N&E Innovations won the $50,000 Green Shoots Pitch Competition, organised by Gulffood Green and supported by the UAE Ministry of Economy.

Sean Lew, the Head of Growth for N&E Innovations, led the pitch and explained their concept, which turns food waste into a powerful antimicrobial additive through ViKang. The ViKang is a patented 99.9% antimicrobial agent that contains no heavy metals or toxic and harsh chemicals.

The company believes that the prize will help support N&E Innovations’ growth and development.

The Green Shoots Pitch Competition, a platform designed to spotlight and support innovative startups in the sustainable food and agriculture sector, is a significant event in the industry. It gave selected start-ups the chance to pitch to a global audience of VCs, angel investors and potential customers. Start-ups were shortlisted to pitch from over 130 food and ag-tech startups exhibiting in the Green Shoots Startup Zone, with the competition supported by the UAE Ministry of Economy.

Food and agtech start up angel investor, mentor and advisor Daniel Ruben was part of the judging panel, as well as giving a keynote speech on day one of the Food for Future Summit. He commented:
“To address the challenges we face, we must come together to identify and agree on the issues at hand, and whether they relate to policy, information and education, or technology and innovation – and then collaboratively find solutions. It is crucial to bring together investors, entrepreneurs, scientists, policymakers, and other stakeholders committed to building a better food system and continuing the progress already made.