Women Founders & Funders Singapore 2025: Celebrating Agrifood Innovation

Thursday, 2 October 2025 — Women Founders & Funders Singapore has announced the 10 outstanding entrepreneurs who will be pitching on Wednesday, 5 November 2025, during Singapore International Agri-Food Week. These innovators represent the next wave of agrifoodtech innovation.

A Global Movement

Women are leading with science, empathy, and bold vision to reimagine food systems worldwide. The selected founders come from a competitive pool of applicants, showcasing a geographic expansion to 15 countries (2x increase). Notably, Singapore (31%), New Zealand (14%), and Thailand (11%) are leading the submissions. In contrast, Australia (41%) and Singapore (33%) dominated applications in 2024, indicating a shift toward Southeast Asian innovation hubs.

Innovative Solutions for a Sustainable Future

We are witnessing solutions that regenerate rather than deplete resources. Technologies rooted in functional nutrition, climate resilience, and circular design have the potential to significantly impact climate change. The technologies span various areas, including functional ingredients (17.3%), climate resilience (14.8%), and circular models (12.3%). The application scoring criteria focused on product innovation, commercial viability, traction, and climate impact potential.

"The 2025 Women Founders and Funders Singapore cohort demonstrates that women-led innovation in agrifoodtech is about traction. These founders are already revenue-stage, with certifications, pilots, and customers, proving that climate-positive solutions can be commercially compelling," said Rebecca Sharpe, Director of Singapore-based Better Earth Ventures. "From regenerative soil and smart supply chains to novel ingredients, circular materials, and health innovations, these startups showcase the breadth of agrifood innovation. Women receive minimal venture capital, and this initiative spotlights visionary leaders proving Asia’s role as a global growth engine."

Meet the Innovators

Presenting the Women Founders and Funders Singapore 2025 cohort:

• Michelle Arsjad (Indonesia): Aquabloom is a seaweed biotech company turning tropical seaweed into next-generation biostimulants. These biostimulants raise crop yields by 20-40% while delivering high ROI for farmers. By linking coastal and land-based farmers in a full-circle model, Aquabloom restores marine ecosystems and advances the blue economy.

  
  

• Huyen Tran (Vietnam): DHF Platforms is an agrifood company delivering traceable, high-quality produce from smallholder farms in Vietnam (68% women-led) to retail and export markets. They use tech-driven sourcing and their Crop-IQ platform to tackle food waste, rural inequality, and consumer trust.

  
  

• Shelley Houston (New Zealand): KiwiLeather Innovations transforms kiwifruit waste into a premium bio-based, plant-based Next-Gen material. This non-toxic, water-resistant, and circular material proves that sustainability and luxury can thrive together in fashion, automotive, and furniture worldwide.

  
  

• Avika Narula (Thailand): Living Roots accelerates regenerative agriculture with data-driven biological fertilizers. These fertilizers boost yields, rebuild soil health, and help farmers transition off synthetics, improving profitability and sustainability.

  
  

• Paige Whitehead (Canada): Lux Bio engineers proteins that generate light. From the depths of the oceans to emergency response and space exploration, the future of light is safe and sustainable.

  
  

• Dr. Anli Geng (Singapore): Mycosortia is reinventing chocolate with cocoa-free, AI-optimized alternatives. They use proprietary microbial mixed-culture technology to address cost, sustainability, and accessibility in confectionery.

  
  

• Dr. Jaslyn Lee (Singapore): N&E Innovations is turning food waste into Vikang, a patented, food-safe antimicrobial agent. This innovation extends shelf life, reduces post-harvest loss, and replaces plastic packaging with sustainable, scalable solutions across Asia’s agri-food system.

  
  

• Elén Faxö (Sweden): OlsAro Crop Biotech is fast-tracking climate-resilient cereals with its proprietary biotech engine SeedAX. This technology secures food supply in a changing climate by delivering salinity and heat-tolerant wheat and rapidly expanding to additional traits and cereals.

  
  

• Dr. Olivia Ogilvie (New Zealand): Opo Bio is pioneering scalable biomanufacturing with patented cell line technology. They offer tailored development services, enabling long-term growth and production of cell-derived ingredients like collagen for industry-wide impact.

  
  

• Kimberley Bray (New Zealand): Tertiary Extracts transforms agricultural by-products into clinically backed health ingredients. Led by Ovitage® Collagen and their Everee brand, they deliver sustainable, traceable nutrition for women across life stages while reducing waste.

  
  

The Impact of Women-Led Ventures

"As venture investors, we are excited to see such amazing businesses founded by women in this year’s program," says Jenn Burka, Investor with FTW Ventures. "Historically, startups led by women are faster to revenue and return more of the capital invested. Therefore, we see a huge opportunity for generating meaningful profit for investors in these businesses."

A Collaborative Effort

Now in its fourth year, Women Founders and Funders Singapore complements the annual San Francisco event of the same name. This program thrives on collaboration with strategic partners such as Better Earth Ventures, MarTech Collective, Rebbeck Consulting, and Tomorrow Studio Ventures. It also receives ecosystem support from Foundational, Epic Angels, and WOMAG.

Join the Movement

To join the room where change is happening, register your interest to attend before 22 October 2025. For more information, visit the programme website, follow Better Earth Ventures on LinkedIn, and join the conversation #WomenFouFun.

Media contact: Nathalie Gibson | nathalie@martechcollective.com | Whatsapp +61 403 135 416

About Better Earth Ventures

Better Earth Ventures is dedicated to accelerating the development and deployment of transformative technologies and initiatives that mitigate climate change and promote sustainable living. Located in Singapore, we serve as a pivotal gateway to Asia-Pacific, with a strong regional network of commercial partners, investors, and mentors to help growth-stage businesses scale sustainably across borders. Through collaboration, mentorship, and strategic partnerships, we empower visionary entrepreneurs to drive tangible impact and pave the way for a resilient and thriving planet.

About MarTech Collective

MarTech Collective is a brand, marketing, and communications agency dedicated to empowering pioneering tech-driven innovators. We believe in the power of innovation to transform our world for the better. Our mission is to amplify the voices of trailblazers who are committed to sustainable solutions and positive change, reshaping industries and driving significant changes in the way we live and work for the future of our planet.