Next Bite Speakers

Senior Programme Manager at EIT Food

Lara Rodriguez is an impact driven professional with over 10 years of experience in the agrifood innovation sector. Her passion for food innovation was ignited during her career in the R&D and product development department at PepsiCo, where she gained valuable insights into product lifecycle and consumer needs. Since then, she has been actively involved in collaborative innovation projects, focusing on food regional ecosystems and clusters. As Senior Programme Manager at EIT Food, Lara leads initiatives aimed at improving the food system and she oversees the Empowering Women in Agrifood (EWA) Programme, which focuses on upskilling female entrepreneurs in Southern and Eastern Europe to help them succeed in their businesses. Her work has significantly boosted female entrepreneurship within the agrifood sector over the past five years. In her role at the Think and Do Tank on Healthy Ageing, Lara helps shape strategies that promote healthy ageing solutions.
Her expertise in programme management, open innovation, and driving impact in the food ecosystem has made her a key figure in fostering collaboration and innovation. Lara holds a degree in Nutrition from the University of Valladolid, a degree in Food Science and Technology from the University of Burgos, and a Master's in Project Management from IMF Business School.

Moderator at Next Bite Sessions:

Cultivating Change: Transforming Europe's Agrifood Industry

Senior Innovation Programme Manager at EIT Food

Mercedes is a recognized expert in the field of food innovation. At EIT Food, Mercedes provides strategic vision and guidance on food system innovation and sustainable resource management, at both a European and international level. She supports EIT Food in making the food system more sustainable, healthy, and trusted on a global level. She currently leads the Sustainable Aquaculture focus area at EIT Food. During her 24 year career, Mercedes has worked closely with national and European organisations and institutions, including the University of Oxford, large corporates and startups. She is passionate about driving real change, believing that NOW is the time to act to build a better world for all.

Moderator at Next Bite Session:

Personalised Nutrition and AI

Director of the EIT Food for Southern Europe

Begoña Pérez-Villarreal is the Director of the EIT Food for Southern Europe aimed to boost innovation involving stakeholders from the Mediterranean area, from Portugal, Spain, Italy, Greece, Turkey up till Israel.

Next Bite sessions:

Empowering healthy ageing through food and nutrition

Nutrition Development Director, Specialized Nutrition at Cargill Food Solutions

Annemarie Oosting has over 20 years experience in health innovation within Specialized Nutrition B2C industry, with accountability for research programs and evidence-based innovations regarding biotics, novel lipids and proteins. She has a strong expertise in nutritional science, holding an MSc degree in Human Nutrition & Health from Wageningen University and a PhD in Pediatric Nutrition from the Faculty of Medicine, Groningen University, the Netherlands. Annemarie has authored over 40 scientific papers and patents, and has been partnering in several international public-private research consortia. Currently within Cargills Specialized Nutrition business responsible to generate high quality evidence on health outcomes relevant to customers and consumers, allowing for cutting edge, differentiating innovation with a strong nutrition value proposition.

Next Bite sessions:

Empowering healthy ageing through food and nutrition

Mission Lead Healthier Lives Through Food at EIT Food

Lorena is the Mission Lead for Healthier Lives Through Food at EIT FOOD, with over 20 years of international experience in Fast-Moving Consumer Goods and Horeca. She's excelled in innovation, business development, and marketing at renowned companies like Kraft Foods and Burger King. She has also served as a senior business consultant, designing and implementing clean label and sustainability product strategies for leading food industry firms. Lorena holds a master’s degree in Nutrition and Dietetics for Health Promotion and a Bachelor's and Master's degree in Food Science and Technology. She further honed her skills with an Executive Education Program at IESE Business School.

Next Bite sessions:

Empowering healthy ageing through food and nutrition

Unit Head of Ageing and Health at World Health Organisation

Dr. Matteo Cesari is a Scientist on Geriatrics and Gerontology of the Ageing and Health (AAH) Unit at the World Health Organization (Geneva, Switzerland) and Professor of Geriatrics (on leave) at the University of Milan (Milan, Italy). He had previously worked at the Catholic University of the Sacred Heart (Rome, Italy), at the Wake Forest University (Winston Salem, NC, USA), at the University of Florida-Institute on Aging (Gainesville, FL, USA), and at the University of Toulouse (Toulouse, France). 

Dr. Cesari’s research activities have been funded by major private and public institutions. Dr. Cesari has published more than 600 articles in scientific peer-reviewed journals and is among the highest cited researchers in the field of geriatrics and gerontology. He has also played the role of Editor-in-Chief/Associate Editor in several peer-reviewed scientific journals and Coordinator of task forces and working groups for scientific societies.

His work at the WHO is focused on the promotion of healthy ageing through the dissemination of geriatric medicine and the implementation of integrated, long-term care for older people.

Next Bite sessions:

Empowering healthy ageing through food and nutrition

Open Innovation manager at Danone Group and Vice President of the EIT Food Healthy Ageing Think & Do Tank

Irini has almost 20 years experience in the food industry, working in different roles in Research and Innovation especially focused on overcoming the roadblocks to make the long-term innovation goals a reality (Focus on fermentation, proteins, fat, Fibers). Irini has background in Food Science and Biotechnology and further education in Food Production Management from Nottingham University. Currently an Open Innovation manager in Danone Group, a world-leading food company with four key focus areas Essential Dairy and Plant-Based Products, Waters, Early Life Nutrition and Advanced Medical Nutrition. The key commitment of Danone Group is to bring health through food to as many people as possible, emphasizing both health and sustainability.

Next Bite sessions:

Empowering healthy ageing through food and nutrition

Sustainability Specialist, Regenerative Agriculture and Biodiversity Manager at Kearney Consulting

Anya Gandy specializes in helping companies transition their supply chains more resilient and cost-effective regenerative agriculture practices. She previously led the Sustainability Department at Inari Agriculture; worked with Google's renewable energy department and global startup accelerator; advocated for farmers in Washington, DC with the National Farmers Union; conducted on-farm research and consulting with the Noble Foundation; and was a cowboy on regeneratively managed ranches in Australia, New Zealand, Montana, Oregon and Texas. Anya's family runs a permaculture farm in Oregon.

Next Bite Sessions:

Spark and Do: Thought Provoking Impulses and Action Orientated Debates | Mission 1, One Health

European Sustainability Director at Kerry Group

Sibéal Bird leads the execution of the Beyond the Horizon sustainability strategy in Europe for Kerry Group, a global leader in Sustainable Nutrition. In her role, she is dedicated to creating a significant, positive impact on both the environment and society. Sibéal drives the ambitious goal of providing sustainable nutrition to over 2 billion people by 2030.

With over a decade of experience in the food and beverage industry, Sibéal is a seasoned sustainability professional known for her ambition and pragmatism. She has provided strategic guidance to some of the world’s largest food and drink companies, helping them develop and implement innovative strategies that transform businesses and operations towards triple-bottom line sustainability.

Sibéal holds a Bachelor’s degree in International Business from the University of Maynooth and a Master’s degree in Business Sustainability from the Smurfit Graduate Business School at University College Dublin.

Next Bite Sessions:

Cultivating Change: Transforming Europe's Agrifood Industry

Head of Partnerships & Alliances at Tastewise

Eduardo is an experienced partnerships and business development leader in the food and beverage industry, with a proven track record of building strong relationships and driving strategic alliances. Currently the Partnerships & Alliances Manager at Tastewise, Eduardo has co-founded and scaled food ventures like Comilones Food SL, and led the successful expansion of global brands such as The Avocado Show in Spain. His expertise includes helping brands enter new markets, managing supply chains, and running operations, all while building and maintaining key industry partnerships.

Next Bite Sessions:

Cultivating Change: Transforming Europe's Agrifood Industry

Professor in Food Microbiology at UNITO

Luca Cocolin is a Professor in Food Microbiology at the Department of Agricultural, Forest and Food Sciences, University of Torino. His research interests lie in the study of microbial ecosystems with a One Health approach, looking at how microbiomes can improve the sustainability of food systems and human health. He is expert in the development, optimization and application of molecular methods for the detection, quantification and characterization of foodborne pathogens; in the study of the microbial ecology of fermented foods (mainly sausage, cheese and wine), as well as bioprotection. He has over 10 years of experience in the application of omics methodologies in the study of microbial complex ecosystems in the context of One Health. He is the editor in chief of the International Journal of Food Microbiology and holds editorial positions in multiple academic journals and boards. He is the master contact for the University of Torino in EIT Food. From 2018 to 2021 he has been the President of the Italian Society of Agriculture, Environmental and Food Microbiology.

Moderator of the Next Bite Session:

Microbiome Magic: Transforming food systems for a sustainable future

Partnerships Manager at University of Reading

With over 15 years of experience spanning the food industry, nutrition research, and academic collaboration, Yvonne brings a diverse skill-set focused on driving interdisciplinary partnerships that advance global food, nutrition, and health initiatives. She manages strategic partnerships at the Institute for Food, Nutrition, and Health, University of Reading, focusing on addressing global challenges to help transform food systems. Her work leverages interdisciplinary collaboration to drive sustainable innovation in food, nutrition, and health.

Moderator of the Next Bite Session:

Microbiome Magic: Transforming food systems for a sustainable future

Co-founder at ENOUGH

Craig founded ENOUGH with Jim Laird in 2015. He is now Director of Strategic Partnerships and IP. The business’s purpose is to tackle the combined issues of feeding a growing global population and the unsustainable impact of traditional protein farming. He developed the original patent (2014) and has led the spin out process from the University of Strathclyde and helped grow all aspects of the business since establishment. It now has 65 staff across UK and Netherlands and has secured c€100m funding including a €17m EU flagship grant (PLENITUDE). The Enough journey has exploited his wide range of industry and academic experiences. His initial industrial career spanned 22 years, working for ICI, Zeneca, Avecia and Fujifilm. He then helped create a world leading pharmaceutical industry - academic partnership. He is Fellow of the Institute of Chemical Engineers and has an MBA.

Next Bite sessions:

Microbiome Magic: Transforming food systems for a sustainable future

Head of External Affairs at UK Agri-Tech Centre

Grace is the Head of External Affairs at the UK Agri-Tech Centre, where she drives strategic initiatives to enhance collaboration in the agri-tech sector. She has held various leadership roles, including Head of Innovation and Animal Health Specialist at the Centre for Innovation Excellence in Livestock. With extensive experience in animal health policy and strategic planning, Grace combines her academic background in molecular biology and genomics with a passion for innovation to advance sustainable agricultural practices.

Next Bite sessions:

Microbiome Magic: Transforming food systems for a sustainable future

Global New Product & Process Development Manager Polysaccharides. EMEA NPPD coordinator at Cargill

With 30 years of experience in technology development, innovation, and operations, Piet Bogaert has worked across both small research companies and multinationals such as Tate & Lyle and Cargill. His expertise spans food sectors, including proteins, carbohydrates, cocoa, and oils, as well as non-food industries like paper and floor coverings, with a strong focus on renewable raw materials. Piet’s career is defined by driving innovation and sustainable solutions across diverse industries.

Next Bite sessions:

Microbiome Magic: Transforming food systems for a sustainable future

Managing Director at Microbiome Support Association

Tanja is a Senior Research Engineer at the AIT Austrian Institute of Technology with a research focus on food systems microbiomes. She has participated in various national and international projects and has extensive experience in research collaboration with industry. Currently, she is coordinating the Horizon Europe project MICROBE (www.microbeproject.eu) dedicated to the development of optimized methodologies and technologies to preserve and provide access to microbiome samples and associated data to enable more efficient development of microbiome-based solutions and applications. From August 2024 she is also acting as a managing director of the MicrobiomeSupport Association dedicated to promoting microbiome understanding and applications as key drivers of food security, One Health and human well-being.

Next Bite sessions:

Microbiome Magic: Transforming food systems for a sustainable future

Policy Steward for Regenerative Agrifood Ecosystems at EARA (European Alliance for Regenerative Agriculture

Moderator at Next Bite session: 

Composting a Polarised Agenda on Proteins: From Animal Husbandry to Alternative Proteins

Director of Global Relationships at EIT Food

Moderator at Next Bite session: 

Composting a Polarised Agenda on Proteins: From Animal Husbandry to Alternative Proteins

Senior Policy Manager at Good Food Institute Europe

Elena Walden is a Senior Policy Manager at GFI Europe. Her background includes political and NGO roles in London, Paris and Brussels, including as a Policy Advisor on environment and food topics in the European Parliament.

Next Bite Sessions:

Composting a Polarised Agenda on Proteins: From Animal Husbandry to Alternative Proteins

Founder, Farmer, CEO at Fattoria Pulicaro

Marco started Pulicaro, which today is a 100 hectares farm located on a vulcanic plateau 550 mt above sea level halfway between Rome and Florence. Agroecology and holistic management are extremely important for us.

Next Bite Sessions:

Composting a Polarised Agenda on Proteins: From Animal Husbandry to Alternative Proteins

CEO & Founder IRODIMA

Friedrich Büse is a true ambassador for plant-based food and alternative proteins. His enthusiasm is infectious, and his forward-thinking ideas are based on more than 40 years of experience in almost every area of the food industry in more than 50 countries. For the last 20 years, he has focused his entrepreneurial experience in plant-based food development, production and international marketing. In 2015 he became founder and shareholder of the plant-based foods company, endori GmbH & Co, Bamberg, Germany. Since 2019 he has been advisor of “The Nature’s Richness Group”, part of Pfeifer & Langen IHKG, among others also former Board Member of Vbites, GB, In 2023, he founded his new start-up Irodima Holding GmbH, dedicated to researching, developing, and producing foods aligned with the Planetary Health Diet, following the 'from field to fork' principle – pursuing the mission: "Shaping a better world with every bite"

Next Bite session: 

Composting a Polarised Agenda on Proteins: From Animal Husbandry to Alternative Proteins

Incubator Business Expert at EIT Food

Lorraine has 25+ years’ experience in creating, validating, and commercialising insight driven innovation, and developing brands & marketing strategies across European markets for large multinationals such as Nestle, Glanbia Performance Nutrition, Wella, and Kellogg.

Lorraine is an advocate of design thinking and supports organisations to create and validate their ideas, works with them on commercialisation, scaling, value proposition mining, and go-to-market strategies to successfully launch and grow them in the marketplace. Having worked on large consumer brands throughout her career she also specialises in creating brand identities, defining target markets, developing brand USPs, marketing strategy & communication plans.

Moderator of Next Bite Session:

From waste to resource: Pioneering circular economy in agrifood

Co-founder and Board Member at EcoBean

Enthusiastic creator of innovative solutions for sustainable development with over 20 years of market experience. Former President of the Management Board of Julius Meinl Poland, an experienced entrepreneur and leader with documented success in scaling companies and strategic management.

Next Bite sessions:

From waste to resource: Pioneering circular economy in agrifood

Co-Founder & CEO at NapiFeryn BioTech

In 2014 Magdalena co-founded NapiFeryn BioTech and since then has been leading NapiFeryn BioTech. NapiFeryn BioTech is a company that developed and patented a technology to obtain food grade proteins from rapeseed. She is an experienced leader of research and development teams, specialising in development and optimisation of biotechnological processes.

Next Bite sessions:

From waste to resource: Pioneering circular economy in agrifood

Sustainable Food Manager at Żabka Group

For years associated with the Accor and Orbis hotel groups, former chef of the Mercure Grand and Novotel Warszawa Centrum hotels, worked in France, Spain and Argentina. Currently, he works as Sustainable Food Manager at Żabka Group, where he deals with reducing food losses and good nutrition.

Next Bite sessions:

From waste to resource: Pioneering circular economy in agrifood

Product Sustainability & Circular Economy Manager at Lavazza Group

With a Ph.D. and over 15 years of professional experience in product and packaging sustainability, I am dedicated to crafting strategies that advance the Circular Economy across both products and processes.

Next Bite sessions:

From waste to resource: Pioneering circular economy in agrifood

Senior Project Manager on Startup Support | EIT Food

Moderator of Next Bite Session:

Greening the Bottom Line: Mobilising Finance for Regenerative Agriculture

Head of Impact & Regenerative Financing at AXA Climate

Alice’s purpose is to facilitate large-scale financing for climate and environmental transition. At AXA Climate, a subsidiary of the AXA Group dedicated to climate and environmental adaptation, she crafts investment and insurance strategies that de-risk and accelerate sustainable transitions. 

Next Bite session:

Greening the Bottom Line: Mobilising Finance for Regenerative Agriculture

Head of Decarbonisation & Biodiversity Product at BNP Paribas

Michał has over 20 years of banking experience. During this time he has been responsible for (i.a.) the development & relationship management of strategic corporate clients, the management of business teams, the development & implementation of sectoral strategies (Food&Agri and TSL).

Next Bite session:

Greening the Bottom Line: Mobilising Finance for Regenerative Agriculture

Policy Officer in the European Commission at Directorate General for Climate Action

Jorge Pinto Antunes is currently policy officer in the European Commission (Directorate General for Climate Action), where he is responsible for bioeconomy and financing for the land economy sector.

Next Bite session:

Greening the Bottom Line: Mobilising Finance for Regenerative Agriculture

President of the Terra Nostra Agricultural Development Foundation

Recognised specialist in crop production with experience in large farms and distribution. Enthusiast of regenerative agriculture, understood as agricultural production with a defined environmental impact. He is passionate about educational activities that raise farmers' awareness and create shared value throughout the food production chain. He is a graduate of the University of Life Sciences in Wrocław and the University of Agriculture in Kraków.

Next Bite Session: 

Greening the Bottom Line: Mobilising Finance for Regenerative Agriculture

Founder and CEO | BGI

Technical and Scientific Director | Food4Sustainability

Farming student

José is a farming student and grain farmer mainly focused on heritage grain. His goal is to restore water cycles through biodiversity while producing high quality food.

Co-Founder at Wasteland

Dharath Hoonchamlong explores food, hospitality, and sustainability with multidisciplinary approaches and mediums. His aspiration is to inspire collective action to transform the food system.

Next Bite Sessions:

Serving Sustainability and Health: Food-service Professionals Spearheading Just and Tasty Transitions

Founder of Mycelium Gastronomy Network

Estefania Simon-Sasyk is the founder of Mycelium Gastronomy Network, an organisation of multidisciplinary professionals seeking to create a more sustainable food industry. She’s collaborated with organisations like the WTO and IDB, tackling critical issues such as health, sustainability, and regional economic development.

Next Bite Sessions:

Serving Sustainability and Health: Food-service Professionals Spearheading Just and Tasty Transitions

Head of Global Certification at The SRA

Julia manages the Food Made Good Standard, The Sustainable Restaurant Association’s signature tool to measure and drive sustainability in the hospitality sector. Julia has built her career in food and sustainability, first selling chocolate in London’s Borough Market, before moving on to UK food waste charity FareShare and then onto B Corp certified chocolate manufacturer Valrhona, where she worked for 8 years as Sustainability Project Manager.

Next Bite Sessions:

Serving Sustainability and Health: Food-service Professionals Spearheading Just and Tasty Transitions

Co-founder | ShakeUp Factory and EIT Food Protein Diversification Think Tank Member

ShakeUpFactory is a state-of-the-art business and innovation accelerator dedicated to ag and foodtech. Based in Paris, inside StationF, it gathers an international ecosystem of 400+ startups, corporations and investors, leveraging synergies between them. An active member of EIT Food and expert in foresight of the future of food and agriculture, having contributed to many prospective studies on the matter.

Next Bite Sessions:

Serving Sustainability and Health: Food-service Professionals Spearheading Just and Tasty Transition

Biotechnologies: Shaping the Future of Food in Europe 

Farmer / Senior Advisor, Cereals, Protein crops and Oilseeds Central Union of Agricultural Producers and Forest Owners (MTK)

Max, born 14.03.1966, grew up on his family’s farm which he took over in 1986. Stor-Tötar Gård, is an old farm that combines arable land and forestry in Southwestern Finland that has been in the family for around 400 years. Before taking over the full responsibility of running the farm and having taken a degree in agricultural economics, he became a grain trader for the Finnish Grain Board. After that Max worked in the agricultural machinery sector from 2003 until 2008. This job took him all over the world from America to China.

Next Bite Sessions:

Protein diversification - A must for European food security and competitiveness

CEO and Founder at Sopköket AB

Founded by Filip Lundin in 2015, Sopköket (the waste kitchen) is an award-winning catering company based in Stockholm, dedicated to fighting food waste, hunger, and social exclusion. By transforming rescued food waste into delicious meals, Sopköket serves catering and offers circular frozen meals. Beyond their innovative food solutions, Sopköket also makes an impact through regular food donations to those in need, partnering with organizations like St Clara Kyrka shelter to distribute meals up to twice a week. Sopköket has rescued 90 tons of food waste, donated 60.000 meals, and built a diverse team with half of the employees coming from marginalized communities. Today Sopköket is the only business in Sweden that is financially profitable and fully circular at the same time.

Next Bite Sessions:

Serving Sustainability and Health: Food-service Professionals Spearheading Just and Tasty Transitions

Founder and CEO | Food Organisation Frej

Frej was established in 2016 with the aim to create a more sustainable food production and consumption through cooperation between country and city. The food industry should be purpose-driven and set concrete targets for climate reductions, lower environmental footprint, higher animal welfare, and more biodiversity. My skills consist of bringing differences together, inspiring board chairmen and directors in the food sector to sustainability and making farmers feel engaged and motivated to make a sustainable difference.

Director and Head of Regulatory Affairs at Arcadia International, Wageningen University and Nova School of Law

Francesco Montanari is a food lawyer with over 25 years of professional experience at international and European level. He currently heads the food law practice of the European consultancy Arcadia International in the Lisbon office, assisting food companies in developing successful and legally sound innovation and marketing strategies. With Arcadia International, he has performed over 30 food related studies for the European institutions. Francesco researches and teaches food law at Wageningen University, in the Netherlands, and at Novo School of Law, in Portugal.

Entrepreneur at Hakamaa Sheepfarm

Maija studied early childhood education and environmental sciences, but after a couple of environmental education and sustainability projects she found herself working with business development of SMEs. At the same time she dreamed of life at country side, a life of small scale family farm. The dream came true and now she has a small sheep farm, where tourists come to eat in a lovely restaurant ”in the middle of nowhere”. At the same time Maija is working with restaurants and sustainable travel businesses all around Finland. Her skills hone innovative and sustainable business development, project development and responsibility and sustainability in food and travel business.

Next Bite Sessions:

Serving Sustainability and Health: Food-service Professionals Spearheading Just and Tasty Transitions

Research and Grants Manager at Good Food Institute Europe

Dr Stella Child is a research manager at the Good Food Institute. GFI is a global non-profit organisation that aims to advance plant-based, fermentation and cultivated meat, eggs, seafood and dairy. We work with scientists, businesses and policymakers to advance open-access research, and bring new talent to the field, in order to achieve a sustainable food system. Stella has a PhD in chemistry from the University of Adelaide and completed her postdoctoral training at Vanderbilt University, and worked at UK Research and Innovation, the UK's national research agency, before joining GFI. At GFI, Stella works with scientists, universities, funding bodies, and other partners to secure research funding and foster a thriving research ecosystem across Europe.

Next Bite Sessions: 

Biotechnologies: Shaping the Future of Food in Europe

Associate Partner at McKinsey & Company

Pol is an associate partner with McKinsey’s Amsterdam office and a core leader of the Chemicals and Agriculture and Sustainability Practice. He co-leads our European Chem & Ag Green Business Building service line and is leading a knowledge collaboration on advanced biotech for sustainability. His work is centered around accelerating value creation in fast growth companies covering strategy, business building commercialization and financing.

Next Bite Sessions: 

Biotechnologies: Shaping the Future of Food in Europe

VP, Global Public Affairs at Mosa Meat

Robert leads public and regulatory affairs at Mosa Meat in the Netherlands and serves as President of Cellular Agriculture Europe in Brussels. He has 25 years of experience in public policy, advocacy, coalition building and food systems reform. He holds Master’s degrees in Political Management from George Washington University, in Business & Entrepreneurship from the London School of Economics, and is a classically trained chef graduate of the Culinary Institute of America in Napa, California.

Next Bite Sessions: 

Biotechnologies: Shaping the Future of Food in Europe

Head of Industrialisation and Financing at Bioeconomy For Change (B4C)

Christophe Luguel is Head of Industrialisation and Financing at Bioeconomy For Change (B4C), one of the leading Bioeconomy Clusters in Europe. He joined B4C (formerly known as IAR) in 2007, after a 17 years’ experience in research, sales, marketing and business development in chemical and biotech companies (large and small). One of his current missions is to help B4C’s companies and, in particular, industrial “bio-circular” start-ups, to de-risk and accelerate their industrialisation. Christophe has also been a member of the Board of BIC (Bio-Based Industries Consortium) since 2013 and member (or alternate) of the CBE JU Governing Board since 2014.

Next Bite Sessions: 

Biotechnologies: Shaping the Future of Food in Europe

Manager Business Development & Innovation at Valensina Group

Next Bite Sessions:

Startup/Corporate Roundtables: Connect on groundbreaking topics and meet the people changing the game

Strategy & Corporate Development at Martin Braun-Gruppe / Martin’s Bakehouse

With a background of M.Sc. Business Development, I am part of the Strategy & Corporate Development department at Martin Braun-Gruppe for almost two years. In this role, I am in charge of our Corporate Venture Capital arm called "Martin's Bakehouse", striving to boost our start-up activities and to spark the joy of innovation in our company.

Next Bite Sessions:

Startup/Corporate Roundtables: Connect on groundbreaking topics and meet the people changing the game

Strategy & Corporate Development at Martin Braun-Gruppe / Martin’s Bakehouse

With academic background of general management and prior work experience in Switzerland, China and United Arab Emirates, I am in my fifth year at Martin Braun-Gruppe’s headquarters in Germany. Initially responsible for M&A and now leading the Strategy & Corporate Development team to jointly build a bakery for the next 100 years.

Next Bite Sessions:

Startup/Corporate Roundtables: Connect on groundbreaking topics and meet the people changing the game

Head of Corporate New Business Development at Südzucker Group

Next Bite Sessions:

What will the Next Bite be? How startups are making our foods healthier with cleaner labels

Startup/Corporate Roundtables: Connect on groundbreaking topics and meet the people changing the game

Head of Venture Capital, SnackFutures Ventures at Mondelez International’s SnackFutures Ventures

Luba Safran leads Venture Capital activity for Mondelēz International's SnackFutures Ventures. Prior to joining Mondelēz, Luba held a variety of strategic growth roles at AB InBev. There she gained experience launching new products and brands in multiple global markets. She then brought her commercial experience to bear in the venture space, joining InBev's corporate venture capital group (ZX Ventures). At ZX she led investment thesis development, deal sourcing and portfolio company support across a variety of verticals. Luba received her bachelor's from The University of Chicago and her MBA from The University of Chicago – Booth School of Business.

Next Bite Sessions:

Navigating the startup funding landscape in 2024 and beyond: Is the bottom in?

Principal at Convent Capital

Bor started his career with Rabobank’s Wholesale Bank in Asia and Europe, predominately focused large Food and Agriculture clients. Hereafter Bor co-founded TerraProtein Equity Partners, a corporate finance boutique focussing on Agrifood and Agtech. Since 2021 Bor is a Principal in Convent Capital’s AgriFood growth fund. He is furthermore a mentor in Rockstart’s Agrifood program.

Ph.D., Assistant Professor at Centre for Environmental and Climate Science (CEC) of Lund University

Expert in applied systems analysis, system dynamics modelling and facilitation of stakeholder participatory group modelling process. Deniz has initiated and participated in multiple inter/trans-disciplinary projects focused on analysing, interpreting, modelling, simulating and communicating alternative scenarios of complex dynamic environmental and socio-economic issues. He is the Coordinator and Director of Studies of BIOECONOMY Graduate Research School at CEC, and the Vice President of EIT Food Protein Diversification Think Tank. 

Net Zero Food System Mission Lead, EIT Food

Vivien drives innovation to tackle environmental challenges in the food industry, including greenhouse gas emissions, resource depletion, and energy consumption. His role involves supporting organisations in adopting sustainable agriculture practices, reducing food waste, implementing sustainable packaging, and engaging all stakeholders in the circular food economy.

CEO Alberts & Chair EIT Food Alumni

As EIT Food Alumni Chair I’m honored to help a group of >3000 alumni thrive and advance our food system. I’m the CEO and co-Founder at ALBERTS, leading a team based in Belgium that focuses on Food Robotics solutions. I hold a Ph.D. in Electro-Mechanical Engineering with speciality in Robotics from the Vrije Universiteit Brussel (Belgium) and the University of Pisa (Italy, cotutelle PhD), and I was selected as Belgium’s FITCE Young ICT personality of 2019.

Entrepreneurship Facilitator, EIT Food 

Friederike Wagner is part of the Business Creation Team at EIT Food West with a local focus on "Food Entrepreneurship made in Bavaria", a project funded by the Bavarian Government. Friederike is responsible for establishing a regional AgriFood Ecosystem and supporting Bavarian startups with specific grants and event formats. She has a background in startup business development and export & trade promotion for German SMEs. In 2024, her activities focus on startup-farmer collaboration.

Foodstuff machines development specialist at Łukasiewicz-Poznań Institute of Technology

Foodstuff machines development specialist, associated with „Łukasiewicz – Poznań Institute of Technology” since its foundation. Continuously working in the agrifood sector since graduation, with a focus on creating innovative solutions for a sustainable economy. His priority is minimizing food waste in production processes. Committed to promoting a more sustainable food sector. From the beginning of 2024, EIT Food Master Contact in „Łukasiewicz – PIT”.

Next Bite sessions:

Reducing Food Loss and Waste

Environmental biotechnologist at Łukasiewicz-Poznań Institute of Technology

An environmental biotechnologist, Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) expert and experienced researcher. He leads a team performing environmental and social life cycle analyses for various products and technologies.

Next Bite sessions:

Reducing Food Loss and Waste

Chief International Projects Specialist at Łukasiewicz-Poznań Institute of Technology

A project manager experienced in the EU funds in sectors: R&D, urban green regeneration, Nature-based Solutions (NBS) and Nature-based Enterprises (NBE).
EIT Food and other European partnerships’ contact in the Centre for Sustainable
Economy, Łukasiewicz -Poznań Institute of Technology.

Next Bite sessions:

Reducing Food Loss and Waste