At the grand final of the EIT Jumpstarter 2024 competition in Budapest, which this year marked the 10th anniversary of the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT), Ukrainian startup AgRE took second place in the ReBuild Ukraine category. This innovative technology is aimed at solving the global problem of soil degradation and is already demonstrating the potential for a large-scale impact on agriculture both in Ukraine and around the world, SEEDS writes.
“I found out about EIT Jumpstarter thanks to my supervisor, Yurii Ivanovych Danko, who invited graduate students to apply for the competition in the spring of 2024.
As a graduate 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 an ideal opportunity to develop scientific and practical ideas,” says Kateryna Zvereva, a graduate student at SNAU and co-founder of the AgRE startup.
AgRE’s success at EIT Food Jumpstarter
The grand final of The Next Decade of Innovations for the Future of Europe was the culmination of a long selection process that lasted more than six months. Among 49 innovative finalist companies selected from around the world, AgRE has demonstrated its uniqueness and promise.
The participants went through several stages of the competition, including trainings and mentoring from leading industry experts. This year’s ReBuild Ukraine category was specially created to support innovations that contribute to the recovery of Ukraine.
AgRE, which won second place, not only gained international recognition but also confirmed its ability to effectively address the challenges of soil degradation in wartime.
“Soil degradation is one of the most pressing environmental issues of our time. According to the FAO, the world loses 24 billion tons of fertile soil every year, which affects the lives of more than 3 billion people. The level of land erosion in Ukraine was one of the highest in the world, reaching 54%, and in some regions – more than 70% (before the full-scale invasion).
Currently, more than 33% of agricultural land has been severely degraded by military operations, and 4 million hectares suffer from salinity,” says Kateryna Zvereva, co-founder of the startup, PhD student at Sumy National Agrarian University, and Development Director of the Ukrainian Fruit and Vegetable Association.
“AgRE offers an innovative solution – a technology that neutralizes pathogenic salts, reduces soil compaction, and restores pH balance. The technology is versatile and can be applied through any irrigation system or tillage method, making it integrated into existing agricultural practices.
Globally, we are facing an urgent problem of soil degradation, with an annual loss of 24 billion tons of fertile soil, affecting more than 3 billion people. In Ukraine, about 4 million hectares are affected by salinization, which is 6.6% of the country’s territory.
By 2050, there is a potential risk that 95% of the Earth’s surface will be covered by degraded soils. Over the past 130 years, Ukrainian soils have lost 30% of their humus and have experienced a high level of plowing (53%).
Mykhailo Soroka, farmer, co-founder of AgRE:
“The problem of land salinization has been accumulating in Ukraine for decades. It is a latent process that affects not only the south of the country, where irrigation is actively used, but also coastal areas, where the sea breeze gradually deposits salt on the soil. Salinization is a global problem: 25% of the earth’s surface is affected by salt.
We approach it systematically, introducing a technology that can neutralize salts in the soil in 10-20 years, and then switch to a preventive mode to prevent this problem from occurring again.”
“Our technology is based on a chemical reaction that eliminates the main problem – harmful salts. We propose to use the reagent in minimal doses, which neutralizes salt in the soil and creates conditions for its recovery. The soil becomes loose, natural processes are activated, and as a result, agricultural producers are able to use biotechnology even in previously saline areas.”
Kateryna Zvereva, co-founder of AgRE:
“We are creating a revitalizer that literally restores life in the soil. This innovation allows us to solve salinity issues comprehensively and effectively. Our approach is inspired by the successful experience of the United States, which overcame this problem back in the 1980s with the support of the government and business. We are confident that the introduction of this technology in Ukraine will be an important step towards sustainable agriculture and restoration of land productivity.”
War as a catalyst for soil degradation
The destruction caused by the war in Ukraine has added a new dimension to the problem of land degradation. Each explosion leaves a trace in the form of soil contamination and destruction of its fertile layer. This creates an urgent need to implement restoration technologies. AgRE is an example of how innovations can help cope with the consequences of war and at the same time contribute to the sustainable development of the agricultural sector.
Results and prospects
The technology has already been tested as part of a pilot project in the Dnipro region, on the lands of Khlibodar Agrofirm, where a noticeable improvement in soil condition was achieved on 20 hectares of garlic.
“AgRE is not just an innovation, it is a contribution to the global fight against soil salinity. We strive to help agricultural producers not only solve this problem, but also create conditions for the ecological and sustainable development of the agricultural sector in Ukraine and the world,” says Mykhailo Soroka.
EIT Jumpstarter launches innovative startups to address the most pressing societal challenges
At the EIT Jumpstarter Grand Final, 24 new science-based startups were awarded: 49 teams from 21 countries competed in 9 categories, sharing a prize pool of €150,000.
This was the culmination of this year’s edition of the EIT Jumpstarter pre-acceleration program, an initiative of the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT), a European Union body that aims to develop innovative ideas and turn them into promising businesses.
The program has already trained 1,180 participants, resulting in 124 new startups in developing countries and 2,100 new jobs. Plans for 2025 include additional support for talent from Ukraine, the Western Balkans, the Mediterranean, and the farthest reaches of the EU.
“Every year, the number of startups created in countries outside Western Europe by programs like EIT Jumpstarter is growing, and many of them have reached a valuation of millions of euros,” said Peter Boulanger, EIT Jumpstarter program representative.
“This is crucial for closing the funding gap in the European innovation ecosystem. The program helps create new jobs, brings new skills and stimulates entrepreneurship in the region. Given that every euro invested in the program generates 30 euros of external funding for startups, EIT Jumpstarter is truly a springboard for talented entrepreneurs,” he added.
Over the course of the seven-month program, participants identified and tested the best business models for their science-based innovation ideas. The goal was to turn these ideas into market-ready startups. Out of 600 applications, only 180 innovators were selected for training, and the best 49 teams competed in the final in Budapest, which included a dynamic session of live presentations divided into eight industry categories ranging from food technology to energy.
Three winners were selected in each category. In addition, the best alumni of the previous editions of the program also presented their achievements after completing the program and competed in the ninth category.
Rebuild Ukraine category – focus on Ukraine
This year, special attention was paid to the Rebuild Ukraine category, which exclusively featured Ukrainian startups. These startups are focused 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 is Drone NonDestructive Testing.
The list of finalists of Ukrainian startups includes:
Unconventional Lithium Production (EIT RawMaterials)
UrbanGeoWonders (New European Bauhaus)
Drive in Five! (EIT Urban Mobility)
AgTech startup AgRe (Rebuild Ukraine)
CathodMiner (Rebuild Ukraine)
Demining Ukraine with Us! (Rebuild Ukraine)
Drone NonDestructive Testing (Rebuild Ukraine)
Golos (Rebuild Ukraine)
INFINITY MAGNITUDE BATTERIES (Rebuild Ukraine)
VeraNet (Rebuild Ukraine)
The European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT) strengthens Europe’s capacity to innovate by providing solutions to global challenges and developing entrepreneurial talent to create sustainable growth and high-skilled jobs.
The EIT Jumpstarter brings together and recognizes the most promising innovative start-ups based on science-based ideas to address global challenges.
Ukraine as a global center of innovation in the agricultural sector
AgRE’s place among the top three winners at EIT Jumpstarter 2024, as well as 10 Ukrainian startups in the Grand Final of the prestigious global competition, emphasizes the enormous potential of Ukraine as a source of innovation for the global agricultural sector.
