The meeting marked the beginning of collaborative work among the institutions participating in the project and reinforced the connection between academia and the private sector.

VitiScience, an applied research center led by the Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, gathered its researchers at the Center for Research and Innovation (CRI) of Viña Concha y Toro to strengthen ties between academia and the productive sector, with the goal of developing applied solutions for small, medium, and large table grape and wine producers.

The project, funded by the Agencia Nacional de Investigación y Desarrollo (ANID), seeks to generate knowledge and technologies with real impact on the table grape and wine sectors through a partnership between the public and private sectors, in which Viña Concha y Toro participates through the CRI.

“The VitiScience meeting is especially relevant as it brings together the largest group of academic and industry researchers collaborating to address the challenges facing the wine industry and strengthen it. On this occasion, the CRI hosted the meeting, providing an opportunity to connect different scientific disciplines and technological capabilities under a shared vision,” said Álvaro González, Director of the CRI.

The meeting, held on May 18 and 19, marked the beginning of collaborative work among researchers from the Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Universidad de Talca, Universidad de La Frontera, Instituto de Investigaciones Agropecuarias, and Centro de Estudios Avanzados en Fruticultura, as well as Viña Concha y Toro, Corteva Agriscience, and Acadian Plant Health.

“The workshop represented a unique opportunity by bringing together more than 30 researchers and academics from the country’s leading universities and research centers in the wine sector. Together with the CRI researchers, they presented and discussed not only the R&D lines and projects planned within VitiScience, but also opportunities for multidisciplinary collaboration among groups, their practical application, and a shared vision to strengthen science- and technology-based innovation aligned with the industry’s current challenges,” said Gerard Casaubon, Consumer Research and Product Innovation Lead at the CRI.