EWA Programme 2024: Meet Latvia’s Winners
On November 27, Latvia’s EWA Demo Day celebrated the impressive achievements of ten women entrepreneurs changing the agrifood sector. Organized by Riga Technical University and EIT Food, the Demo Day highlighted the creative solutions developed during the six-month Empowering Women in Agrifood (EWA) Programme. The day ended with the announcement of the winners, showing how Latvian women are making a strong impact on the food industry.
The Demo Day of the Empowering Women in Agrifood (EWA) Programme, EWA Demo Day, took place on November 27 during the prestigious Baltic Sustainability Forum 2024. The event brought together a diverse group of participants, mentors, agrifood industry professionals, innovation enthusiasts, and experts. They discussed important topics such as consumer behavior, market trends, and the crucial role of women in transforming food systems. The Demo Day included pitches from the participants, where they presented their business ideas to a jury and the audience. It concluded with the announcement of the programme winners.
Over the course of six months, ten Latvian women entrepreneurs worked on developing their business ideas with the support of mentors. They gained new contacts and valuable knowledge, which helped them refine their ideas and prepare for their final presentations at the EWA Demo Day.
The winners were selected based on their overall progress throughout the programme and the jury's evaluation of the potential impact and scalability of their ideas. The jury comprised industry experts, including Elīna Miķelsone, Head of the RTU Science and Innovation Centre's Design Factory; Agnese Radžele-Šulce, Director of Strategy and Commercial Development at the Latvian Rural Advisory and Training Centre; Ilze Laukalēja-Broka, Head of EIT Food HUB in Latvia; and Liene Kravala, Commercial Capabilities Manager at Rimi Baltic.
«The knowledge, experience and resources gained by the participants in the EWA programme are not only a valuable contribution to their entrepreneurship and professional development but also an important step in the sustainable development of Latvia by promoting the creation of new businesses in priority markets. EWA participants have confirmed that Latvia has strong, driven women leaders who can offer innovative and sustainable solutions to global challenges. We are proud of the participants' outstanding achievements and contributions to building a sustainable future and strengthening the food industry»
Kristīne Štikāne and Elīna Zandere are Winners of the Empowering Women in Agrifood (EWA) Programme in Latvia
Kristīne Štikāne, founder of the fermented plant products brand Gutopia, was awarded the grand prize of €10,000. Her brand specializes in producing sustainable and healthy fermented plant-based foods. Kristīne business produces three types of fermented plant-based kefir made from cashew nuts, hazelnuts, and soya beans. Now, Gutopia is also expanding into other plant-based alternatives like cottage cheese and cream cheese, continuing its commitment to providing healthy and sustainable food choices. The prize will be used to invest in industrial equipment, which will help double her production capacity and further support the growth of her business. Kristīne’s hard work was also recognized on a larger stage when she represented Latvia at the prestigious Women In Agrifood Stories 2024 event in Lisbon on December 4.
"I am truly honoured and grateful to have been awarded this prize, which is a validation of my efforts to create healthy and sustainable products! This path is deeply meaningful to me; it is the fulfilment of a dream and the realisation of my mission at the same time - to show people how healthy can also be tasty and enjoyable - which is becoming a reality with the support of EWA”
Elīna Zandere, founder of Legomo, a plant-based ready meals brand, won the €5,000 prize at the Empowering Women in Agrifood (EWA) Programme. Legomo offers nutritious, convenient, and environmentally friendly meals that cater to diverse dietary needs. The brand helps customers maintain a balanced diet while saving time on meal preparation. Elīna plans to use the prize money to automate production processes, boosting efficiency and supporting the growth of Legomo as it continues to meet the demand for plant-based food options.
Latvian Entrepreneurs Innovating for a Sustainable Future
In EWA programme ten young Latvian entrepreneurs showcased their innovative business ideas aimed at promoting sustainability and technological progress. Their ideas ranged from developing food products and protein alternatives to using Baltic seaweed in agriculture, as well as creating high-quality raw materials for cosmetics and household products from organic residues, such as potato peel antioxidant extract.
Here are some of the exciting projects led by these entrepreneurs:
• Inese Skapste – setting up a biorefinery in which using Baltic seaweed as a sustainable agricultural resource;
• llze Kalniņa – production of energy drink powders rich in quality and natural ingredients
• Liega Krasovska – production of antioxidant extracts using potato peel;
• Krista Rozenberga – production of apple fibre powder;
• Kristīne Štikāne – «Gutopia» production of fermented vegetable products; alternative to sour milk products;
• Līga Pollaka – production of a protein-rich food or food ingredient from mushrooms grown in Latvian climatic conditions;
• Jūlija Vilcāne – soil additives with biological components that help to reduce soil and substrate leaching, protect plants from root rots and significantly reduce the impact of pests by promoting plant growth;
• Jolanta Smane – production of goat's cheese, quince juice, syrup and succades;
• Zane Migliniece – «Botanical shaman» kombucha production from teas harvested in Latvia;
• Elīna Zandere – production of ready meals of vegetable origin corresponding to the daily vegetable intake.
Their projects not only address the needs of the modern world but also focus on reducing waste, promoting healthy living, and supporting local agriculture.
About Riga Technical University
Riga Technical University (RTU), founded in 1862, is a top institution in the Baltic States with 13,000+ students and a strong research team. Holding 91 Latvian patents, RTU excels in education, research, and innovation, consistently ranking high globally. The 2022-established RTU Science & Innovation Centre supports entrepreneurship and knowledge transfer. It aims to boost innovation and entrepreneurship, enhance knowledge transfer, and foster active engagement. RTU expanded its impact in 2023 by integrating two more universities.
Learn more about Riga Technical University on their webpage.
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