Objective
The harvesting of fresh and delicate produce remains one of the least automated and most labour-intensive operations in European agriculture, with labour costs reaching up to 50% of total production. Crops such as strawberries, apples, and mushrooms are particularly affected due to their sensitivity to mechanical damage and the need for selective harvesting. At the same time, the sector faces increasing labour shortages, rising costs, and significant post-harvest losses (5–35%), largely caused by handling-induced damage. Existing robotic solutions fail to address these challenges, as rigid or suction-based end-effectors are not suited to unstructured environments and often cause unacceptable levels of bruising.
SOFTGRASP builds on the results of the SoftGrip Horizon 2020 project, which developed and validated patented soft gripper technology for food handling, reaching TRL 4 in greenhouse trials. The project will advance this innovation to TRL 6 by integrating and demonstrating a soft robotic end-effector for strawberry and soft fruit harvesting in real-world conditions. The solution combines soft robotics and AI-based perception to enable adaptive, low-pressure grasping across variable environments.
In line with its proof-of-market focus, SOFTGRASP will deliver a minimum viable product (MVP) validated through field trials, while generating evidence on market demand, user needs, and economic viability. A business strategy and commercialization roadmap will support rapid market uptake.
By addressing both labour shortages and product damage, SOFTGRASP targets a major untapped market opportunity, contributing to reduced waste, increased productivity, and more resilient European agri-food systems.
Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)
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Keywords
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Programme(s)
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
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HORIZON.2.4 - Digital, Industry and Space
MAIN PROGRAMME
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Topic(s)
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Funding Scheme
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
HORIZON-IA - HORIZON Innovation Actions
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Call for proposal
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
(opens in new window) HORIZON-CL4-2026-01
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Net EU financial contribution. The sum of money that the participant receives, deducted by the EU contribution to its linked third party. It considers the distribution of the EU financial contribution between direct beneficiaries of the project and other types of participants, like third-party participants.
56127 Pisa
Italy
The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.