On December 4t^h, Lisbon hosted Women in Agrifood Stories 2024, the grand finale of the Empowering Women in Agrifood (EWA) programme, an initiative by EIT Food. The event gathered leaders, entrepreneurs, and innovators to come together to inspire and create impact in the agrifood sector.

EWA is a pioneering programme led by EIT Food, dedicated to equipping women entrepreneurs in the agrifood sector with the tools they need to thrive. The 5th edition of EWA has joined 120 talented female entrepreneurs from 12 countries (Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Portugal, Spain, Turkey and Ukraine.

Through an intensive 6-month programme, participants have received comprehensive training, personalized mentoring, and exclusive networking opportunities.

Previous to the final in Lisbon, countries celebrated their local finals. For example, regarding Spain, EIT Food together the Loyola University (stakeholder of the Andalusian node of the Traceability & Big Data Partnership) organized an event that joined the 10 local finalists together with professionals and experts in the Andalusian and Spanish agrifood sector.

Focusing on the European final event, the EWA “Walk of Fame” was celebrated. Pitches showcased the participants’ projects, demonstrating their creativity and commitment to tackling real-world problems with innovative solutions and the potential for impactful change.

Projects presented:

• 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 Turkey, 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.
• 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.
• 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 event also included key talks on trends, sustainability, gender equality, investment and alliances across the agrifood sector. The day provided an opportunity to network and share ideas, creating a collaborative atmosphere through innovation, empowerment and community.

Further information about EWA Programme: https://www.eitfood.eu/projects/ewa-empowering-women-in-agrifood