10 Female AgTech founders from Europe you should know in 2024

Women are underrepresented in the AgTech industry, as is the case in many other technology-related fields. However, the number of female founders in AgTech and AgriFood is growing. Despite the challenging fundraising landscape, female founders and emerging fund managers in Europe have demonstrated resilience. The recently published "The State of Gender Diversity in European Venture report 2024" by Female Foundry, highlights this resilience. According to the study, in 2023, European startups co-founded by women secured a total of €5.9 billion in funding. After the peak years of 2021 and 2022, this amount marks 2023 as the third-highest year on record in terms of funding raised. PitchBook's European VC Female Founders Dashboard reveals mixed companies currently claim the largest share of capital at 19.2%, reaching its highest level in over a decade.

In this article, we will introduce you to 10 female founders from the RootCamp community who are actively reshaping the AgTech landscape and should be on your radar.

EUGENIA SAGUÉ | Cultimate Foods

Eugenia Sagué, CEO & Co-Founder of Cultimate Foods, has a background in law and found her passion in creating the future of alternative meat. The Berlin-based startup leads the development of hybrid meat substitutes, using cell-grown fatty tissue, aiming to transform alternative meat production while reducing reliance on animals and mitigating climate change. Cultimate's approach to cultured fat offers key benefits in taste, sustainability, and animal welfare. Last year, the team presented the cell-cultivated ingredient in a hybrid burger.

LARE BOYE | Artenglück

Lara Boyes is the founder of Artenglück. Founded in 2020, the startup focuses on nature conservation and assists companies in their sustainability communication. Lara has years of experience as an independent marketing consultant and a master's degree in online communication. Following her passion for conservation, her mission is to demonstrate that genuine sustainability efforts can be beneficial investments for companies, assisting them in communicating transparent sustainability engagement. Today, Artenglück leads in European regional conservation and biodiversity, advocating for a greener future and a sustainable economy.

Merit Ulmer & Michelle Spitzer | eco:fibr

In order to combat the major environmental problems associated with pineapple cultivation in Costa Rica, eco:fibr, founded by Merit Ulmer and Michelle Spitzer, collects plant waste from pineapple producers and uses it to develop eco-friendly pulp. The EU is supporting the circular economy startup with a grant of €800,000 to scale the process. In addition to their entrepreneurial endeavors, they are dedicated to promoting visibility for women in the startup scene by organizing a safe space such as the “Female Founders Stammtisch” in Hannover.

MIHAELA STRUNGARIU & SANDI MARTIN | Amata Green

Amata Green, led by Sandi Martin and Mihaela Strungariu converts olive waste into high-quality biochar, offering sustainable soil amendments to address agricultural challenges in Spain. The goal is to introduce an all-natural product to farming communities, facilitating their transition to regenerative farming practices. With a Juris Doctor degree and expertise in sustainability consulting, Martin founded the startup in 2017, elevating its role in biochar production and climate change mitigation. Meanwhile, as a multilingual executive manager with expertise in education and language proficiency, Strungatiu oversees local project coordination, stakeholder engagement, sustainability education, and personnel management. 

STEFANIE LOBNIG | Aquanzo

Based in Scotland, Aquanzo focuses on the cultivation of marine zooplankton, particularly artemia, in land-based systems to address the scarcity of crucial marine ingredients for aquaculture. As the co-founder of Aquanzo and CTO, Stefanie Lobning is dedicated to developing climate-smart innovations to meet the rising demand for marine proteins in aquaculture and animal feed, leveraging her expertise in process engineering and scaling novel protein processes. Last year, her startup raised €1.4 million to scale-up land-based artemia production.

SRUTHI SREEKUMAR & CAROLIN RICHTER | greEnCAP

greEnCAP utilizes encapsulation technology to revolutionize plant protection solutions for farmers and growers. Developed by interdisciplinary life science researchers Dr. Sruthi Sreekumar and postdoctoral researcher Dr. Carolin Richter, their unique technology harnesses the power of chitosan and natural essential oils. With a focus on offering safer alternatives to vegetable and fruit growers, greEnCAP strives to positively impact agriculture by delivering environmentally friendly and highly effective plant protection solutions.

SOFÍA CAMARERO | Poás Bioenergy

Poás Bioenergy's technology converts agricultural waste into biochar and syngas, contributing to soil regeneration and carbon sequestration in the USA. The syngas can replace fossil fuels in various applications, offering opportunities for decarbonization in sectors like agriculture. Co-founder Sofía Camarero leads tech R&D at Poás, bringing extensive experience from previous roles in circular economy research and biomass waste upcycling. With a background in chemical engineering and environmental sustainability, she has contributed to multinational corporations in product R&D, manufacturing, and quality engineering roles. Through pilot projects in Costa Rica, Poás Bioenergy aims to apply agricultural waste sustainably and eliminate persistent organic pollutants.