AKER is an Egyptian God represented by two lions, back to back, one watching the sunrise (genetic resources) and the other watching the sun going down (elite material). AKER is the "St. Christopher" of the Egyptian Gods, carrying the sun on his back from one world to the other: according to ancient beliefs the sun sank into the earth in the west. The symbolism of two lions can also be associated with public-private partnership.

The image of sugar beet which is positioned between the two lions and whose leaves are intertwined with their manes reflects that AKER is a research programme to improve the competitiveness of sugar beet. The signature "Beet 2020" recalls the long-term nature of the programme.