• The EBRD announces three winners and three runners-up in its EBRD AgVenture startup competition
• Prizes include grants, mentorship, advisory support, and opportunities for networking and visibility
• Competition for startups aims to enhance the growth and competitiveness of green technology in the agrifood sector

The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) has revealed the winners and runners-up of EBRD AgVenture 2024, the Bank’s competition for startups that are developing innovative technology to make the agricultural and food sector greener.  The announcement was made today at the World Agri-Tech Innovation Summit London.

The winning start-ups will benefit from tailored advisory support worth up to €80,000 through the EBRD’s Star Venture programme. They will also receive a €10,000 grant for additional services, including mentoring sessions with growth experts, and opportunities for networking and visibility at global agrifood tech forums. The runners-up will receive up to €50,000 for tailored advisory services and a further €10,000 grant for business growth needs.

The startups pitched to three experts from EBRD: Natalia Zhukova, Head of Food and Agribusiness, Ervin Luga, Head of Venture Capital Investment Programme and Jelena Erker, Senior Banker; and to investors: Andrew D. Ive, founder of Big Idea Ventures, Jan Kobler, Managing Partner at South Central Ventures. The event was moderated by Nemanja Grgic, Associate Director, Corporate Sector Advisory at the EBRD.

The EBRD AgVenture programme supports early-stage businesses that are developing technology to make the agricultural and food industries greener and more sustainable. It aims to help tackle the major problems that food systems face, such as how to make food production more efficient, address climate change, and include target groups and small businesses in global value chains.

The EBRD AgVenture competition is funded by Spain through the EBRD’s High-Impact Partnership on Climate Action – HIPCA (which is also supported by Austria, Canada, Finland, the Netherlands, South Korea, Switzerland, the TaiwanICDF, the United Kingdom and the United States of America).

Since 1991, the EBRD has invested over €200 billion in more than 7,200 projects on three continents, fostering the transition to open market-oriented economies and promoting private and entrepreneurial initiatives.

Read the original article to discover the winners and runners-up of the EBRD AgVenture 2024 competition: full article.