EWA Lithuania 2024 Winners: Women Transforming the Agrifood Sector

The each of ten EWA mentees had four minutes to present their business ideas to a panel of expert judges, followed by a seven-minutes Q&A session. This format closely resembled real-world investor pitches, challenging participants to clearly present their value propositions, business models, and growth strategies.

Following each presentation, the participants addressed questions about their innovations, prompting insightful discussions. Each mentee showcased remarkable progress and development achieved through the EWA programme. The competition not only celebrated their individual accomplishments but also showcased the important role of women innovators in promoting sustainable solutions in the agrifood sector.

After a highly competitive Demo Day, three winners were announced during a special ceremony.

First place and €10 000 went to Greta Budreikė for her innovative idea of cricket-based breakfast cereals. These high-protein, nutritious cereals offer a sustainable alternative to traditional options. Using eco-friendly cricket farming and extrusion cooking, her product supports healthier diets, reduces waste, and promotes sustainable eating.

Second place and €5 000 went to Agnė Vaitiekūnaitė for her work with Haskap.lt. She developed health-boosting products made from haskap berries, which are rich in vitamins and antioxidants. Her sustainable approach uses local, plant-based ingredients, and she plans to create food supplements with the highest antioxidants on the market.

Third place and €3 000 went to Viktorija Šiukščiūtė for her sustainable microgreens farm, HydroGreen. Using vertical hydroponic systems, she grows nutrient-rich microgreens year-round, using less water and space. HydroGreen also repurposes waste into compost, promoting sustainability and providing fresh, organic produce to support local communities.

Each of these projects highlights the power of innovation and sustainability in transforming the food industry.

AgriFood Lithuania is a digital innovation hub and cluster connecting the most important Lithuanian research, business, and public stakeholders for the common pursuit of digital transformation in the agrifood and associated sectors. By linking stakeholders with international and cross-sectoral initiatives, it serves as a one-stop-shop for AgriFood Tech innovation development and cooperation opportunities. In 2020, the European Commission included AgriFood Lithuania DIH as one of two good practice examples of European sectoral DIHs in the JRC science for policy report.

Learn more about AgriFood Lithuania DIH on their web page.