The State of Advances in Alternative Proteins: Tales from Europe and Asia
Ms. Valerie Pang
Former innovation Associate of Good Food Institute (GFI) APAC
Speech Topic: Introduction to Singapore’s Alternative Protein Ecosystem
Valerie Pang is the former Innovation Associate at GFI APAC, an international nonprofit that supports the alternative protein industry. In her previous role at GFI APAC, she acted as the first point of contact for alternative protein startups, investors and accelerators. She was involved in community building to connect the alternative protein ecosystem in Asia together. Having previously worked in Silicon Valley in the fields of artificial intelligence, blockchain, and alternative proteins, Valerie is an innovator at heart and has a strong passion about technology, climate change and the future of food.
Ms. Ira van Eelen
Cofounder, RESPECTfarms
CEO, KindEarth.Tech
Co-founder of Cellulaire Agricultuur Nederland Foundation
Speech Topic: Farming and CellularAgriculture
Ira van Eelen is a leading advocate in the field of cultivated meat and cellular agriculture, continuing the legacy of her father, Willem van Eelen, a pioneer in cultured meat production. She is the Cofounder of RESPECTfarms and CEO of KindEarth.Tech, where she drives innovation in food technologies.
Ira holds key roles including Chairman of the Invitromeat Foundation and Member of the Advisory Board at JUST. She actively promotes cellular agriculture as a co-founder of Cellulaire Agricultuur Nederland and serves as the EU advisor in the field of Cellular Agriculture.
A passionate advocate for sustainable food, Ira also contributes to thought leadership with forewords for influential books on clean meat and exhibits on the future of food in renowned museums. Her work integrates scientific research, advocacy, and creativity to advance the future of food and sustainable agriculture.
Business Model Innovation for Sustainable Food Systems
Mr. Falk W Foell
Managing Director
at ReProWa GmbH Advisory
Board Chair cum Founder
of JF AgroFish & Processing PLC
Speech Topic: Trade for Change : New Approach for Brands, Technology Placement and Distribution or Conquering Underserved Markets by Fighting Poverty and Hunger
Born 1993 to a third generation construction business family on father’s and second generation construction enterprise on mother’s side, Falk studied Law, Chinese Law, African and Chinese Studies in Germany (University of Passau, Goethe University Frankfurt am Main). While studying abroad, he attended classes in Mainland China’s 杭州大學, 西安外国语大学英文站 and Taiwan’s 台灣大學進修中文會話, 中興大學, 政治大學, 文化大學. As aostgraduate Falk achieved a “Master of Administrative Science” in 2009, acquired the rank of Lieutenant Colonel of the German Reserves’ Force and entered the Bar as Attroney at Law in 2012.
By his company Föll Technology & Innovation ReProWa GmbH offers in- and outbound trade and company establishments with product development and adaption of business model and processes, aided by his Law Office for legal and intercultural consultancy. In this context, Falk focuses on regenerative agriculture, sided by climate neutral to climate positive technologies for energy, production and logistics.
Dr. Annie Koh
Advisor of Agribusiness Mission
Professor Emeritus of Finance (Practice), Singapore Management University
Board Director of Singapore Food Agency, Singapore
Moderator：
Professor Annie Koh is Professor Emeritus of Finance (Practice) at Lee Kong Chian School of Business, Singapore Management University (SMU). She is a renowned conference speaker, panel moderator and commentator. She chairs the Asian Bond Fund 2 supervisory committee for the Monetary Authority of Singapore and is a committee member of Singapore’s Customs Advisory Council. She has recently been appointed board member of Singapore Food Agency with effect from April 1st 2023.
Professor Koh is currently Chairman of Prime US REIT and an independent director of AMTD IDEA Group, Prudential Assurance Company Singapore Pte Ltd, Yoma Strategic Holdings Ltd and EtonHouse Community Fund (Charity), She previously served on GovTech, Singapore’s CPF, HMI, K1 Ventures boards, and was a member of the World Economic Forum Global Future Council from 2019 – 2022, and the HR Industry Transformation Advisory Panel from 2018 – March 2023.
Professor Koh also advises selected single-family offices and privately owned enterprises such as Flexxon Pte Ltd., PBA Group and TOP International, and startups such as Dedoco, Float Foods Pte Ltd, Hyperscal Solutions Pte Ltd, Pyxis Maritime Pte Ltd, and non-profit organisation such as Cyber Youth Singapore. She has been an investment committee member of iGlobe Partners since July 2010, advisor to CUBE3 Ventures since October 2021, and Asia Food Sustainability Fund since February 2022. Previously held leadership positions at SMU before January 2021 include Vice President for Business Development; V3 Group Professor of Family Entrepreneurship; Academic Director of Business Families Institute and International Trading Institute; Associate Dean, Lee Kong Chian School of Business; and Dean, Office of Executive and Professional Education.
Professor Koh received her Ph.D. degree in International Finance as a Fulbright scholar from Stern School of Business, New York University in 1988. Her research interests are in Family Office and Family Business, Investor Behaviour, Alternative Investments and Enterprise Risk Management. She co-authored Financial Management: Theory and Practice, 2nd edition (2021), and Financing Internationalisation – Growth Strategies for Successful Companies (2004), co-editor of Asian Family Business: Succession, Governance and Innovation (2020), and author of a number of Asian family business cases and survey reports. In recognition of her contribution to education and the public sector, she was awarded the bronze and silver Singapore Public Administration medal in 2010 and 2016 respectively, the Adult Education Prism Award in 2017 and the Tripartite Alliance Award in 2023.
Mr. Ertan Can
Founder,
Multiple Capital
Panelists：
Ertan is a venture capital fund of funds pioneer in Europe, and Founder and Managing Partner of Multiple Capital. He has a combined 20 years of experience in the fund of funds, Venture Capital, asset management, and information technology operating roles. In 2013 he launched Multiple Capital, Europe’s first tech-focused fund of micro funds, with a portfolio of over 1200 companies. His driving ambition is to democratise diversified access to early-stage tech funds from all over the continent. He is an unorthodox and influential investor, keynote speaker and lecturer. Ertan completed an International Finance and Law degree in Frankfurt and London and has an MBA from ESCP in Paris.
Enhance Sustainability and Resilient of Rural and Urban Farming Systems
Mr. Johannes Gorges
Consultancy of CO CONCEPT S.à r.l.
Speech Topic: Urban Horticulture – with Innovations, Networking and Transfer into the Future
Johannes Gorges studied sociology and educational science. In his final thesis, he analysed the topic of urban gardening from a sociological perspective. Today he works as a project manager at CO CONCEPT Luxembourg, a consultancy specialised in horticulture. One of his roles there is project manager for the urban horticulture innovation network. He is also responsible for socio-economic evaluation studies. The company CO CONCEPT undertakes assignments in the field of market research, consultancy, workshops and knowledge transfer for ministries and companies along the horticultural value chain.
Dr. Nils Borchard
Head
of Research and Innovation DLG e.V.
Speech Topic: TBC
TBC
Sustainable Agriculture and Technological Innovations: Global Perspectives and Local Initiatives
Ms. Su McCluskey
Special Representative
for Australian Agriculture, Department of Agriculture at Fisheries and Forestry, Australian Government
Speech Topic: Global Perspectives on Australian Agrifood Innovation in Climate-smart Agriculture
Ms McCluskey has raised beef cattle for the last 30 years on a property just outside Canberra. She has cared for her stock and nurtured the natural capital of her property through bushfires and droughts, as well as fluctuating market conditions while carving out a leadership role in Australian agriculture.
As the inaugural Special Representative for Australian Agriculture, Ms McCluskey is a prominent voice to promote Australia’s commitment to sustainable agriculture, to the multilateral system and to the principles that underpin global trade in agricultural goods and products.
Ms McCluskey brings Australian perspectives and positions to the fora and policy debates that affect agricultural trade.
She promotes the important role of science and risk in international standard setting as well as the hazards of a ’one size fits all’ approach to meeting global challenges.
Ms McCluskey is able to bring her experiences in farming, in regulatory and risk management regimes, as well as agricultural research, to the debates and considerations that underpin not just international market access but also the shared challenges of global food security, climate change and biodiversity loss.
Drawing on her consultation with the Australian Government, industry and research organisations, Ms McCluskey brings nuance as well as balanced perspectives and positions to her conversations with officials and international counterparts and is keen to bring back the insights she gains through her meetings and conversations.
Ms McCluskey is a senior business executive and company director with a strong background in agricultural policy, production and research.
Ms McCluskey is a Director of Australian Unity, LiveCorp, Australasian Pork Research Institute and the Australian Wool Network. She has just finished her tenure as a Commissioner for the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR), a government body supporting sustainable livelihoods and food security in the Indo-Pacific region and Africa.
Previously, Ms McCluskey has been the CEO of the Regional Australia Institute and the Council of Rural Research and Development Corporations and the Executive Director of the Office of Best Practice Regulation. She has also held senior positions with the Business Council of Australia, the National Farmers’ Federation and the Australian Taxation Office.
Dr. Philipp Rittershaus
Head
of CorporateInnovation & Startup Coaching, ROOTCAMP
Speech Topic: Ecosystem Driven Approach to Transform Agri-food Systems
Philipp has gained extensive experience as LifeScience Investor at the High-Tech Gruenderfonds and has a background in industrial biotechnology. Philipp holds a Doctorate degree in Biotechnology from the University of Hohenheim, an MBA in Engineering Management from the University of Applied Sciences Mannheim and a Master in technical Biology from the University of Stuttgart. From 2020 onwards he built the RootCamp, an innovation hub supporting the transformation of the economy towards biogenic feedstock and circular processes. For this cooperations between globally sourced startups and corporates are being catalyzed by corporate innovation and venture clienting services. In addition RootCamp supports innovation ecosystems and dynamic value chains.
Ms. Darshika Senadheera
Technical Support
of The Asia-Pacific Association of Agricultural Research Institutions (APAARI)
Speech Topic: Pesticide Residue Mitigation, Biopesticide Regulation and Innovation; Success Stories from Bangladesh
Ms. Darshika Senadheera (MSc.) Technical Support, APAARI.
Ms. Darshika Senadheera is a postgraduate with a Master of Horticulture from the Postgraduate Institute of Agriculture at the University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka. During her short tenure with APAARI, she gained experience in the completed project titled ‘Asia Pesticide Residue Mitigation Through the Promotion of Biopesticides and Enhancement of Trade Opportunities’ by supporting and understanding its methodology, objectives, and overall outcomes. Currently, she is providing technical support and scientific coordination for ongoing projects at APAARI.