Ukrainian agri-startup AgRE takes second place at the EIT Jumpstarter 2024 Grand Final
At the final of the EIT Jumpstarter 2024 international competition in Budapest, which celebrated the 10th anniversary of the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT), Ukrainian agri-startup AgRE took second place in the ReBuild Ukraine category. This project focuses on solving the global problem of soil degradation, particularly in the context of the challenges of war, and already demonstrates the potential for a large-scale impact on agriculture in Ukraine and the world.
How did the program inspire the creation of the startup?
“I learned about EIT Jumpstarter thanks to my scientific supervisor, Yurii DANKO, who invited graduate students to apply for the competition in the spring of 2024. As a postgraduate student at the Department of Marketing and Logistics of Sumy National Agrarian University (SNAU) with a dissertation topic related to the impact of war on agribusiness and its recovery, I saw this opportunity as an ideal platform for developing ideas,” says Kateryna ZVIERIEVA, a postgraduate student at the Department of Management at SNAU and co-founder of the startup.
Together with farmer Mykhailo SOROKA, she began pilot tests of the new technology in the Dnipropetrovsk region, and a few months later, on November 28, the startup was among the winners.
Technology for soil restoration
AgRE technology is aimed at neutralizing harmful salts, restoring soil pH, and improving its structure. It is universal and compatible with any cultivation or irrigation methods.
“The war caused irreparable damage to Ukrainian lands, worsening the already difficult situation with soil degradation. Our startup is designed not only to correct these consequences, but also to create conditions for the long-term sustainable development of the agricultural sector,” adds Kateryna ZVIERIEVA.
Ukraine as a center of agricultural innovation
AgRE’s participation in the EIT Jumpstarter finals and its success testify to the enormous potential of Ukraine as a source of innovation in the global agricultural sector. It also confirms the importance of programs that support young scientists and entrepreneurs in their quest to change the world for the better.
