Boston and New YorkBoston and NY

Food Circularity in Action

Swissnex and Swiss Business Hub USA present a conversation with innovators who are redesigning the way we grow, process, and distribute food.

Food waste is a global challenge with enormous economic and environmental costs, responsible for 8–10% of global greenhouse gas emissions and nearly 1 trillion USD in lost value each year. Around the world, innovators are pioneering ways to address food waste that benefit businesses, communities, and the planet, from AI-powered waste analysis in professional kitchens to upcycling waste streams into new products to regenerative farming that reduces waste at the source.

This event, presented by Swissnex and Swiss Business Hub USA at the Planetary Embassy during Climate Week NYC, brings together innovators, farmers, scientists, policymakers, and investors who are rethinking the way we produce, consume, and dispose of food.

This interactive panel features Swiss and American voices who will share learnings from their respective journeys as startups and established businesses, and insights into the future of food, upcycling, and tangible steps toward food circularity.

Program

  • 5:30pm – Doors open
  • 6:00pm – Welcome remarks
  • 6:10pm – Panel discussion
  • 6:40pm – Q&A
  • 7:00pm – Networking
  • 8:00pm – End of event
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Event start time

  • New York

    5:30PM

Speakers

  •

    Bio

    Valentin Holz

    Senior Sales Manager
    KITRO

    Valentin Holz is the US Business Development Lead at KITRO, a Swiss food waste technology company. In this role, he partners with hospitality and food service providers to implement data-driven solutions that cut waste and improve operational efficiency. With extensive experience in business development and sales for innovative technologies, Valentin connects industry expertise with impactful solutions. He has supported leading hotel groups and universities across Europe and North America in achieving measurable cost savings and significant reductions in food waste. Passionate about sustainability and business impact, Valentin works with industry stakeholders to accelerate the transition toward a more resource-efficient food system.

  •

    Bio

    Gerardo Martinez

    Founder
    Wild Kid Acres

    Gerardo Martinez is a Naval Academy graduate and former Marine Corps Officer. After his service, inspired by a community farm he visited in Cameroon, Gerardo returned to the U.S. with a mission to recreate that spirit. He purchased a rundown property in Edgewater, Maryland, and transformed it into Wild Kid Acres, a thriving regenerative farm. Gerardo is also the founder of the Maryland International Agriculture Conference, which promotes global collaboration on food accessibility and climate awareness. As the CEO of the Global Alliance for Latinos in Agriculture (GALA), a pioneering initiative, he leads with a wealth of experience, energy, and a relentless drive to get things done, making him the perfect leader for this endeavor aimed at empowering Latino farmers and ranchers worldwide. In his spare time, he enjoys rock climbing, competing in the Mexican Rodeo (Charreada), and spending time with his wife and two young children.

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    Bio

    Winson Wong

    Co-Founder and CEO
    Afterlife Ag

    Winson is the Co-Founder and CEO of Afterlife Mushrooms, a circular farming startup that is diverting food waste from landfills and turning it into a substrate to grow sustainable, local, and fresh mushrooms. Winson grew up in a food services family and spent his weekends helping his family business with customer service, packing bags of food, and operations. Before building Afterlife Mushrooms, Winson was the Co-Founder of Leap Venture Studio, investing in sustainable pet care startups. He also led business development for Twitter’s enterprise products working with CPG and hospitality companies. Winson is a fourth culture immigrant (born in Hong Kong, lived in Taiwan, grew up in Australia, and currently working in the USA). He is based in Brooklyn with his 15-year-old pup, Marlow.

Moderator

  •

    Bio

    Irini Katopodis

    Trade Commissioner
    Swiss Business Hub USA

    Irini is a Trade Commissioner with the Swiss Business Hub USA, within the Consulate General of Switzerland in New York. She focuses on bridging Switzerland with the American market, strengthening bilateral relations between the two countries, while spearheading the continued entrance and expansion of Swiss Excellence in the USA. A former geopolitical consultant and professional athlete, Irini brings passion and tenacity to her role as part of Team Switzerland.

    When she’s not wrapped up in exciting internationalization discussions with innovative Swiss companies, you’ll find her hosting dinner parties, exploring the streets of Manhattan, and happily sampling the NYC culinary scene.

Planetary Embassy

This event is part of the Planetary Embassy at Climate Week NYC, a pop-up venue hosted by Swissnex from September 23 to 25 in the East Village dedicated to international, interdisciplinary, and interspecies collaboration. The Planetary Embassy explores how we can work with the more-than-human world to address urgent and interconnected planetary crises through conversations, installations, film screenings, and more, with contributions from Switzerland, New York, and beyond.

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