In the world of agrifood startups, where innovation meets sustainability, one initiative stands out for its focus on women entrepreneurs: the Empowering Women in Agrifood (EWA) programme by EIT Food. As someone who's navigated the challenges of entrepreneurship in Europe, I find the program's mission both inspiring and necessary. Women are increasingly reshaping industries, but in sectors like food and agriculture, they face specific hurdles. Lack of access to mentorship, funding, and networks are just a few of them. EWA is addressing these gaps head-on.
The six-month program provides a unique blend of training, mentorship, and networking opportunities. Women from 13 countries, including Albania, Greece, and Türkiye, join a community of more than 500 mentors and female entrepreneurs. Participants not only gain practical knowledge but also compete for country-level prizes of €10,000 and €5,000. Funding is always a game-changer, especially for early-stage startups.
The program’s structure is impressive. Each participant gets over 20 hours of one-on-one mentorship with business and agrifood advisors. This individualized attention ensures that every founder receives guidance tailored to their needs. Networking is another key component, as participants are introduced to corporate partners and potential investors. And, of course, the curriculum includes training modules that tackle everything from business basics to market strategies.
What makes EWA particularly noteworthy is its success stories. Take Débora Campos, for instance. Her startup, AgroGrIN Tech, upcycles fruit sidestreams into clean-label food ingredients. Through EWA, she was able to validate her technology, refine her business model, and connect with suppliers. Another compelling example is Greta Budreike, founder of TASTIK, a company creating alternative protein products from crickets. The program helped her navigate product development and investor relations.
EWA isn’t just about individual success. It's contributing to a larger trend of fostering resilience and innovation in the agrifood sector. For those considering joining, the application process is open for 2025, and it's worth exploring what the program can offer. You can find more details on EIT Food's official page for the EWA programme.
As a female entrepreneur and founder of my own startup journey, I know the value of mentorship and a supportive network. When I started CADChain and later developed Fe/male Switch, a game-based incubator, it was the encouragement and advice from like-minded peers that often made the difference. Women bring unique perspectives to innovation, yet we’re still underrepresented in STEM and related industries, including agrifood. Programs like EWA are paving the way for a more inclusive future.
Lessons for Female Entrepreneurs in Europe
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Collaborate actively. Programs like EWA thrive on community. Reach out, engage with fellow participants, and build a circle of trust. Connections you make can open doors later on.
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Leverage mentorship. A mentor isn’t just an advisor, they’re someone who can challenge and shape your ideas. Come to each meeting prepared, with clear questions and objectives.
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Prioritize sustainability. Investors and customers increasingly value sustainable practices. If you’re in agrifood, align your business with these priorities from the start.
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Be resourceful. Opportunities like EWA provide funding, but be ready to bootstrap if needed. As someone who bootstrapped Fe/male Switch, I can say it keeps you focused and innovative.
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Understand your market. Too often, entrepreneurs build without validating. Engage with your target audience early on, even if it’s through quick prototyping or outreach.
Mistakes to Avoid
Launching a business is as much about avoiding pitfalls as it is about making the right moves. Here are some missteps I’ve seen (and sometimes experienced myself):
- Overextending. Early-stage ideas need focus. Avoid spreading yourself too thin or attempting to solve multiple problems at once.
- Skipping financial planning. A clear understanding of numbers, costs, revenue, and funding needs, is crucial. Don’t let enthusiasm overshadow economics.
- Neglecting community input. Whether it’s your team, mentors, or customers, listening is more important than talking.
- Ignoring the fine print. Legal and intellectual property challenges can derail progress. Protect your ideas early.
A Quick Guide: Getting the Most from Programs Like EWA
- Apply with clarity. Your application should highlight not just your idea but also your personal commitment. What’s your vision, and how do you plan to execute it?
- Be coachable. Mentors will help only if you show you’re open to feedback, even when it’s tough to hear.
- Participate fully. Programs offer workshops, events, and networking opportunities, use them.
- Use the network. Post-program, connections are your most valuable resource. Stay in touch with participants and mentors long term.
EWA’s reach and impact are remarkable. It’s helping build sustainable businesses while supporting women as key players in agrifood innovation. It’s proof that targeted initiatives drive results. For female entrepreneurs in Europe, programs like this are not just opportunities, they're lifelines. Whether you’re beginning your journey or scaling up, there’s much to learn from EWA’s approach.
As someone deeply invested in female entrepreneurship, I encourage leaders out there to explore and tap into such resources. They give you more than just tools, they give you a path to shape the future. And that's something we all need right now.
FAQ
1. What is the EWA programme by EIT Food?
EWA (Empowering Women in Agrifood) is a six-month programme by EIT Food offering mentorship, training, and networking to support women-led sustainable businesses in the agrifood sector. Learn more about the EWA programme
2. How many countries participate in the EWA programme?
The 2025 edition includes women entrepreneurs from 13 countries: Albania, Estonia, Greece, Italy, North Macedonia, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Serbia, Slovenia, Spain, Türkiye, and Ukraine. Discover participating countries and more
3. What specific resources does EWA provide?
EWA offers over 20 hours of one-on-one mentorship with business and agrifood advisors, training modules, and access to a network of over 500 female entrepreneurs and mentors. Explore training and mentorship details
4. What funding opportunities are available through the programme?
Participants can compete for country-level funding prizes of €10,000 and €5,000, providing a valuable boost to their agrifood startups. Learn more about EWA funding opportunities
5. Can you share notable success stories from EWA?
Débora Campos of AgroGrIN Tech and Greta Budreike of TASTIK leveraged EWA’s resources to validate ideas and scale their businesses in sustainable food innovation. Read about AgroGrIN Tech | Discover TASTIK
6. Who qualifies to participate in the EWA programme?
EWA targets women entrepreneurs, particularly those in early-stage ventures in the agrifood sector, with a focus on sustainability, innovation, and community-building. Find out about eligibility criteria
7. What is the goal of EWA's mentorship approach?
Mentorship through EWA is designed to provide tailored, actionable advice while facilitating connections to investors and agrifood corporates. Dive into EWA’s mentorship framework
8. What makes EWA unique compared to other entrepreneurial programmes?
EWA focuses exclusively on empowering women in agrifood innovation, combining mentorship, community building, and funding in a sustainable and inclusive framework. Learn more about EWA’s unique approach
9. How does the EWA programme align with sustainability goals?
EWA encourages sustainable practices by supporting startups focused on solutions like upcycling, alternative proteins, and net-zero food systems. Explore EWA’s sustainability focus
10. When and how can women apply for the EWA programme?
Applications for the 2025 EWA programme are now open, and interested women can apply directly through EIT Food’s official page. Apply for the EWA programme
About the Author
Violetta Bonenkamp, also known as MeanCEO, is an experienced startup founder with an impressive educational background including an MBA and four other higher education degrees. She has over 20 years of work experience across multiple countries, including 5 years as a solopreneur and serial entrepreneur. Throughout her startup experience she has applied for multiple startup grants at the EU level, in the Netherlands and Malta, and her startups received quite a few of those. She’s been living, studying and working in many countries around the globe and her extensive multicultural experience has influenced her immensely.
Violetta Bonenkamp's expertise in CAD sector, IP protection and blockchain
Violetta Bonenkamp is recognized as a multidisciplinary expert with significant achievements in the CAD sector, intellectual property (IP) protection, and blockchain technology.
CAD Sector:
- Violetta is the CEO and co-founder of CADChain, a deep tech startup focused on developing IP management software specifically for CAD (Computer-Aided Design) data. CADChain addresses the lack of industry standards for CAD data protection and sharing, using innovative technology to secure and manage design data.
- She has led the company since its inception in 2018, overseeing R&D, PR, and business development, and driving the creation of products for platforms such as Autodesk Inventor, Blender, and SolidWorks.
- Her leadership has been instrumental in scaling CADChain from a small team to a significant player in the deeptech space, with a diverse, international team.
IP Protection:
- Violetta has built deep expertise in intellectual property, combining academic training with practical startup experience. She has taken specialized courses in IP from institutions like WIPO and the EU IPO.
- She is known for sharing actionable strategies for startup IP protection, leveraging both legal and technological approaches, and has published guides and content on this topic for the entrepreneurial community.
- Her work at CADChain directly addresses the need for robust IP protection in the engineering and design industries, integrating cybersecurity and compliance measures to safeguard digital assets.
Blockchain:
- Violetta’s entry into the blockchain sector began with the founding of CADChain, which uses blockchain as a core technology for securing and managing CAD data.
- She holds several certifications in blockchain and has participated in major hackathons and policy forums, such as the OECD Global Blockchain Policy Forum.
- Her expertise extends to applying blockchain for IP management, ensuring data integrity, traceability, and secure sharing in the CAD industry.
Violetta is a true multiple specialist who has built expertise in Linguistics, Education, Business Management, Blockchain, Entrepreneurship, Intellectual Property, Game Design, AI, SEO, Digital Marketing, cyber security and zero code automations. Her extensive educational journey includes a Master of Arts in Linguistics and Education, an Advanced Master in Linguistics from Belgium (2006-2007), an MBA from Blekinge Institute of Technology in Sweden (2006-2008), and an Erasmus Mundus joint program European Master of Higher Education from universities in Norway, Finland, and Portugal (2009).
She is the founder of Fe/male Switch, a startup game that encourages women to enter STEM fields, and also leads CADChain, and multiple other projects like the Directory of 1,000 Startup Cities with a proprietary MeanCEO Index that ranks cities for female entrepreneurs. Violetta created the "gamepreneurship" methodology, which forms the scientific basis of her startup game. She also builds a lot of SEO tools for startups. Her achievements include being named one of the top 100 women in Europe by EU Startups in 2022 and being nominated for Impact Person of the year at the Dutch Blockchain Week. She is an author with Sifted and a speaker at different Universities. Recently she published a book on Startup Idea Validation the right way: from zero to first customers and beyond, launched a Directory of 1,500+ websites for startups to list themselves in order to gain traction and build backlinks and is building MELA AI to help local restaurants in Malta get more visibility online.
For the past several years Violetta has been living between the Netherlands and Malta, while also regularly traveling to different destinations around the globe, usually due to her entrepreneurial activities. This has led her to start writing about different locations and amenities from the POV of an entrepreneur. Here’s her recent article about the best hotels in Italy to work from.
About the Publication
Fe/male Switch is an innovative startup platform designed to empower women entrepreneurs through an immersive, game-like experience. Founded in 2020 during the pandemic "without any funding and without any code," this non-profit initiative has evolved into a comprehensive educational tool for aspiring female entrepreneurs.The platform was co-founded by Violetta Shishkina-Bonenkamp, who serves as CEO and one of the lead authors of the Startup News branch.
Mission and Purpose
Fe/male Switch Foundation was created to address the gender gap in the tech and entrepreneurship space. The platform aims to skill-up future female tech leaders and empower them to create resilient and innovative tech startups through what they call "gamepreneurship". By putting players in a virtual startup village where they must survive and thrive, the startup game allows women to test their entrepreneurial abilities without financial risk.
Key Features
The platform offers a unique blend of news, resources,learning, networking, and practical application within a supportive, female-focused environment:
- Skill Lab: Micro-modules covering essential startup skills
- Virtual Startup Building: Create or join startups and tackle real-world challenges
- AI Co-founder (PlayPal): Guides users through the startup process
- SANDBOX: A testing environment for idea validation before launch
- Wellness Integration: Virtual activities to balance work and self-care
- Marketplace: Buy or sell expert sessions and tutorials
Impact and Growth
Since its inception, Fe/male Switch has shown impressive growth:
- 5,000+ female entrepreneurs in the community
- 100+ startup tools built
- 5,000+ pieces of articles and news written
- 1,000 unique business ideas for women created
Partnerships
Fe/male Switch has formed strategic partnerships to enhance its offerings. In January 2022, it teamed up with global website builder Tilda to provide free access to website building tools and mentorship services for Fe/male Switch participants.
Recognition
Fe/male Switch has received media attention for its innovative approach to closing the gender gap in tech entrepreneurship. The platform has been featured in various publications highlighting its unique "play to learn and earn" model.
