AgRE became the Winner at the EIT Jumpstarter 2024 Grand Final, Showcasing Innovation in Soil Remediation
At the grand final of the EIT Jumpstarter 2024 competition in Budapest, which celebrated the 10th anniversary of the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT) this year, the Ukrainian startup AgRE secured second place in the ReBuild Ukraine category. This innovative technology is aimed at tackling the global issue of soil degradation and already shows great potential for impacting agriculture both in Ukraine and globally, reports SEEDS.
“I first learned about the EIT Jumpstarter program through my academic advisor, Yurii Ivanovych Danko, who suggested that graduate students apply for the competition in spring 2024.
As a PhD student at Sumy National Agrarian University (SNAU) with a dissertation topic on the impact of war on agribusiness and its recovery, I saw this program as the perfect opportunity to develop my scientific-practical ideas,” says Kateryna Zvierieva, PhD student at SNAU and co-founder of AgRE. Director of Ukrainian Horticulture Association.
AgRE’s Success at EIT Food Jumpstarter
The grand final titled “The Next Decade of Innovations for the Future of Europe” marked the culmination of a lengthy selection process that lasted over six months. Among 49 innovative finalist companies selected from across the globe, AgRE stood out for its uniqueness and potential.
Participants underwent several stages of competition, including training and mentorship from leading industry experts. This year, the ReBuild Ukraine category was specially created to support innovations that contribute to Ukraine’s recovery.
By taking second place, AgRE not only gained international recognition but also demonstrated its ability to effectively address the challenges of soil degradation in wartime conditions.
Soil Degradation – A Global Issue
“Soil degradation is one of the most pressing environmental issues of today. According to FAO, the world loses 24 billion tons of fertile soil every year, affecting the livelihoods of over 3 billion people.
Ukraine had one of the highest rates of land erosion in the world, reaching 54%, with some regions facing over 70% erosion before the full-scale invasion,” says Kateryna Zvierieva, co-founder of AgRE, PhD student at SNAU, and Director of the Ukrainian Horticulture Association.
Currently, over 33% of agricultural lands have suffered severe degradation due to the war, with 4 million hectares facing salinization.
AgRE’s Innovative Solution
AgRE offers an innovative solution through a technology that neutralizes harmful salts, reduces soil compaction, and restores pH balance. The technology is universal and can be applied through any irrigation systems or land treatment methods, making it easily integrated into existing agricultural practices.
Globally, we are facing the urgent issue of soil degradation, with 24 billion tons of fertile soil lost every year, affecting over 3 billion people. In Ukraine, approximately 4 million hectares are salinized, accounting for 6.6% of the country’s territory.
By 2050, there is a potential risk that 95% of the Earth’s surface will consist of degraded soils. Over the past 130 years, Ukrainian soils have lost 30% of their humus and have been highly cultivated (53%).
Mikhailo Soroka, Farmer and Co-founder of AgRE:
“The problem of soil salinization has been accumulating in Ukraine for decades. It’s a latent process affecting not only the southern regions where irrigation is actively used, but also coastal areas where salt from the sea breeze settles on the soil. Salinization is a global problem, with 25% of the earth’s surface affected by salt.
We approach the solution systematically, implementing a technology capable of neutralizing salts in the soil within 10-20 years, after which we transition to a preventive mode to prevent the issue from recurring.”
“Our technology is based on a chemical reaction that eliminates the primary issue – harmful salts. We suggest using the reactive substance in minimal doses, neutralizing the salt in the soil and creating conditions for its restoration. The soil becomes looser, natural processes are activated, and as a result, agricultural producers can use biotechnology even on previously salinized plots.”
War as a Catalyst for Soil Degradation
The devastation caused by the war in Ukraine has added a new dimension to the issue of soil degradation. Each explosion leaves a mark in the form of soil contamination and destruction of its fertile layer. This creates an urgent need for the implementation of restoration technologies.
AgRE is an example of how innovation can help address the consequences of war while promoting sustainable agricultural development.
Results and Prospects
The technology has already been tested in a pilot project in the Dnipropetrovsk region, on the lands of the Khlibodar Agrofirm, where noticeable improvements in soil condition were achieved on 20 hectares of garlic crops.
“AgRE is not just an innovation, it’s a contribution to the global fight against soil salinization. We aim to help agricultural producers not only solve this problem but also create conditions for ecological and sustainable development in Ukraine and around the world,” says Mikhailo Soroka.
EIT Jumpstarter: Launching Innovative Startups to Address Global Challenges
At the EIT Jumpstarter Grand Final, 24 new scientifically-backed startups were awarded. A total of 49 teams from 21 countries competed across 9 categories for a share of the €150,000 prize pool.
This marked the culmination of the 2024 EIT Jumpstarter pre-acceleration program, an initiative by the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT), an EU body focused on fostering innovative ideas and turning them into promising businesses.
The program has already trained 1,180 participants, resulting in the creation of 124 new startups in developing countries and contributing to the creation of 2,100 new jobs. Plans for 2025 include further support for talent from Ukraine, the Western Balkans, the Mediterranean, and remote regions of the EU.
Focusing on Ukraine with the ReBuild Ukraine Category
This year, special attention was paid to the ReBuild Ukraine category, which exclusively featured Ukrainian startups. These startups focus on developing technological solutions to overcome the challenges posed by the full-scale invasion and aim to rebuild Ukraine.
The winner in the ReBuild Ukraine category was Drone NonDestructiveTesting.
Other Ukrainian finalists included:
Unconventional Lithium Production (EIT RawMaterials)
UrbanGeoWonders (New European Bauhaus)
Drive in Five! (EIT Urban Mobility)
AgRE (Rebuild Ukraine)
CathodMiner (Rebuild Ukraine)
Demining Ukraine with Us! (Rebuild Ukraine)
Drone NonDestructiveTesting (Rebuild Ukraine)
Golos (Rebuild Ukraine)
INFINITY MAGNITUDE BATTERIES (Rebuild Ukraine)
VeraNet (Rebuild Ukraine)
The European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT) strengthens Europe’s innovation capacity by offering solutions to global challenges and developing entrepreneurial talent to create sustainable growth and high-quality jobs.
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