Portugal’s Demo Day celebrates women’s agrifood entrepreneurship
The EWA 2024 Demo Day in Lisbon, concluding the six-month programme implemented by Drive Impact, celebrated the achievements of nine female entrepreneurs, featuring innovative projects, product tastings, and a roundtable on urban food systems.
The Empowering Women in Agrifood (EWA) 2024 Demo Day in Portugal marked the culmination of the six-month programme, which was locally implemented by Drive Impact. Held at É Uma Mesa restaurant in Lisbon, the event brought together entrepreneurs, industry leaders, and experts to celebrate the transformative power of women-led innovation in the agrifood sector. It featured inspiring pitches, product tastings, and a thought-provoking discussion on urban food sustainability
Celebrating excellence
Out of the nine participants, two projects stood out and received special recognition:
- Ana Ferreira claimed the 1st prize (€10,000) for Ferreira da Estrela, her innovative approach to traditional cheese-making.
- Diana Rego, founder of Criatura, won the 2nd prize (€5,000) and the Visibility Pack, which covers her travel to attend the final EWA gathering, Women in Agrifood Stories, on 4 December in Lisbon.
These awards were presented by a distinguished jury that included:
- Vera Fernandes (New concepts PM | Auchan Retail Portugal)
- Sofia Nunes (General Manager | Adega Mayor)
- Victor Vieira (Environmental Engineer | Lisboa E-Nova)
- Eunice Maia (Co-Founder | Maria Granel).
Exploring the future of urban food production
The evening concluded with a roundtable discussion titled "In the future, will the city be able to produce its own food?" Experts from diverse fields shared their perspectives:
- Cátia Rosas (Lisbon city councilor)
- Cecilia Delgado (Researcher, NOVA FCSH; Director, ACSA)
- Florian Ulm (Researcher, cE3c/Ciências UL; Hortas FCUL)
- Rosário Oliveira (Researcher, ICS/UL; Founder, FoodLink)
Moderated by journalist Catarina Carvalho (A Mensagem), the discussion offered valuable insights into how urban spaces can become hubs for sustainable food production.
Strengthening the EWA Community
The Demo Day not only celebrated innovation but also brought together participants, mentors, and programme implementers to foster collaboration and networking. The event demonstrated the transformative potential of women-led initiatives in agriculture and food.
Join us for the Grand Finale!
The Women in Agrifood Stories 2024 will take place in Lisbon on December 4th. Celebrate the grand finale of the EWA programme by EIT Food with leaders, entrepreneurs, and innovators shaping the future of agrifood.
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