The conference “Climate Change and Agri-Food: Adaptation, Innovation, and Sustainable Entrepreneurship” was successfully held on Thursday, November 20, 2025, in Athens, highlighting the critical role of innovation and women’s entrepreneurship in combating the climate crisis. The event was organized by AWomanCanBe.org in collaboration with EIT Food, with the University of Thessaly (UTH) serving as the Training Associate.

UTH Leadership Drives the Dialogue

The University of Thessaly’s influence was central to the event:

• Keynote Speech: Professor Chrysi Laspidou, Vice Rector of Innovation, Internationalization, Collaborations, and Digital Governance at UTH, delivered the central address titled: “From the Climate Crisis to Sustainable Prosperity: The Role of Innovation and Education in the Agri-Food Transformation.” Her speech emphasized the necessity of linking innovation, education, and women’s empowerment to build a resilient and sustainable agri-food sector.
• UTH Role: UTH, through One Planet Thessaly unit, provided the six-month educational training for the 10 female start-up founders participating in the EWA program, underscoring its commitment to fostering new ventures.

🏆 Empowering Women in Agrifood (EWA) Winners

The conference culminated in the Pitching Event, where the women entrepreneurs, trained by UTH staff, competed for prizes:

1st Prize (€10,000): Anastasia Fountouli (Cricketos), for utilizing edible insects as a source of sustainable protein and ecological fertilizer.

2nd Prize (€5,000): Chrysi Papagiannaki (PestAgroFoodNIR), for a portable device to estimate pesticides in food.

3rd Place (Summit Ticket): Julija Volobujeva (PeaceByPeas), co-founder of a company specializing in Greek chickpea and soy tempeh. She earned a ticket to participate in the “Women in Agrifood Summit” in Warsaw.

The conference successfully underscored UTH’s commitment to supporting both climate action and female entrepreneurship as core pillars of a resilient economy.

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