Rootical is a collaboration between Shona and Fresh Ventures Studio.
We share a common purpose:
Equipping talented entrepreneurs with the tools, skills, networks and capital to build food system shaking businesses.
Meet our team
Leading Partners
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Shona
Shona provides Business Advisory and Business Training to help SME’s grow revenues and become profitable businesses since 2013. We teamed up with Shona because of our shared urgency to build businesses that matter. They are the expert partner for developing good businesses in Uganda.
Shona is a key business development services provider in the field of regenerative agriculture in East Africa. Shona’s management has been a de facto co-founder of Root!cal.
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Fresh Ventures Studio
Fresh builds new companies that accelerate a circular and regenerative food system. Fresh launched in 2021 to work alongside founders to address the world’s most pressing problems through scalable impact-ventures. Initially their focus is on the European food system.
Taking the initiative to develop Root!cal with Shona, Hannes joined Fresh Ventures’ structure to jointly implement a context-specific startup studio in Uganda.
Financial Partners
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The DOEN Foundation
The DOEN Foundation supports pioneers who are committed to a green, socially-inclusive and creative society. Because of our frontrunner role in testing steward ownership and the start-up studio model in East Africa, DOEN was the first partner to commit to supporting us.
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Biovision
Biovision – Foundation for Ecological Development, works towards a healthy planet thanks to sustainable food and ecological development. Biovision provided us with catalytic support and are building the ecosystem and the business case for investing in Agroecology alongside us.
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The French Embassy in Uganda
As part of a larger FSPI project to “promote agile methodologies and innovative training to enable decent, sustainable and income-generating employability for Ugandan youth”, The French Embassy in Uganda is the third and decisive funder to power our pilot.
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Belgian Private Family Foundation
An anonymous private family foundation from Belgium decided to give us structural funding for the period 2023-2025. Their support gives us financial runway to move from our pilot onto the next stage during this period.
Our global network of Rootical experts
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Louise Luttikholt
IFOAM Organics International, former Executive Director
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Rushongoka Wa-Mpiira
Nyanza Ecological, Founder & Chief Forest Maker
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Piloya Innocent
Ribbo Coffee, Founder and Managing Director
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Romain Diaz
Satgana CEO and Climate Tech Impact Investor
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Fabio Leippert
Investing in the Agroecological Business Case at Biovision
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Stayce Nimusiima
Innovation Programme Manager and Advisor at WFP
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Daria Urman
Purpose Economy, Investment Partner in Steward Ownership
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Khamutima Tumwebaze
Young Farmer Champions Network, Founding Director
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Adrien Sicsic
CEO at La Ruche qui dit Oui! (short food supply chains e-commerce)
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Elizabeth Withlow
Regenerative Organic Alliance, Executive Director
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Frank Aswani
African Venture Philanthropy Alliance, Executive Director
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Jonas Malisse
Co-founder EatMoreTrees, former VP Global Expansion TGTG
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Christine Gould
Next gen food entrepreneurship as Founder and CEO at Thought For Food
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Jyoti Banerjee
Accelerating systemic change and co-founder at North Star Transition
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David Amudavi
Biovision Africa Trust, Director, and ICIPE, Programme Coordinator
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Gert van Veldhuisen
BID Capital partners, Co-founder, and Unknown Group, Director Africa
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Enrico Fantini
Swiss Entrepreneurship Programme, Global Manager
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Bart van der Zande
Fresh Ventures Studio, Founder & Director + Rootical Partner
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... And many more Experts!
We couldn’t ask our entire global network of experts to be featured here