On a bright morning, the seed sector community gathered for the NextGen Forum: Empowering the Next Generation in Plant Sciences, bringing together students, professors and industry leaders from across Scotland and the UK. After a warm welcome from Garlich von Essen, Secretary General and CEO of Euroseeds, the tone was set for a lively and forward-looking conversation about innovation and plant science research, and opportunities and challanges in the seed sector.
Moderated by Jean‑Paul Judson, Founder of NOWMORE, the stage discussion then featured industry voices including Marco van Leeuwen (Managing Director of Rijk Zwaan & Vice-President of Euroseeds), Nigel Moore (Head of Food Ingredients, KWS Group Saat SE & Co. KGaA and Euroseeds Board Member), César González (Manager Public Affairs, Euroseeds) and Germán Vighi (Executive Manager, Plants for the Future – Plant ETP).
Garlich von Essen, Secretary General and CEO of Euroseeds 
Marco van Leeuwen, Managing Director of Rijk Zwaan and Vice-President of Euroseeds 
Nigel Moore, Head of Food Ingredients, KWS Group Saat SE & Co. KGaA and Euroseeds Board Member 
Nigel Moore, Head of Food Ingredients, KWS Group Saat SE & Co. KGaA and Euroseeds Board Member 
Germán Vighi, Executive Manager at Plants for the Future (Plant ETP) 
César González, Manager Public Affairs at Euroseeds 
Jean‑Paul Judson, Founder of NOWMORE 
Students and your researchers from universities across Scotland and the UK
What followed was less a series of presentations and more a two-way conversation. As the students and academics pressed questions about day-to-day work, required skills, personal challenges and how to navigate the early years in industry, the speakers responded with openness and real-life examples. The students, in turn, shared their own hurdles: finding the right information, accessing funding for research, and aligning academic training with industry expectations. The result was a rich, candid exchange that bridged academia and industry, and brought to light how both sides can grow together.
In the final segment, the Euroseeds Research Team, Yasmine Ambrogio (Manager Research Policy & Project Coordination), Darya Chernokova (Manager Project Communications and Team Support) and Dr Amelie Detterbeck (Manager Research Projects and Innovation Transfer), shared insights into Euroseeds role in EU-funded research projects. They showcased how the seed sector is innovating and collaborating across Europe, reinforcing the link between education, research and real-world impact.
Yasmine Ambrogio, Manager Research Policy and Project Coordination at Euroseeds 
Darya Chernokova, Manager Project Communications and Team Support at Euroseeds 
Dr. Amelie Detterbeck, Manager Research Projects and Innovation Transfer at Euroseeds 
Students and your researchers from universities across Scotland and the UK 
Students and your researchers from universities across Scotland and the UK
As a result of this successful and engaging event, the NextGen Forum will come back to the next edition of the Euroseeds Congress, in Valencia , from 25-28 October!
