LivingSoiLL at the First Mission Soil Investment Forum in Brussels

The first Mission Soil Investment Forum took place in Brussels on 30 June 2026. The event brought together investors, start-ups, industry representatives, philanthropists, farmers, researchers, policymakers, EU projects, Living Labs and financial institutions Together, they explored how Europe can speed up investment in soil restoration and sustainable land management.

LivingSoiLL’s partner AREFLH attended the forum in person, joining discussions alongside leading European and international voices in soil innovation and financing. UTAD and Sogrape actively participate in the event online. Together, the three partners made sure LivingSoiLL’s research and business perspectives were both present at this landmark gathering.

Key Messages from the Day

Several themes ran through the day’s discussions. Participants agreed that healthy soils are not just an environmental priority, they are a strategic investment in Europe’s future. Therefore, restoring soil health at scale will require genuine collaboration. Policymakers, researchers, investors, businesses, farmers and local communities all have a role to play.

Speakers also named the practical building blocks needed to scale impact, which include blended finance models and stronger public–private partnerships. In addition, they also pointed to better impact measurement, more robust project pipelines, and innovation ecosystems built to grow.

Living Labs as an Investment Bridge

A central focus of the forum was the role Living Labs play in turning soil science into investable solutions. As real-world environments, Living Labs allow innovations to be tested and validated under practical conditions, connect research directly to agricultural practice, support co-creation between researchers, farmers and businesses. This is a role that resonates directly with LivingSoiLL’s own approach, which places Living Labs at the heart of its work across Europe.

Building Toward a More Investable Soil Sector

The forum reinforced a shared conclusion: restoring soil health across Europe will only happen through coordinated, collaborative action that spans sectors and disciplines. Participants agreed that soil health investments need to become more visible, more credible and more scalable. Only then can they attract the capital the sector needs.

The connections made in Brussels will feed into future initiatives. They will also strengthen cooperation across the wider soil health innovation ecosystem. Projects like LivingSoiLL continue this work by bridging research, practice and investment.

Looking Ahead

The Mission Soil Investment Forum marked an important step for Europe. It turned ambition into concrete investment pathways for soil health. AREFLH joined on the ground, while UTAD and Sogrape followed online. Together, they showed LivingSoiLL’s commitment to the wider community shaping the future of soil health financing.

The forum is set to become an annual event, offering a recurring opportunity for LivingSoiLL and its partners to engage with the investment community driving Europe’s soil health agenda forward.