SDEED Summit 2024 – The challenges now and in the future
We’re just around the corner from the Seed Summit – one of the most anticipated events for founders, innovators, and investors in the agri-food area. With a stellar lineup of speakers, this first year’s summit promises to be more inspiring than ever! The Seed Summit brings together global changemakers from diverse sectors to discuss everything they see as an essential message to navigate the rapidly changing tech landscape.
📅 Why attend?
Learn from the best—Get actionable insights from those who have been there, done that, built some of the most successful concepts and startups, and fought for a sustainable future.
Expand your network – Meet fellow entrepreneurs, investors, and innovators shaping the startup world's future.
Find inspiration—Whether you're just starting out or looking to scale, the Seed Summit will spark your creativity and passion.
This Agri-food Summit in Prague, Czechia, aims to uniquely catalyze transformative change within the agrifood sector by focusing on youth engagement, gender equality, innovation, and women's empowerment. The summit seeks to foster collaboration, inspire innovation, and drive actionable solutions to address critical challenges facing agriculture and agri-food systems by bringing together diverse stakeholders, including youth leaders, policymakers, entrepreneurs, and experts. The summit aims to empower individuals and organizations to create a more inclusive, sustainable, and resilient agri-food future in Czechia and beyond through interactive discussion and networking opportunities.
👥 Who’s speaking?
The Seed Summit brings together global changemakers from diverse sectors to discuss everything they see as an essential message to navigate the rapidly changing tech landscape. Check out just a few of the incredible experts gracing the stage:
👉 Lili Balogh - a bioengineer and tropical agronomical engineer
👉 Wioleta Olejarczyk - an agroecological farmer, activist, and educator
👉 Jouke Knol, based in Warsaw, PL, is the Counselor for Agriculture, Fisheries, Food Security, and Nature at the Embassy of the Netherlands in Poland, covering Poland, the Czech Republic, and Slovakia.
👉 Gordana Đurić - a renowned expert with over 25 years of experience in horticultural plant biology, ecology, and seed science
👉 Luca Sára Bródy - an urban sociologist working on social movements and citizen mobilization
👉 Puck van Holsteijn - has led the World Horti Centre, the premier Dutch knowledge and innovation hub for global horticulture.
These are just a few of the incredible individuals joining the lineup – and there's so much more! 🌍
AGENDA
8.30 AM-9.00 AM Registration
9.10 AM-9.30 AM Opening Remarks (ENG/CZE)
Alexis Taylor (USA) / Bijan Sabet (USA) / Marek Výborný (CZE)
9.30 AM-10.00 AM Keynote Speaker Address (ENG/CZE)
Michale Pixová (CZE)
10.00 AM-11.00 AM Panel 1: Gender Aspects of the Agri-food (ENG/CZE)
· Address gender disparities in the agricultural sector in terms of access to resources, including land, finance, and education
· Advocate for policies and programs that promote women’s participation and leadership in agriculture and agri-food businesses
· Raise awareness about the contributions of women to agriculture and the importance of recognizing and valuing their work
· Provide training and capacity-building opportunities to empower women farmers and entrepreneurs
o Panel participants: Hana Mazancová (CZE) / Katarína Klamková (CZE) / Jana Havrdová (CZE) / Markéta Vinkelhoferová (CZE) / Lili Balogh (HU)
o Moderátoration: Mitchell Collins (USA)
11.00 AM-11.30 AM Networking Break + Exhibition Displays
EWA 2020-2024
11.30 AM-12.30 PM Panel 2: Empowering Youth in Agriculture (ENG/CZE)
· Encourage youth involvement in agriculture and agri-food innovation.
· Provide resources and support for young farmers to adopt sustainable farming practices
· Foster collaboration between youth-led initiatives and established agricultural organizations
· Promote the inclusion of youth perspectives in agricultural policies and decision-making processes
o Panel participations: Ilona Svobodová (CZE) / Ramona Duminicioiu (RO) / Wioletta Olejarczyk (PL) / Jiří Zhoř (CZE) / Jana Pitrová (CZE)
o Moderations: Nicolas Rubio (USA)
12.30 PM-1.00 PM Partners presentation
Pro Podnikavé, Plastia
1.00 PM-2.00 PM Networking Lunch-Interactive Exhibition
EWA 2020-2024
2.00 PM-3.30 PM Panel 3: Innovation within Agri-food (ENG/CZE)
· Promote the adoption of innovative technologies and practices that enhance productivity, sustainability, and resilience in agriculture
· Facilitate knowledge-sharing and collaboration among researchers, entrepreneurs, and industry stakeholders to drive agricultural innovation
· Support the development of agri-tech startups and entrepreneurial ventures focused on addressing pressing challenges in the agri-food sector
· Encourage investment in research and development to unlock new opportunities for added value and market growth in agriculture
o Panel participations: Jouke Knol (NL) / Gordona Duric (BA) / Monika Tomaniová (CZE) / Rostislav Brzobohatý (CZE) / Martin Kolařík (CZE) / Luca Sára Bródy (HU) / Puck van Holstein (NL)
o Moderations: Thomas de Bruyne (NL)
3.30 PM-4.30 PM Panel 4: Supporting Women in Business and Innovation (CZE/ENG)
· Identification of Barriers for Women in Business, a discussion on the main challenges women face when starting and growing their businesses.
· The panel will explore solutions to improve access to financial support for women entrepreneurs.
· A conversation on ways to balance entrepreneurship with family responsibilities and how to enhance workplace flexibility for female entrepreneurs. The focus will be on maintaining careers during maternity or parental leave.
o Panel participations: Jana Fišerová (CZE) / Eva Lacinová (CZE) / Lenka Novotná (CZE) / Eva Svobodová (CZE) / Eva Grulichová (CZE)
o Moderations: Adina Foxová (CZE)
3.00 PM-4.00 PM EWA Corner (CZE) - Bistro Podium
· Presentation of the EWA – Empowering Women in Agrifood Accelerator Finalists, 2024 Edition
· Defining the needs of the support ecosystem for women entrepreneurs in the agri-food sector, including access to training, resources, and networks.
· Tools for advocating gender-inclusive policies and initiatives that create equal opportunities for women in agri-food businesses and investments, facilitating their easier entry into the field.
o Panel participation: Adéla Lánová (CZE) / Ludmila Kucer (CZE) / Lucie Rien (CZE) + EWA program winners 2024
o Moderations: Petra Kubálková
4.30 PM- 4.45 PM Closing Remarks (ENG/CZE)
Eva Mejtová, EIT
4.00 PM–5.00 PM Networking