The competition was open to applicants aged 18-30.
Following a competitive application process, the following 5 teams were selected as winners: Agroboros, Alnarp’s Agroecology Farm, Greenovators, NutriFood, the Menza Collective.
Each team receives a €5,000 grant to bring their projects to life. Beyond the funding, they will also benefit from an intensive mentorship and training program designed to equip them with the skills needed to scale their impact.
Learn more about the winning teams here.
The mentorship program is designed to support winning teams in effectively developing and implementing their projects by offering guidance on essential entrepreneurial and strategic skills, including business planning, fundraising, marketing, and scaling impact. It also provides sector-specific insights tailored to each project's unique needs and connects young changemakers with experienced professionals, fostering valuable networks for long-term collaboration.
Petra Chaloupková is an academic at the Faculty of Tropical AgriSciences, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, and Vice-Dean for International Relations. With over 20 years of experience in international cooperation and project management, she has led 30+ projects across countries including Angola, Cambodia, and Vietnam. Her expertise spans the full project cycle, from proposal writing to implementation. She heads the Consumer Behaviour & Capacity Building Research Team, focusing on food trends, consumer attitudes, and leadership in agriculture. She has supervised over 45 theses and is an active member of the Council for Sustainable Development at CZU and the Czech Evaluation Society.
Begüm Mutus holds over 20 years of experience in corporate communication and philanthropy. She leads high-level stakeholder engagement across government and global institutions, while also driving the company’s Corporate Communication and Philanthropy strategy. As Yıldız Holding’s Ambassador, she represents the organization at the UN and other NGOs, and oversees initiatives in C-level communications, CSR, and community outreach. A certified mentor with strong ties to the venture capital ecosystem, Begüm also champions women’s empowerment and global employee engagement projects, aiming to foster more inclusive and authentic workplaces.
Prof. Dr. Iryna Smetanska is a renowned expert in food biotechnology, plant physiology, and sustainable agricultural technologies, currently serving as a Full Professor at the University of Applied Sciences Weihenstephan-Triesdorf, Germany. With over 20 years of experience, she has led numerous international research projects, published extensively, and holds several patents. Her work focuses on sustainable production of bioactive compounds from plants, and she is a dedicated mentor, educator, and advisor to scientific journals and funding bodies across Europe and Central Asia.
Mirjam Troost serves as a Youth Engagement Officer at Wageningen University & Research (WUR), where she is involved with the WUR Student Challenges and the Youth Food Lab (YFL). Launched in 2023 through a collaboration between the World Food Forum/FAO, the International Association of Students in Agricultural and Related Sciences (IAAS), and WUR, YFL is an incubation program designed to empower and support young agripreneurs. A key focus of Mirjam’s work is youth engagement. She firmly believes that young people require only a small nudge from older generations to drive significant and lasting impact. In addition to her commitment to youth development, Mirjam has a strong passion for entrepreneurship. With over 25 years of entrepreneurial experience, she has successfully founded and managed businesses in both Nigeria and the Netherlands.
Food Ingredients First | 21 Feb, 2025 by Insha Naureen.
Food Manufacture | 20 Feb, 2025 by Gwen Ridler.
Food Ingredients First | 27 Feb, 2025 by Insha Naureen.
Farming Online | 20 Feb, 2025.
Join us to increase your professional network, access global/regional/local events in the agri-food systems sector,
showcase your projects on a global platform, and more.