Next Heroes

Levente Simon is a software engineer and mathematician specializing in scalable web applications, cloud-native platforms, and data-driven solutions. With experience across Cognizant, IoT innovation, and applied network science, he combines full-stack engineering expertise with a strong mathematical foundation, exploring fractals, data visualization, education technology, and modern digital product development globally. Proofminder – enabling leaf-level monitoring to […]

Lars Langhout is the CEO and co-founder of NoPalm Ingredients, a company creating sustainable palm oil alternatives for food, cosmetics, and home care products. He holds an MBA from Columbia Business School and an MSc in International Business & Management from the University of Groningen. He also studied economics at Universitat de Barcelona as an […]

Denis Payen is an experienced business leader known for driving sustained value growth in dynamic and evolving environments. He has a strong track record in both business expansion and consolidation, consistently delivering results through strategic execution and operational excellence. His areas of expertise include operational management, sales and marketing excellence, and the development of cross-functional, […]

Dr. Chiara Guidi is CEO and Co-Founder of B-COS. She is a synthetic biologist and fermentation engineer with over ten years of expertise in strain engineering, bioprocess optimisation, and industrial scale-up. Chiara sits at the intersection of deep science and real-world agricultural impact. Her PhD was centred around the B-COS technology, contributing directly to its […]

As the Founder and CEO of atmo, Jen Godderidge and her team are building the financial infrastructure required to scale sustainable farm transition globally. With a commercial background spanning global FMCG at PepsiCo and high-growth marketplaces at Expedia and Delivery Hero, Jen brings a unique expertise in ecosystem building and growth strategy to the climate […]

Khalil Kaddoura is founder and CEO of Optagon Labs. Previously, he was founder and CTO of Prevo Biotech (StartLife 25), a food ingredients startup that partnered with major European manufacturers. Having seen the long, expensive development cycles in food, he took on a new challenge to build the world’s most capable science AI for food […]

Adrián Valdeolmillos is Chief Growth Officer at URAPHEX, specializing in connecting corporations with tech startups. With experience at MAPFRE, Volkswagen, and Banco Santander, he brings expertise in innovation strategy, international markets, and scaling technology. Adrián is also an expert in the financial management of R&D, advising European initiatives on carbon reduction and navigating complex regulatory […]

Yelco Gonzalez is the co-founder of AuditQ, a platform that supports quality and compliance managers in the food industry by centralising rules, procedures, and documentation. Through AuditQ, he focuses on the increasing audit and regulatory pressure in the food sector, where companies must comply with stricter requirements related to food safety, traceability, and reporting, as well […]

Dr. Eyal Afergan is Co-Founder and CEO of Imagindairy, where he leads the development of animal-free dairy proteins through advanced biotechnology. He brings extensive experience across biotechnology, foodtech, ingredient innovation, and global commercialization. Before founding Imagindairy, Eyal served as VP of Business Development at Algatech and held senior global product and marketing roles at Enzymotec, […]

Davide Parisi is the CEO and co-founder of the Dutch Italian agritech company EVJA, where he is in charge of the sales and administration. He has extensive experience in Artificial Intelligence, precision farming and agronomy, and he is a relevant voice on these topics both on Linkedin and as a speaker at international events. Davide […]