-KH News Desk (cbedit@imaws.org)
The Modern Agriculture Foundation (MAF), an Israeli non-profit devoted to fostering innovation and entrepreneurship in the alternative protein sector in Israel and globally, and Tnuva Ventures, the Tnuva Group’s food tech venture capital fund, recently announced a new initiative honoring Israel’s top female figures in the country’s burgeoning food tech industry.
From a large pool of candidates, including those already established in their profession and up-and-coming industry movers and shakers pioneering exciting technologies, judges will choose 12 women who are driving Israel’s development as a food tech powerhouse. Leading Israeli producer of plant-based foods Tivall has also agreed to support the effort as a sponsor.
“The recognition of these accomplished women embraces the fact that there are myriad routes to meaningful impact in foodtech, including research, development, entrepreneurship, investment, mentoring, policy, and more, all building a strong sector with the potential to address global challenges such as food security, climate crisis, supply chain issues, and health,” remarked Levana Shifman, who heads up the event on behalf of MAF.
“Diversity engenders creative, outside-the-box solutions which characterize the StartUp Nation. We look forward to honoring women’s essential contributions in the exciting mosaic of Israel’s foodtech ecosystem.”
The Israel Innovation Authority reported in 2022 that women had made up only one-third of Israel’s high-tech workforce during the past few years, a percentage that decreases at higher levels of seniority.
Israel has fewer female entrepreneurs than other major worldwide players in the tech industry, and their businesses raise less money. On the other hand, there are encouraging signals, such the rise in the number of Israeli women studying in important academic subjects.
Women established many of Israel’s top food technology businesses, including Aleph Farms, Sea2Cell, ProFuse Technology, and SavorEat. Among the 40% of female-led businesses in MassChallenge Israel’s Accelerator last year’s MAF’s inaugural Better Plate alternative protein track cohort were the competition winner PoLoPo, co-founded by Raya Liberman-Aloni and Maya SapirMir, and Fabumin.
About Modern Agriculture Foundation
The world’s first known NGO dedicated to advancing alternative proteins, Modern Agriculture Foundation, is an Israeli non-profit which promotes innovation, entrepreneurship, and commercial-scale manufacturing in the young and thriving field. With its flagship Better Plate alternative protein track within MassChallenge Israel’s Accelerator, MAF nurtures early-stage startups developing transformational substitutes for traditional meat, dairy, and egg products to create a more sustainable, kinder food system. Founded 96 years ago, Tnuva Group is Israel’s largest vertically integrated food manufacturer, with over $2 billion dollars in annual revenues and the broadest range of categories in the world for chilled and frozen products. Tnuva is also Israel’s largest plant-based protein company, with 18 years of experience and market leadership.
