Ceres Awards Honour Agricultural Innovation and Entrepreneurship in Bilbao
Held at the emblematic BAT Tower in Bilbao on the 18th of June, the event recognised nine outstanding entrepreneurs and farmers who are leading the way towards a more sustainable, inclusive, and forward-thinking food system.
The ceremony was opened by Begoña Pérez-Villarreal, Director of EIT Food South, and Richard Zaltzman, CEO of EIT Food. Both emphasised the vital role of the agrifood industry across the entire value chain—from farm to fork. As Zaltzman noted, choosing a career in agrifood means committing to address some of humanity’s most pressing needs.
During Covid, EIT Food invested in us and, certainly, we wouldn't be here without their support.
Among the Winners: Outstanding Southern European Innovators
José Lorenzo Arca, a livestock farmer from Pontevedra, took home the €10,000 prize in the Regenerative Agriculture category. He was recognised for significantly reducing his farm's carbon footprint and adopting cutting-edge technologies to improve land management.
Priscila Silva, founder of Gundo, a nutritional app offering tailored recommendations to users, was celebrated as a trailblazing female innovator. Her digital solution has seen notable commercial success and earned her a €3,000 award.
Françoise de Valera, co-founder of Pack2Earth, was recognised for excellence in fundraising. Her startup develops room-temperature compostable, bio-based packaging to replace plastics in sports nutrition and other sectors. Last year, the company successfully raised €1 million in investment.
These three were joined by six other award recipients. The Portuguese startup Creatura, led by Diana Maria da Rocha, was named best women-led startup, while Blue Ocean won the award for best innovation taken to market. Grizo & Prasino were recognised for revenue generation, and Smartfarm Robotix was honoured for its contribution to job creation. In the regenerative farming category, Italian farms La Petrosa and Terra Organica received the second and third prizes, respectively.
With its growing European profile and strong commitment to innovation, the CERES Awards are rapidly becoming a key reference point for the agrifood sector. This year’s edition not only celebrated achievement but also reinforced the message that the future of food depends on bold ideas, sustainable practices, and cross-border collaboration.
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