The first edition of the Khalifa Fund for Enterprise Development’s ‘Level Up’ project, which enables SMEs and startups to scale and reach new heights, was completed successfully in collaboration with the Abu Dhabi Agriculture and Food Safety Authority (ADAFSA), ADIO Catalyst, and Wageningen University and Research.
The first version of the program witnessed 10 shortlisted agritech startups go through 5-weeks of training and mentorship before a final pitching day, where Circa BioTech, a food waste management solution, and CODE Three Fourteen Technologies, a company that helps improve agricultural yield, were titled as winners.
Alia Al Mazrouei, Advisor to the Chairman of the Department of Economic Development, stated, “We congratulate Circa BioTech and CODE Three Fourteen Technologies for coming out at the top for this edition of Level-Up. The programme was developed to provide a complete ecosystem to help SMEs and startups seize new opportunities and continue to excel post-pandemic.
“COVID-19 has changed how the world works and while most of these companies recognise the urgency of reinventing their business models to remain competitive and propel growth, they need assistance in navigating this uncharted territory. Level Up brings seamless access to new markets, technologies, and expertise to entrepreneurs, startups, and SMEs – who are at the very heart of Abu Dhabi’s economy.”
Agritech companies, Circa BioTech and CODE Three Fourteen Technologies, are working to solve some of agriculture’s most significant issues. Circa Biotech aims to address the massive amounts of organic waste that are typically disposed of in landfills. Circa Biotech uses Black Soldier Fly Larvae to upcycle the waste into high-quality products rather than disposing it. As a result, high-quality organic fertilizers, proteins, and lipids are produced, which can be used in aquaculture and animal production, as well as to boost agricultural growth.
CODE Three Fourteen Technologies is an Abu Dhabi-based agritech software company that is developing innovative drone autonomous technologies to boost crop yield, reduce pesticide use, and solve the challenges of dwindling food production and diminishing water resources as the world’s population grows.
Haythem Riahi, CEO of Circa BioTech, said, “The post-pandemic world has brought forth an entirely new set of challenges and opportunities that many new companies are grappling with. Initiatives like Level-Up by Khalifa Fund are crucial to boost the local industry and encourage SMEs and startups in the country to keep innovating and pushing boundaries.”
Mohammad Al Moosa, CEO of CODE Three Fourteen Technologies, said, “By 2050, the world’s rising temperatures will reduce crop yield by 2-4 percent while certain areas will lose crop production entirely. On the other hand, the earth’s growing population and its demand for food will increase considerably. A global effort today is required to tackle these issues and CODE is committed in being part of this global initiative.”
The initiative will be implemented in several stages, each lasting between 2 and 4.5 months in accordance with the specialized sectors. The framework of the program includes t wo months of learning and mentoring, a forum and demo day, and two meetup events. Finance, ICT, health services, biopharma, tourism, and real estate will all be included in upcoming editions, in addition to agriculture technology.
This segment of the program will play a critical role in increasing productivity, protecting ecosystems, enhancing local production, reducing waste in the agriculture sector, improving nutrition, and forming potential partnerships to diversify food sources in the country through the emergence of innovative and modern solutions.