The Future of Food: How Entrepreneurs are Innovating to Feed the World

According to the CSIRO, we'll consume as much food in the next 4 decades as we did in the past few hundred years. This represents around a 70% increase in production by 2050. But that increase has come at a significant cost to the environment that isn't sustainable.

And in light of COVID-19, we need an honest public discussion on how to produce our food and a radical rethink on the consequences of a livestock-dominated food system. 

How will food and agritech entrepreneurs meet the needs of a growing global population, whilst also committing to sustainable growth? Hear how groundbreaking innovators are tackling our growing food and environmental crisis.

Keynote - Resetting the Future: Regenerative Protein at High Scale

Shama Sukul Lee - Founder & CEO, Sunfed

Panelists

• Shama Sukul Lee - Founder & CEO, Sunfed
• Dr. Alexander Soeriyadi – Co-Founder & CEO, LLEAF
  
• Michael Fox - CEO, Fable Food
• Dianna Somerville - The Regional Entrepreneur

Moderator

• Tash Jamieson - Global Founders Program Manager, UNSW

This event is part of the Visiting Entrepreneur Program, produced by the City of Sydney. The June 2020 program focus on the intersection of technology, environmental sustainability and the green economy featuring three high-profile international entrepreneurs Robyn Denholm, Board Chair, Tesla; Danny Kennedy, CEO, New Energy Nexus; and Shama Sukul Lee, Founder & CEO, Sunfed. For details on other events visit city.sydney/vep #vepsyd

Speaker

About Shama Sukul Lee – Founder and CEO, Sunfed

A software engineer turned food technology entrepreneur, Shama Sukul Lee is reimagining the food system, starting with meat. Sunfed is a next-generation protein company using proprietary processes and custom hardware to make clean lean proteins that cook, feel, and taste just like meat from an animal. In 2018, Sunfed raised NZD $10 million ($9.38 million) in Series A funding to lead the charge towards a solar-powered planet.

Panelists

Dr. Alexander Soeriyadi – Co-Founder and CEO, LLEAF

Alex is Co-Founder and CEO of LLEAF Pty Ltd. LLEAF’s purpose is to Supercharge sunlight for supergrowth. LLEAF created a patented technology that boost natural sunlight into better grow light which shows yield improvement of up to 40%. LLEAF recently won the Highly Commended awards at the AwardFoodbytes! event by Rabobank and FoodTech500 by Forward Fooding, and is an alumni of the UNSW 10x accelerator program.

Michael Fox - CEO, Fable Food

Michael grew up as a meat loving Australian. As a child he once penned a song (more like a demanding chant) entitled “Steak of Glory”. He became vegetarian in 2015 for health, environmental and ethical reasons, but he still craves that steak of glory. Michael shops at his local Farmer’s Market on the Sunshine Coast in Australia on a Saturday morning, bakes sourdough, brews Water Kefir. He wanted to combine his cravings for meat with his healthy home cooking habits to create a whole food based plant based meat. The result is Fable.

Dianna Somerville - The Regional Entrepreneur

Dianna helps people build stronger and more vibrant regional communities, accelerating regional commerce in the process. She is a frequent commentator on regional issues, ranging from the future of work, mental health and state of the regional ecosystem, through to agri-tech and the need for greater connectivity.

Her career began in the Australian Defence Force as a Naval Officer and going on to found Regional Grants, Tenders and Corporate Services. Since then she has co-founded Working Spaces HQ (a co-working and innovation hub in the Riverina) and founded 3 national regional events accelerating innovation in regional Australia (Regional Pitchfest, Agrihack and 8point8). She has most recently taken on the role of Community Manager with Bridge Hub, a regionally based, globally-connected innovation hub for the Australian and global Agrifood Tech Industry.

Moderator

About Tash Jamieson - Global Founders Program Manager, UNSW

Tash is obsessed with building healthier, happier humans. She leads the UNSW Global Founders Program, which supports startups at the university in many fields, including sustainable food production, Medtech, and mental health. She is also the founder of Combat Kani, a rhythmic martial arts fitness class that implores young women to do one thing: "Fight for you." She also has a deep personal interest in DNA and genetic health and vegan nutrition.

Event Partners

Sunfed meats are made from premium yellow pea protein, they cook, feel and taste just like animal meat but are healthier, both for you and the planet.

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