STEERING THE GREEN TRANSITION: BUSINESS MODELS AND INNOVATION DYNAMICS IN THE AGRI-TECH SECTOR

The agri-food sector stands at a defining crossroads, tasked with the dual challenge of feeding a growing global population while urgently reducing its environmental footprint. This dissertation investigates the mechanisms of the "Green Transition", arguing that technological invention alone is insufficient to drive systemic change. Instead, it posits that a durable transformation requires a strategic reconfiguration of business models and a synergistic approach to innovation. The research unfolds as a cumulative journey from theory to practice, and from global trends to economic impact. It begins by mapping the intellectual landscape of sustainable business strategies, identifying a shift from theoretical frameworks to applied, interdisciplinary solutions. Moving to the empirical level, the study tests the viability of circular economy principles through the application of a novel strategic framework, the Circular Triple-Layered Business Model Canvas, to a real-world case of urban waste valorization. Broadening the scope to the global arena, the dissertation analyses the worldwide patent landscape to understand the supply of green technologies. This analysis reveals a critical disconnect between the sheer volume of inventions and their effective market adoption, highlighting distinct regional approaches to innovation strategy. Finally, the research rigorously evaluates the economic returns of these strategies for European agricultural firms. The ultimate conclusion challenges the efficacy of siloed approaches: the findings demonstrate that pursuing green or digital innovations in isolation yields limited competitive benefits. Conversely, the "Twin Transition", he synergistic integration of digital capabilities with sustainability goals, emerges as the superior paradigm for generating lasting economic value. This work thus provides a strategic playbook for scholars, managers, and policymakers, demonstrating that the future of agriculture depends not just on new technologies but on the integrated business architectures built to deploy them.