Stockholm +50 Associated Event

Agrifood Tech Innovations for a Healthy Planet: Creating opportunities and empowering the next generation of agripreneurs

Hosted by

In 2021, the Youth Committee of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) launched the World Food Forum (WFF), a global, youth-led movement and network to transform our agrifood systems to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), in particular “zero hunger”. Led by youth, for youth, the WFF brought together more than 40 000 young and young-at-heart people, and an outstanding network of more than 75 partners for youth and youth-allies from all sectors with a common mission to transform our agrifood systems. This year, the WFF will continue to expand with greater ambition, increasing its regional focus, creating local chapters to support and challenge local policymakers, and placing scientific evidence at the heart of its work.

To increase discussion and action around this urgent topic, the WFF will direct its 2022 efforts on the focus areas of “Access to Healthy Diets” and “Addressing the Climate Crisis”, with the slogan “Healthy Diets. Healthy Planet”. In the lead up to the 27th session of the Conference of the Parties (COP27), the WFF will bring young people together to raise awareness on the importance of these two issues. The aim is to co-identify bold, actionable solutions and approaches to minimize and mitigate climate change impacts in our lifetime, while simultaneously increasing global access to sustainable and healthy food.

With this in mind, the WFF and the Extreme Tech Challenge (XTC) will join Stockholm+50 to bring together top global startups and innovators who are leading agrifood systems transformation in support of healthy diets and a healthy planet. The goal of this event is to engage and inspire young entrepreneurs working at the intersection of food, agriculture and the environment. The event will showcase real-world solutions from award-winning entrepreneurs who are harnessing the power of technology to achieve the SDGs, and provide an opportunity for audience members to engage and ask questions to these innovators. Additionally, it will bring together organizations and investors who are supporting these purpose-driven startups, and share meaningful tips and advice to aspiring young entrepreneurs and innovators who would like to change the world. Finally, the event will also mark the official launch of the second year of the WFF Startup Innovation Awards, powered by XTC – to spur on the next generation of entrepreneurs who are working to create a healthy planet.

Objectives of the side event

• Present the link between climate change and healthy diets and the conservation, sustainable use and restoration of natural resources – and highlight the need for entrepreneurship and innovation;
• Inspire young entrepreneurs and innovators by showcasing real-world solutions by startups, innovators, global development organizations and investors in support of a healthy planet;
• Identify and support the next generation of entrepreneurs in support of a healthy planet by launching the second year of the WFF Startup Innovation Awards, powered by XTC.

Format and Agenda

High-level welcome remarks, followed by 2 facilitated panel presentations/discussions. Each panel starts with a short scene-setting with the panelists explaining their role in driving innovation, followed by a question and answer session. It will conclude with the announcement and official launch of the second year of the WFF Startup Innovation Awards, powered by XTC, with a call for startups to submit their entries.

Moderator
	Victoria Slivkoff Executive Managing Director, Extreme Tech Challenge
Speaker		Topic
	Beth Bechdol Deputy Director-General, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)	Scene setting: The power of young entrepreneurs and innovators taking on global challenges and creating healthy diets and a healthy planet
Panel 1: Youth-led innovations for a Healthy Planet (20 minutes)
	Clarity R. Mapengo WFF Young Scientist Group representative	Science-based innovations
	Rebecca White, Ph.D. CEO, Pebble Labs	Agritech innovations: How small ingredients can have monumental impacts if combined in the right way
	Alexandra Posada Director of BioMio	Disrupting the agrifood system as a youth entrepreneur
Panel 2: Supporting the Next-Generation of Innovators (20 minutes)
	Jean-Michel Voisard Global Practice Lead for Agriculture and Food Security, Chemonics International	Human-centered innovations created with local communities - why we need to uproot the status quo to create positive impact
	Richard Alexander Roehrl Senior Economic Affairs Officer (Lead, Science, Technology and Innovation for the SDGs), UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs	The role of the United Nations and fostering global innovation
	Fabrice d’Erm Senior Partner, Coverage at Decisive Capital Management
Closing
	Bill Tai Legendary Venture Capitalist and Co-Founder of XTC	Announcement of the WFF 2022 Startup Innovation Awards, powered by XTC