Women in Agrifood Stories 2024: Celebrating Innovation and Leadership in Agrifood

After the inspiring keynote, the event continued with the first EWA Walk of Fame, where participants presented their innovative projects tackling key challenges in the agrifood sector.

The first round of pitches included:

• Ágnes Nagy from Hungary, presenting Fairy Treats, a brand creating healthy, natural snacks inspired by traditional Hungarian flavors.
• Ira Sulejmeni from Italy, presenting Clearchain, a blockchain-based system that ensures product quality and reduces food waste through real-time tracking.
• İpek Tüysüzoğlu from Türkiye, presenting Yugen, which upcycles pomegranate peel waste into plant-based leather alternatives.
• Urtė Raubytė from Lithuania, presenting GREENcoats, an eco-friendly coating solution for sustainable food packaging.

This segment showcased the participants’ creativity and commitment to addressing real-world problems with innovative solutions. The audience was captivated by the diversity of approaches and the potential for impactful change.

After the coffee break, the event resumed with the first roundtable of the day: "The Intersection of Agrifood and Gender: Addressing Inequality for a More Inclusive Future." Moderated by Małgorzata Druciarek, Gender and Diversity Senior Manager at EIT Food, he discussion featured Aleksandra Niżyńska, Partner at Gender Solution, Ayse Sabuncu, Co-Founder of Impact Hub Istanbul and Maura Farrell, University Lecturer and Coordinator of Rural Research at the University of Galway.

The panelists emphasized that the perfect system is one that finds balance, highlighting the importance of fostering equity across all levels of the agrifood value chain. They also underscored the vital role of women in policymaking, particularly in designing policies that shape the future of agrifood systems.

During the discussion, the need for programmes like EWA was reinforced as essential tools for strengthening women’s ideas and supporting them on their entrepreneurial journeys. The panelists advocated for more tailored training initiatives, addressing the specific needs of women entrepreneurs and equipping them with the skills to succeed.

Finally, the panel concluded that this is a pivotal moment for women entrepreneurs, as a growing window of opportunity is opening, offering increased visibility and support for their ventures in the agrifood sector.

The event continued with the second EWA Walk of Fame, where another group of talented women entrepreneurs presented their innovative projects. This segment showcased a range of creative solutions aimed at addressing key challenges in the agrifood sector.

The session featured:

• Iva Kalinova from Bulgaria, presenting Wholenest, a company producing plant-based beverages made from organic activated nuts and seeds.
• Yulia Logvinovska from Ukraine, presenting Luca Farm, a tech-driven vertical farm dedicated to growing fresh, high-quality salads and greens.
• Diana Rego from Portugal, presenting Criatura, which produces organic herbal teas using surpluses from small Portuguese farmers, including aromatic plants and fruits.
• Kristine Stikane from Latvia, presenting Gutopia, which develops probiotic, plant-based alternatives to traditional fermented dairy products like kefir and cream cheese.

The projects highlighted the diversity of approaches and solutions women entrepreneurs are bringing to the agrifood industry, from sustainable farming practices to innovative plant-based products. The audience was once again inspired by the creativity, passion, and determination of the participants.

The second roundtable of the day, "Breaking Barriers: Overcoming Gender Disparities in Agrifood Investment," was moderated by Juliet Bray, Regional Accelerator Programme Manager at EIT Food, and brought to light the persistent challenges faced by female-founded agrifood tech startups in securing investment.

The panel featured Isabel Faria (Angel Investor and Fund Leader at COREangels), Jacopo Losso (General Director at EBAN - European Business Angel Network), and Bárbara Leão de Carvalho (Impact Investment at 3xP Global), who shared their insights on tackling gender disparities in startup financing. The discussion highlighted that while female-led startups are more likely to secure public grants, they capture only 3% of global venture capital (VC) deals in the agrifood tech space, with the funding gap most evident at the Seed stage.

Isabel and Jacopo emphasized the importance of increasing the presence of women in investment networks and promoting female investor syndicates, as angel investing remains a predominantly male-dominated field. Meanwhile, Bárbara underlined the growing number of women-led, impact-driven startups, particularly in addressing climate change challenges, showcasing that female founders are often at the forefront of sustainable solutions.

The panelists collectively called for a more inclusive investment landscape, one that diversifies investment teams and combats gender bias in funding decisions. These efforts are crucial to bridging the funding gap and ensuring that the voices of female entrepreneurs are amplified in the agrifood tech industry.

After the lunch break, the event continued with an engaging interactive session led by Mathieu Carenzo, Investor and Profesor at IESE Business School, titled "All You Want to Know About Early-Stage Investment: from VC to Business Angels, to Corporates and more...".

With his dynamic and participative style, Mathieu offered the audience a unique opportunity to step into the mind of an investor. He shared key insights into the criteria investors use when selecting among multiple proposals, helping attendees better understand how to position their projects for success.

One of his standout messages was: "We are not investing in good companies, we are investing in good investments." This powerful statement encapsulated the investor perspective, emphasizing the importance of aligning a startup’s value proposition with investor expectations and market potential.

The session provided invaluable takeaways for anyone seeking to navigate the complex world of early-stage investment, leaving participants inspired and better equipped to approach funding opportunities.

The final EWA Walk of Fame of the day showcased another inspiring group of entrepreneurs, each presenting innovative solutions to some of the agrifood sector’s most pressing challenges.

This session featured:

• Elena Vitoria from Spain, presenting Salmoira, a project that transforms fishing waste into healthy, sustainable, and gastronomically innovative food.
• Martina Zelenakova from the Czech Republic, presenting Shupka, an innovative coffee upcycling brand dedicated to making the coffee industry more sustainable.
• Fotini Chatzi from Greece, presenting Idiotropa, which minimizes waste by utilizing the entire product and processing at low temperatures to conserve energy and maintain nutritional quality.
• Tomislava Vukušić Pavičić from Croatia, presenting RONsense, a platform that provides advanced monitoring solutions for marine ecosystems.

The diversity of projects demonstrated the creativity, passion, and impact of these women entrepreneurs. Their innovative approaches left the audience inspired and optimistic about the future of agrifood systems.

The day concluded with the final roundtable discussion, "Building Powerful Alliances in Female Entrepreneurship," moderated by Vanessa Archontidou, Founder of AWomanCanBe.org. The session brought together a distinguished panel of speakers, including Cristina Almeida, Partner at Maze Impact; Gonçalo Amorim, Founder and CEO of BGI; and Laura Lorenzo, CEO of A Piece of Lemon Cake.

The discussion centered on the importance of collaboration and alliances in empowering women entrepreneurs, while also exploring the unique experiences and challenges women face on their entrepreneurial journeys. Cristina Almeida illustrated how, as a woman, the questions posed by investors can differ significantly compared to those directed at male entrepreneurs, shedding light on the unconscious biases that persist in the investment world.

The panel also benefitted from the perspective of Laura Lorenzo, who, as a woman entrepreneur herself, shared her personal insights and experiences, enriching the discussion with a firsthand view of the realities and opportunities for women in the entrepreneurial ecosystem.

The event concluded with closing remarks delivered by Carolina Silva Marques, Regional Project Manager at EIT Food. Carolina reflected on the day’s highlights, celebrating the innovative ideas, meaningful discussions, and inspiring connections that emerged throughout the event.

She emphasized the importance of continuing the conversations started during the day and encouraged all participants to carry forward the collaborative spirit of Women in Agrifood Stories 2024 into their work and networks.

The official programme came to an end, but the conversations didn’t stop there. Attendees continued to network and exchange ideas over refreshments, making the most of the vibrant and collaborative atmosphere until the evening. It was the perfect conclusion to a day dedicated to innovation, empowerment, and community.