Shaping the future of food: Seven entrepreneurs awarded for their market-ready agrifood innovations

• Gustavo Adolfo Gonzalez Flores, Agree NET won the Rising Innovator Award for PìFresc, a patented plant-based coating that extends the shelf-life of fresh fruit by over 25 days without using plastic, synthetic chemicals, or controlled atmosphere technology • Randi Wahlsten, from MATR Foods – Women in Innovation Award for MATR Fungal, a new generation of clean-label plant-based meat alternatives using solid-state fungal fermentation applied directly to whole, locally sourced organic vegetables, grains, and legumes. Read the full interview to learn more about her journey and experience with EIT Food. • Iratxe Perales from the company Microfy Systems, won the Global Reach Innovator Award with its innovation HoneyAI, a fully automated, AI-powered microscopy system that replaces the entire honey analysis workflow by autonomously preparing samples, capturing images, and interpreting them with advanced computer-vision models to deliver standardised, laboratory-grade results in minutes. Explore the full interview to discover how EIT Food has supported Microfy Systems. • Rodrigo Garcia Gonzalez, from the company Notpla, won the Impact Innovator Award with its innovation Seaview Range, the world’s first fully natural window box range, combining seaweed-based coating technology with a seaweed-based window for total packaging transparency. • Ilker Bektaş, from the company Orbiba Robotics, won the Tech Pioneer Award with its innovation Ecominos, an affordable, AI-powered modular field robot that uses AI vision, multispectral sensing, and CERN-licensed Structured Laser Beam technology to automate weeding, protect beneficial plants, and deliver real-time soil insights through a plug-and-play Robot-as-a-Service model for small and medium-sized farms. • Srdjan Tadic, from the company Atfield Technologies, won the Market Excellence Innovator Award with its innovation Winessence, a specialised vineyard management platform that combines precise environmental monitoring, disease prediction, and growth tracking tailored for viticulture. • Oluwaseun Olawusi, from the company Gloxad Academy, won the Student Innovator Award with its innovation Gloxad, a flexible, personalised online learning platform that equips individuals and organisations with future-ready skills across digital technologies, agritech, food technology, climate tech, software development, blockchain, and soft skills through self-paced courses, customised training, live sessions, and community engagement.