Italy launches its 2025 EWA cohort with a new wave of female-led agrifood innovation

Applications were reviewed in collaboration with Hi!Founders, TheFoodCons, Angels4Women and Angels4Impact who also contributed to the selection process of this year's ten participants.

This year’s EWA cohort in Italy brings together entrepreneurs working on diverse solutions at the intersection of agrifood, circular economy, technology and wellness. From on-site wastewater recovery and regenerative retail formats to biosensors, fermented beverages and smart diagnostics, the selected startups demonstrate the creativity and commitment of women transforming the agrifood sector.

Here is an overview of the 10 startups participating in the 2025 Italian edition of EWA:

› Eubiosinergy (Alessia Cicognani) – Supporting small agricultural businesses through environmental impact analysis, CO₂ credit sales and multichannel marketing tools.
› SenseItaly (Caterina Cambrea) – Developer of The Scentinel Sensor, a smartphone-compatible paper biosensor for fast and accessible water quality testing.
› C’era un tarallo (Laura Bolognesi) – Reinventing taralli using ancient grains to encourage healthy eating and support small-scale producers.
› PeepPopFert – Azienda Agricola Verde Mare (Luana Ciambellini) – A dry composting toilet system turning organic waste into natural fertiliser for eco-oriented farms and agritourism.
› Free Eat (Mariachiara Leonardi) – A digital marketplace connecting artisanal “free-from” producers with consumers and the food service sector across Italy.
› ReMyco (Rosamaria Provenzale) – Using agro-industrial waste to cultivate mushrooms enriched with vitamin D2, reducing waste and improving nutrition.
› Tipo (Sapyr Sebaoun) – A line of functional fermented drinks promoting a more inclusive, health-conscious approach to the Italian aperitivo.
› AgriCheck – Genera S.r.l (Serena Fruttaldo) – A portable diagnostic tool for predictive maintenance of agricultural machinery, connected to an app and online platform.
› Verde (Valentina Suligoj) – Promoting regenerative agriculture through retail formats that exclusively source from soil-regenerating farmers.
› scartUP (Virginia Milvia Temperini) – A service that transforms olive mill wastewater into clean water and high-value polyphenols on-site, reducing environmental impact.

As Sara Roversi, President of the Future Food Institute, stated:

“We are proud to begin the fourth edition of EWA – Empowering Women in Agrifood. This programme continues to prove how female talent is a true driver of innovation and regeneration in the food system. Supporting women entrepreneurs means investing in a more equitable, resilient and sustainable future.”