community
The session began with a short introduction to the SFS Innovation Platform, setting the context for the role of digital and physical spaces where knowledge, data and collaboration converge to support the transition toward more sustainable food systems.
This was followed by an inspiring keynote speech from Peter Rakers, from the company Esset Engage, who highlighted future opportunities for European knowledge platforms in an increasingly digital, data-driven world.
Rakers addressed the growing relevance of artificial intelligence (AI) and the need to ensure that these platforms remain inclusive, transparent and driven by real impact.
Watson’s role in shaping future collaboration
As an active member of the SFS Innovation Platform, Watson played a key role in organising this event and helping to shape its agenda.
Watson was represented by our partners from ISEKI-Food Association, who brought valuable insights from our experience in food traceability and innovation.
Our participation highlighted our project’s commitment to open collaboration and its effort to strengthen connections between researchers, industry actors and policy makers working toward smarter, safer and more transparent food systems.
Interactive panel discussion
The heart of the event was a dynamic panel discussion that engaged both speakers and participants through live questions and reflections.
The conversation explored how innovation ecosystems and digital tools can work together to generate knowledge that translates into tangible change.
Key themes included:
The power of communities: panelists emphasised that sustainable impact stems from strong, trust-based communities. Platforms must go beyond sharing data — they must support collaboration, co-creation and ongoing exchange.
Governance and inclusion: knowledge platforms should adopt governance models that empower diverse voices, especially from practitioners, innovators and stakeholders across the food system.
Translating knowledge into action: while information is abundant, its true value lies in its ability to spark action. Combining AI, collective intelligence, and credible frameworks can help bridge the gap between information and implementation.
The event offered a unique opportunity for participants to connect across projects and sectors, identifying synergies and building momentum toward a shared vision for future food systems that are both smart and sustainable.
If you missed the live session, you can now watch
the full event recording here:
Watson continues to contribute not only with innovative traceability solutions, but also by fostering collaboration and knowledge exchange within the broader European research ecosystem.