KIRCHNER IMPACT FOUNDATION
13 sep 2021
Spotlight on Sustainable Solutions: Celebrating the Pioneers of Food Security and Environmental Stewardship
Leon, Guanajuato, Mexico - As part of the KIRCHNER IMPACT FOUNDATION efforts to enhance food security, the LEÓN AGTECH COMPETITION 2021 has been launched to support the region's best agricultural and food-related projects. This year, ten projects addressing food security were awarded.
Organized by the KIRCHNER IMPACT FOUNDATION and the Directorates General of Rural Development and Innovation, the LEÓN AGTECH COMPETITION 2021 aims to boost entrepreneurs in the food security sector by integrating innovation into their projects.
This second edition of the competition saw participation from ten projects across the state of Guanajuato. The first-place winner was awarded $3,000, two honorable mentions received $1,500 each, and all participants will receive ongoing advice and support from the Kirchner Group for their project development.
At the award ceremony's opening, Rodolfo Ponce Ávila, Director of Rural Development in León, stated, “It's an honor to work on and facilitate such projects. Food security is a priority today, not just in producing food but ensuring it's high-quality, safe, environmentally friendly, and nutritious.”
Adrián García Casarrubias, Director of the Kirchner Impact Foundation in Mexico, emphasized the company's goal to support entrepreneurs, companies, and investment funds from the early stages, with a focus in Mexico on food security projects.
Over three years of collaboration between the Kirchner Group and the Municipality of León, 200 entrepreneurs have participated in their academies, with 24 companies reaching the finals, and more than 60 projects have received specialized mentoring, reported Garcia.
The MEXICO AGTECH COMPETTITION project began in 2019 as a platform where local entrepreneurs and business owners could present their projects to an audience of students, business leaders, industry heads, and investors.
Due to its success, the Regional AGTECH initiative was created to identify the region's best agricultural and food-related projects and to support the development of an innovation, entrepreneurship, and investment ecosystem in the agrotech and food sectors.
2021 LEÓN AGTECH COMPETITION Winners
First Place
Company: BAKAL SUSTAINABLE FODDER
Objective: To produce competitive, high nutritional value fodder from agave plant leaves for ruminant livestock. The production process captures carbon dioxide (CO2) and reduces the water footprint by up to 99%.
Honorable Mention
Company: Annit
Objective: Focused on livestock feed using biotechnology, microgreens, vertical farming, and reducing water use by up to 70% to produce meat with higher omega-3 content and less fat, directly benefiting the consumer's nutrition. They aim for sustainable production while decreasing the carbon and water footprint.
Honorable Mention
Company: Terralgal Organic Bio-stimulant
Objective: Terralgal is an organic bio-stimulant made from microalgae that neutralizes carbon emissions.