transformation of our food system – A guidebook
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Transforming our food systems requires technical and institutional innovations to go beyond ‘business as usual’. A range of innovative products, services, or business models based on new technologies can help solve many of the market failures. However, the Agriculture and Food innovation ecosystems are struggling to bring these innovations to use and at scale despite the obvious need to address local and global challenges.
This is why institutional innovations are also needed to address the systemic challenges in the value chain as the conduit from research to markets, preventing their successful implementation and growth. For this, it is essential to reinvent the way the public sector interacts with the private sector including through entrepreneurship and startup ecosystems. Stakeholders – innovators, entrepreneurs, farmers, governments, investors – are struggling to connect and collaborate and these ecosystems provide a physical or virtual location where they can interact to create and scale new innovative companies.
The World Bank commissioned a Guidebook bringing together insights and key features of these
ecosystems.
20 September 2023. This event, hosted by the Africa Center in partnership with the Policy Center of the New South, launched a report featuring new research and recommendations on agritech solutions.
This is why institutional innovations are also needed to address the systemic challenges in the value chain as the conduit from research to markets, preventing their successful implementation and growth. For this, it is essential to reinvent the way the public sector interacts with the private sector including through entrepreneurship and startup ecosystems. Stakeholders – innovators, entrepreneurs, farmers, governments, investors – are struggling to connect and collaborate and these ecosystems provide a physical or virtual location where they can interact to create and scale new innovative companies.
The World Bank commissioned a Guidebook bringing together insights and key features of these
World Bank, INSKIP (2024) Guidebook for the development of a startup ecosystem in Agriculture & Food # 108 p.
The objective is:
Simcha Shore of AgroScout: Simcha founded AgroScout Ltd, an agro-data company with a mission to create an impact on global food security and by working with processors and growers around the world to improve their crop yields through precision agriculture. 
Guy Elitzur of EcoPhage EcoPhage is a leader in the development and commercialization of sustainable phage-based biopesticides for bacterial plant diseases. EcoPhage is an agribiotechnology company, providing sustainable and effective, phage-based crop protection solutions to manage bacterial plant diseases.
Udi Peretz of SOLVEAT: SOLVEAT was founded to revolutionize everyday foods by integrating health-promoting ingredients that target specific medical conditions. 
Ilanit Kabessa & Eran Itzkovitch of AlgaHealth: AlgaHealth’s protocol overcomes current difficulties in producing microalgae by employing innovative microalgal physiological processes in order to maximize the quality and cost-efficiency of the production processes.
Dotan Peleg of Projini Alon Wallach Agwa Equinom Ltd Gil Shalev Equinom is using science and technology to develop superior ingredients naturally, at the source – in a fraction of the time typically required to breed new crops.
The Trendlines Group
The Trendlines Group invests in innovations in agrifood and healthcare, leveraging our experience, partnerships network, and resources to go from seed to market.
Capitalizing on oits partnerships with investors, strategic players, inventors, and governments gives its portfolio company entrepreneurs exposure and access to international players and is central to helping us achieve Trendlines Group mission of investing in companies to improve the human condition. See portfolio
- to facilitate the development and growth of AgTech startup ecosystems for harnessing innovative technologies and boosting private and public sector capabilities to provide access to farmers to innovative services in World Bank client countries.
- It also provides an assessment of the relevance of the various models developed around the world based on different levels of maturity of core features of the economy.
- Moderator: Marie Agnes Jouanjean, Senior Agricultural Economist, Agriculture and Food Global Practice at The World Bank.
- Maxime Guillaud, Entrepreneur and the Founder of INSKIP Entrepreneurs
Maxime Guillaud is an entrepreneur and the Founder of INSKIP Entrepreneurs, a French company dedicated to nurturing entrepreneurial ecosystems. He has played a vital role in establishing multiple investment funds and acceleration programs, aiming to foster robust and integrated ecosystems in Africa and Europe. Specializing in startups, fintech, industry, health, and food sectors, Maxime also personally mentors startups, guiding them through their go-to-market strategies and financing issues. - Lina Belmaachi, Manager at INSKIP Entrepreneurs
Lina Belmaachi is a Manager at INSKIP Entrepreneurs. She co-founded an AgTech project dedicated to drawing the future of agriculture through innovative solutions by identifying data-driven technologies that can solve pain points throughout the agricultural value chain. With experience in biotech as well as wellness startups, she is specialized in creating innovation vehicles such as startup programs or digital business units for corporates and public actors in Morocco and Africa. - Sujit Janardanan, Chief Marketing Officer at Cropin
Sujit Janardanan is the Chief Marketing Officer at Cropin, a global B2B agtech company and digital transformation enabler for the agri-food ecosystem. With over 20 years of experience in tech such as Google Cloud and Amazon, he was recognized as one of the 50 Most Talented CMOs of India in 2013. - Sarai Kemp, VP Agrifood at Trendlines
Sarai Kemp is the VP Agrifood at Trendlines, a leading Israel and Singapore-based investment group. She is an agrifood investment professional with over 15 years’ experience in the agrifood industry. At Trendlines, Sarai is responsible for sourcing start-ups, evaluating opportunities, negotiating, and closing investments and working with portfolio companies post-investment. She is also a board member on several agrifood tech portfolio companies internationally and a consultant for a CEA 6-year Agtech challenge, managed by the Weston Foundation in Canada.
"The entrepreneurial spirit and risk-taking mentality is higher in less developed countries" - Discussant: Professor Loubna El Mansouri, Director of the Digital Pole of the Ministry of Agriculture in Morocco.
Overview of some Israeli start-ups
- AgroScout helps processors & growers worldwide in reaching sustainable goals of
production through support and direct partnership with processors, chemical companies. - With a presence in North America and Latin America, and an international team of agriculture and software developers, AgroScout is continuously developing innovative solutions for everyday crop monitoring and detection.
- Atzmona uses AgroScout’s drone technology to for early disease discovering in potatoes. Atzmona is using innovative crop intelligence technology developed by AgroScout to obtain accurate, field-wide pest and disease monitoring and real-time yield estimate.
- Phages are naturally occurring viruses (bacteriophages) that target bacteria and are safe and inert to humans, animals, and plants.
- The platform technology consists of screening and characterization methodology of phage collections, resulting in the selection of the most promising phage candidates (“super phages”). These phages form a basis for highly effective and sustainable phage cocktails that meet multiple agricultural product attributes for antimicrobial crop protection.
- Utilizing a proprietary technological platform for the delicious integration of active herbal compositions into ordinary foods, SOLVEAT applies the highest scientific, clinical and quality standards.
- Its first food ingredient were designed to maintain healthy blood sugar levels in prediabetics. Its next products are being developed to boost the immune system, improve women's health and other high-impact medical conditions.
- Fucoxanthin (few-co-zan-then) is a brown pigment that occurs in the chloroplasts of brown algae.
- AlgaHealth is developing new microalgal sources for fucoxanthin and novel cultivation and processing protocols for microalgae that will produce large quantities of natural, high-quality fucoxanthin much more efficiently than in traditional ways.
- Next, the company will develop and produce polysaccharides as a by-product, providing a second source of novel, high-value microalgal products.
Nissim Chen of AquiNovo AquiNovo develops innovative, non-GMO, non-hormonal, peptide based feed additives addressing the ever-growing demand for fish protein.
- Company’s innovative additives improve both growth performance and feed utilization, thus enable growing more fish with less feed.
- Feed additives developed by AquiNovo are targeted, synthetic, bioactive and biodegradable peptides leading to sustainable increase of farmed fish yields at reduced cost – significantly increasing farmers’ gross profit and margins
Ltd. Michael Isakov of Biofishency Ltd. BioFishency Ltd. develops, manufactures and markets disruptive electro-chemical and biological aquaculture water treatment solutions for Recirculated Aquaculture Systems (RAS).
- BioFishency offers a full conceptual replacement for traditional RAS systems, to overcome the existing challenges of RAS, by delivering fully-controlled water treatment solutions.
- Based on Big Data analysis and independent of water temperature, the company’s patented technologies enable the production of healthier seafood products, while lowering the carbon footprint, yielding cost and resource savings for its customers around the globe.
Dror Michael L. of Hargol™ FoodTech Nutrient rich protein ingredient containing 72% whole protein, omega-3, omega-6, omega-9, iron, zinc, folic acid, calcium,
chitin and vitamins.
Raviv Kula of FruitSpec FruitSpec's mission is to help the fresh produce supply chain maximize value and efficiency with data and innovation.
- FruitSpec helps fruit growers and marketers to gain better prices. Our technology provides accurate measurements, predictions, and decision tools that facilitate yield to market demand optimization.
Adi Nir of Metomotion: AI Robotics and data analytics solutions for Greenhouses
- Equinom crops are bred naturally, without genetic editing or modification, and are optimized to make meat and dairy analogs more delicious, nutritious, cost-effective and sustainable.
- The plant-based food market grew 27% in 2020 and is projected to reach $162B by 2030.
Michal B. of Celleste Bio Ltd. Celleste Bio is focused on producing high quality and high value cocoa ingredients using cell culture methods, eliminating the dependence on cultivation of cocoa trees.
- The cultivation of cocoa worldwide has sustainability challenges, including risks of deforestation and biodiversity loss, threats of unreliable production due to climate change, child labor issues, and higher carbon emissions than other food sources.
- New technologies that enable the production of cocoa ingredients without these risks can help ensure a more sustainable supply of cocoa ingredients while appealing to consumers’ increasing demand for more environmentally friendly food choices.
- The company will make cocoa ingredients from naturally occurring cocoa cells without genetic modification or manipulation. Celleste was founded by four entrepreneurs bringing a wealth of interdisciplinary experience in the agrifood sector, specifically in the cellular biology field.
The Trendlines Group
With a growing consumer market and the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA), Africa presents strong potential for businesses. Join us as we explore the transformative potential of Smart Agriculture, HealthTech, and FinTech in Africa. A webinar presented the prospects
- Mara Zhanet, CEO of Jacaranda Hub - With 16 years of professional experience, Mara is a social entrepreneur and business development professional. As the Founder & Country Director of Jacaranda Hub, she is dedicated to developing young people and aspiring MSMEs by providing them with collective services, infrastructure, finance, and specialized tools. Mara serves on various boards and committees, including the Smart Zambia Institute Tender Board and the United Blockchain Association, bringing a wealth of knowledge and expertise to the event.
- Roy Gakuo, Founder of ImukaAccess. Roy has over 10 years of experience in business incubation, acceleration, and investment readiness. With a strong background in different business skill sets, Roy brings a unique blend of expertise to the discussion. He is passionate about enabling entrepreneurs in emerging markets to reach their full potential. Currently leading Imuka Access, Roy focuses on preparing and connecting businesses to financing, helping numerous Small and Growing Businesses secure funding.
- Calvin Jodisi, President of the African Summit of Entrepreneurship and Innovation (ASENTI). Founder of Change Mind Change Future and the driving force behind ASENTI, Calvin is dedicated to offering training and support to entrepreneurs across Africa.
Related: Unlocking Africa's Agricultural Potential
Africa Center (2023) Unlocking Africa's
Agricultural Potential #30 p
- Amb. Rama Yade, Senior Director, Africa Center and Senior Fellow, Europe Center, Atlantic Council
- H.E. Dr. Ibrahim Mayaki, Special Envoy for Food Systems, African Union
- Dr. Cary Fowler, Special Envoy for Global Food Security, US Department of State
He presented VACS: Vision for Adapted Crops and Soils
VACS supports the African Union Common Position on Food Systems including focus on indigenous agriculture, the AU Green Recovery Action Plan, and the Soil Initiative for Africa. The Vision for Adapted Crops and Soils (VACS) aims to foster more resilient food systems, with an initial focus on the African continent. VACS seeks to boost agricultural productivity and nutrition by developing diverse, climate-resilient crop varieties and building healthy soils. - Ms. Aubrey Hruby, Senior Fellow, Africa Center, Atlantic Council
- Ms. Fatima Ezzahra Mengoub, Senior Economist, Policy Center for the New South
- Mr. Niraj Varia, Chief Executive Office, iProcure
- Mr. Eli Pollak, Chief Executive Officer, Apollo Agriculture Cameron Alford, Vice President, Department of Compact Operations, Millennium Challenge Corporation
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