MENAT Regenerative Agriculture Venture Programme 2024: Winners

Regenerative Agriculture Venture Programme

Transformative journey to develop entrepreneurship skills in the domain of research-based regenerative agriculture solutions.

MENAT Regenerative Agriculture Venture Programme 2024

The inaugural year of MENAT Regenerative Agriculture Venture Programme has come to an end and what a transformative journey it has been!

The Regenerative Agriculture Venture Programme aims to empower and upskill researchers, students and entrepreneurs who are addressing fundamental agricultural challenges in the MENAT region while focusing on early-stage research and nature-based solutions integrating regenerative agriculture practices.

2024 WINNERS

Affordable Nanotech for Arid Environments

KAUST University, Saudi Arabia

Minimizing Chemical Footprint

Revolutionizing agriculture, MePhSIN, a groundbreaking nano-platform, encapsulates plant growth regulators, unlocking a new era of enhanced crop resilience, doubling wheat production by 2050, and overcoming challenges in global food security.

Researcher(s):

Katya Michelle Aguilar Perez, Valeriia Nikolaeva,

Viiktoria Zheltova, Khozama Al Mohawes

Cyanoboost: Transition to regenerative farming with biofertilizers

Heliopolis University, Egypt

Biofertilizers

“Cyanoboost” is a bio-fertilizer product that enhance the whole plant growth performance, improve the extracted essential oils, and increase the diversity of the rhizospheric microbiome in medicinal plants.

Researcher(s)

Doaa Ibrahim, Eman Nour El-deen Hamed

The Waste Lab - From Food Waste Rescue to Compost Production to Soil Building in the UAE and the Region

Individual, UAE

Organic fertilizers

The Waste Lab’s solution is to create an opportunity for every food scrap to become a solution for rather than a burden on our society and environment by combining nature-based principles, data-driven operations, local production and application of compost, and community engagement.

Researcher(s)

Lara Hussein, Ceylan Uren, Nick Little, Sara Al Darras

Programme Achievements

158

Registrations Received

53

Validated Applications From 18 Countries From The MENA region

19

Academic Regional Institutions Supported the Program

43% - 57%

43% of applications were from women and 57% were from men

20

20 semi-finalist projects were selected by 12 expert judges

12 Mentors

30 hours of mentorship

17 Speakers

Over 20 hours of specialised workshops and subject matter talks

Learn More About Regenerative Agriculture Venture Programme

Testimonials

“This initiative stands as a cornerstone in our efforts to promote regenerative agriculture research and practices in the Middle East, fortify food and water security, and contribute to the mitigation and adaptation of climate change!”

“The Regenerative Agriculture Venture Programme represents a convergence of scientific inquiry and practical application, aimed at enhancing soil vitality, conserving water, and securing food resources in a climate-impacted world. It's a visionary approach that seeks to not only mitigate environmental challenges but to regenerate the very foundation of our ecosystems. Our support signifies a deep investment in not just the present, but also in a thriving, sustainable legacy for our communities and the environment that sustains us all.”

“Regenerative agriculture offers one of the greatest opportunities to improve human and climate health. The Regenerative Agriculture Venture Programme offers researchers the opportunity to gain support from the most experienced, expert mentors and business leaders across the world and the MENAT region specifically. We are convinced that the challenges faced by our world today will not be solved without the disruptive innovations of great entrepreneurs and fast-moving startups. More than ever, they are an essential component of the future solutions and we are very proud to support those changemakers in the early stages of their future growth.”