Monday 11 November, 2024 — Women Founders & Funders Singapore 2024 has unveiled the 10 entrepreneurs selected to pitch on Wednesday 20 November, showcasing women agrifoodtech founders transforming our food system. 

This will be the third annual FTW Ventures’ Women Founders and Funders Singapore, complementing the annual San Francisco event of the same name, and has become a go-to networking opportunity for members of the agrifoodtech community attending Singapore International Agri-Food Week (SIAW).

The 2024 Singapore cohort features 10 founders pioneering breakthrough technologies and products. The selected founders were chosen from applications from seven countries based on product innovation, commercial viability, traction and climate impact potential. Their solutions in key areas include advanced biomaterials, crop and yield optimisation, and sustainable packaging. 

“The purpose of Women Founders and Funders is to spotlight agrifoodtech entrepreneurs who are facilitating progress to feed the world’s growing population via innovative and sustainable solutions while navigating the challenges in the Asia-Pacific region,” said Simon Tarmo, Business Development Manager Agrifood-tech & TradeStart Advisor, Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development WA (DPIRD). “We are proud to be supporting this initiative supporting women founders alongside the other partners who are driving meaningful change.”

The selected founders are:

• Grace Ma (Singapore): MPW Technologies International leads in integrating greentech and precision engineering into agriculture, combining wavelength-optimized solar energy with efficient growing practices.

• Safia Qureshi (UK): CLUBZERØ is an AI-powered returnable packaging system offering a scalable, sustainable, and cost-effective alternative to single-use packaging in FMCG, Retail, Food Service, and QSR industries.

• Kai-Ning Chua (Singapore): Insectta uses patented technology to extract high-value biomaterials—Chitosan and Eumelanin—from black soldier flies, providing a sustainable source for pharmaceuticals, wellness, and organic electronics while advancing the insect industry.

• Victoria Outram (UK): New Wave Biotech helps biomanufacturing innovators to design better and scale smarter with their AI Bioprocess Intelligence Software.

• Fiona Donaghey (Australia): Earthodic’s proprietary bio-based coatings provide key barrier properties for paper packaging and are 100% bio-based and recyclable.

• Sheryl Frame (Australia): Liquim is a R&D company developing novel, plant-based products aimed at protecting people and the planet.

• Sofie De Meyer (Australia): MALDIID specialises in R&D services for biological products like biofertilizers, biostimulants, and biopesticides, offering lab, glasshouse, and field trial support.

• Christiana Zhu (China): Marvelous Foods is a plant-based snack foods start-up for the Chinese market.

• Cara Cooper (Australia): Calyx’s AI platform provides real-time sustainability insights, measuring the environmental impact of food products at the ingredient level for industry leaders. 

• Mandy Hon (Singapore): ImpacFat’s Stem-Cell technology creates omega-3-rich fish fat for sustainable food, cosmetics, and supplements.

“The journey to catalyze innovation and sustainability will only succeed by breaking barriers and building bridges through “Radical Collaboration”. Thai Wah Ventures is proud to support Women Founders and Funders who dare to make our futures greener and brighter.” said Hataikan Kamolsirisakul, Head of Strategy, Sustainability, and New Business Group for Thai Wah.

Partners have played a pivotal role in scoring the founder applications, providing mentorship and fostering connections. Joining FTW Ventures are strategic partners Better Earth Ventures, MarTech Collective and Tomorrow Studio Ventures, program partners Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development WA, Thai Wah Ventures, Louis Dreyfus, Gullspang Re:Food, Morrison & Foerster with ecosystem support from SGInnovate, Enterprise Singapore, Tenacious Ventures and AgFunder.

If you’d like to attend Women Founders and Funders Singapore, registrations are open until midnight SGT, 13 November, 2024.

About FTW Ventures

FTW Ventures is a leading, early-stage investor in advanced science & technology for a sustainable Food System. The firm partners with the smartest minds solving the biggest challenges in Food and Agriculture.

Better Earth Ventures

Better Earth Ventures is dedicated to accelerating the development and deployment of transformative technologies and initiatives that mitigate climate change and promote sustainable living. Located strategically in Singapore, we serve as a pivotal gateway to Asia Pacific, with a strong regional network of commercial partners, investors and mentors to help growth-stage businesses scale sustainably across borders. Through collaboration, mentorship, and strategic partnerships, we empower visionary entrepreneurs to drive tangible impact and pave the way for a resilient and thriving planet.

About Tomorrow Studio Ventures

Tomorrow Studio Ventures is a commercial exploration and an innovation studio that works with Foodtech, Agtech and Cleantech industries. Focused on finding innovation commercialisation and sustainability opportunities across the supply chain, we source untapped opportunities and growth areas to benefit corporates, investors, entrepreneurs and researchers.  

About MarTech Collective

MarTech Collective is a brand, marketing and communications agency dedicated to empowering pioneering tech-driven innovators. We believe in the power of innovation to transform our world for the better. Our mission is to amplify the voices of trailblazers who are committed to sustainable solutions and positive change, reshaping industries and driving significant changes in the way we live and work for the future of our planet.

Media contact: 

Nathalie Gibson | nathalie@martechcollective.com
WhatsApp: +61 403 135 416