Greentech Amsterdam 2025 key marketing trends

What’s happening?

As horticulture becomes more complex and globally regulated, co-creation is increasingly replacing competition. Strategic partnerships are emerging not only between solution providers and growers, but also among technology developers, biocontrol specialists, and logistics innovators, each bringing their expertise to address shared challenges more holistically. 

What’s especially telling is how this collaborative mindset extends even to traditional competitors. Rather than guarding their market position, some companies now openly share resources, knowledge, and even capacity, recognising that the ultimate goal is not individual dominance, but industry resilience. Collaboration has become a matter of mutual respect and professional trust: a practical, forward-looking way to serve growers better and build long-term credibility. 

This shift reflects a broader redefinition of competitive advantage. Brands are moving beyond what they can protect, toward what they can contribute, together.

 “ we grow better together”

What stood out?

A leading biological control specialist highlighted their long-standing research relationships with universities and industry peers, using collaborative field trials as proof of credibility. Rather than presenting findings in isolation, they positioned science as a shared effort—a message that resonated strongly in a trust-driven industry. 

A drone-based automation startup took a similar stance, speaking openly about the presence of other competitors in the market and welcoming their growth. Their openness to shared progress reflected a broader mindset across the fair: market adoption matters more than market dominance, and the future will be built faster by many, not by one. 

This shift toward collaboration is playing out not only in R&D and integrated services but in the everyday logistics of doing business. At this year’s fair, two companies extended the idea of working together to the simplest level: renting and sharing headset systems for on-stand seminars. It was about making smarter use of budgets and infrastructure!

Insight

Collaboration is no longer a positioning angle—it’s a professional operating model. The companies that stood out at GreenTech 2025 weren’t just aligned with others in theory; they made collaboration visible, practical, and mutually beneficial. Whether through shared platforms, joint knowledge creation, or even something as simple as co-renting a headset system, they showed that in today’s B2B landscape, value grows faster when it’s built together. 

The new competitive edge isn’t what you keep to yourself—it’s what you’re willing to share.

What’s happening?

Horticultural tech is undergoing a shift—from prevention to prediction. Thanks to the increased use of sensors, autonomous scouts, AI-enhanced traps, and climate data modeling, growers are no longer just reacting to problems. They’re starting to anticipate them. 

Across interviews, the emphasis was on enabling earlier, smarter interventions—especially in pest management and crop stress detection. Companies described moving from fixed schedules and visual inspections toward automated data streams that provide real-time risk assessments and decision triggers. 

As one expert put it: “We’re gathering historical data and building predictive models. We can start to advise our customers not just what to do, but when—and that makes all the difference.” This move toward foresight aligns perfectly with the increasing need for resilience in the face of climate variability, regulation, and labor scarcity. 

Meanwhile, platforms like aeroponic rolling benches—automated systems that move plants through space-efficient, soil-free growing environments—highlighted the operational evolution of the greenhouse. These innovations aren’t about spectacle; they’re about tighter control, cleaner processes, and fewer input dependencies.

What stood out?

A standout moment came from a biological controls provider showcasing its AI-enhanced crop scanning system—capable of identifying and mapping pest presence across a greenhouse. This included an elegant demo of a sticky trap scanner that detects population shifts in real-time, offering a powerful alternative to human scouting. 

Their messaging framed the tool not as just “smart,” but as a practical necessity in regions where labor is expensive or inconsistent. The device fed into a broader IPM system, including a new biological solution targeting exotic thrips—a growing concern across Europe. This specific predatory species, launched with great interest among grower associations, was presented not in isolation but as part of a predictive release strategy: respond before the infestation spikes, not after. 

Other exhibitors spoke about the shift from “blanket” preventative treatments to data-informed targeted actions. Some platforms even integrated data with remote advisory models—reducing the need for constant in-person consulting and lowering contamination risk in sensitive crops. 

Whether it was scouting, spraying, or nutrient application, a clear thread emerged: tools are now framed as extensions of intelligence, not just automation. 

“The more data we gather, the more insights we have on the evolution of a pest, the more targeted we can work.”

Insight

Innovation only resonates when it’s relevant. At GreenTech 2025, the most effective tech brands didn’t try to dazzle—they clarified. They moved the conversation from features to foresight, and from functionality to decision empowerment. 

The future of horticulture isn’t just automated—it’s adaptive. Tools that help growers predict, time, and act with greater precision aren’t just useful. They’re essential. And companies that position their tech not as machines, but as decision-makers—quietly working in the background—are earning lasting trust in an industry where timing is everything.

What’s happening?

Growers today are navigating layered challenges: unpredictable weather, changing legislation, residue limits, input reductions, and sustainability audits. In response, solution providers are moving away from isolated offerings and toward integrated support models—especially around crop protection and sustainability compliance. 

One of the clearest shifts at this year’s GreenTech was how companies organized their messaging. Instead of presenting tools as standalone features, they were bundled into outcome-driven systems: pest management platforms, traceability chains, advisory ecosystems. What mattered was not the number of options, but the logic behind them. 

This shift was especially visible in biological and digital segments, where the pressure to replace conventional chemicals requires growers to adopt a more holistic—and often unfamiliar—approach. Helping them connect the dots is no longer just a service. It’s a selling point.

What stood out?

A biological crop protection provider framed its offering not as a catalogue of bugs and sprays, but as a fully integrated IPM (Integrated Pest Management) strategy. They walked visitors through a step-by-step approach: resilient plants first, then scouting tools, then targeted biological releases—supported by data modeling and remote advisory. It wasn’t a pitch. It was a plan. 

Elsewhere, a digital solution company moved beyond climate dashboards and AI charts, offering growers a tailored pathway to digitization based on their current systems, crop type, and pain points. They focused less on capability and more on compatibility: how to plug into what growers are already doing and gradually improve it, without disruption. 

Even in visual merchandising, exhibitors adapted their messaging by audience. Some booths clearly tailored their displays for the Dutch market (with a full product range and traceability compliance), while others simplified the view for emerging markets, focusing on essentials and ease of adoption. This kind of empathetic marketing—meeting customers where they are, not where the tech is—proved to be a strong differentiator.

Insight

In a market defined by complexity, clarity is a competitive advantage. The brands that resonated most at GreenTech 2025 weren’t the ones with the boldest innovations, but the ones who made adoption feel achievable. 

Selling a solution isn’t about how much you can offer. It’s about how well you help others use it. Guidance, sequencing, and storytelling are now core parts of the product—and trusted advisors are becoming the real MVPs of B2B horticulture.

What’s happening?

The horticultural sector is under increasing scrutiny to reduce inputs, manage waste, and operate transparently. Regulations around crop protection, packaging materials, and emissions are evolving quickly. At the same time, downstream pressure from supermarkets and exporters is increasing demand for verified sustainability at the farm level. 

At GreenTech 2025, exhibitors responded by focusing on implementation. New spraying technologies highlighted reduced chemical use and runoff. Packaging was designed for recyclability or biodegradability. Digital tools allowed growers to document treatments, water use, and input origin—essential for audit trails and retailer requirements. 

This year, sustainability was framed not as a future target, but as a present expectation. Messaging focused on how solutions could fit into the grower’s existing system while helping them comply with tightening standards.

What stood out?

One crop-input company presented its Future’s Choice programme as a way for growers to work more efficiently while staying ahead of regulatory changes. The offer included biodegradable films, recyclable plastic components, and precision nozzles—all designed to reduce environmental impact without compromising on productivity. What was notable was the tone: the solutions weren’t promoted as premium or aspirational, but as practical and necessary. 

Elsewhere, international exhibitors curated their displays to focus only on locally approved products. Rather than showcasing their entire range, they chose to highlight what was usable and sustainable in a specific market. This approach not only signaled environmental awareness, but also respect for regional regulation and grower context. 

A digital platform demonstrated how growers could track the lifecycle of their inputs—what was used, when, and in what quantity—giving them the ability to provide documentation to retailers or auditors. This capability is becoming increasingly important for producers aiming to remain competitive in regulated markets.

Insight

Sustainability has moved beyond messaging. It is now a functional element of product performance, compliance strategy, and supply chain trust. What mattered most at GreenTech 2025 was not whether companies talked about sustainability, but how they showed it was already part of their process. 

In this environment, trust is built on traceability, and relevance is tied to regulation. The brands that stood out didn’t present sustainability as something they aspire to—they demonstrated it as something they’ve already operationalized.

What’s happening?

As the B2B landscape evolves, attention is no longer guaranteed—even at a trade fair. Technical expertise is expected, but how that expertise is delivered makes the difference. This year’s GreenTech showed a clear move toward experiential marketing: using physical and digital environments not just to explain, but to engage. 

For many exhibitors, booth design became an extension of brand identity. Experience was treated as a strategic tool—helping distill complex offers into more approachable, memorable encounters. The use of sensory cues—movement, sound, light, and texture—signaled a deeper understanding of how visitors process information in crowded, high-stakes settings. 

In parallel, digital storytelling tools gained ground. Technologies like holographic guides and VR walk-throughs helped simplify communication, making it easier to connect with a broader and more international audience. Rather than relying on brochures or static displays, companies started to stage their expertise.

What stood out?

One booth featured a looping hologram, personified as a digital crop advisor, greeting visitors with repeated voice prompts. While basic in design, it added a memorable identity to the booth and reflected a broader trend: using immersive tools to personalize technical messages. 

Another exhibitor used a VR headset to simulate a full greenhouse workflow, allowing visitors to experience how digital tools support tasks like propagation, irrigation, and harvesting. Instead of explaining features, the brand showed how the system fits into the real-world rhythm of growing. 

Elsewhere, an aeroponic bench system was kept in continuous motion throughout the day. This simple mechanical element consistently drew people in—demonstrating automation in action and creating an easy entry point for conversation. 

Exhibitors also emphasized tactile and visual interaction: illuminated panels, rotating elements, and hands-on controls helped ground attention in a highly visual environment. These design choices weren't decorative, they were functional, helping translate complexity into engagement.

Insight

At GreenTech 2025, the most effective exhibitors treated experience as part of their strategy—not just their setup. Whether through VR, a moving bench, or a simple hologram loop, they used interaction to clarify, not just to impress. In a crowded, technical space, design choices that encouraged focus, touch, and exploration made complex stories easier to access—and harder to forget. 

In B2B, especially when decisions are high-stakes and time is short, how a company presents itself often matters as much as what it offers.