The planet is currently HOT, HUNGRY, and CROWDED. Climate change, rapid urbanization, and a growing population affect food and nutrition security leaving millions malnourished. Government programs supporting nutrition are underfunded, aid initiatives have a limited reach, and the private sector does not currently do enough to aid proper nutrition. Business, as usual, is therefore not enough. We need a new generation of innovators who can solve one of humanity’s most pressing challenges: how can we nourish and sustain 10 billion people by 2050 without hurting our planet? On August 6, 2020, the fifth edition of the Elevator Pitch Contest (EPC) hosted by Sight and Life, a competition amongst innovators, was held online. The edition was supported by UNITLIFE, a new fund hosted by the United Nations and exclusively dedicated to the prevention of chronic malnutrition, and brings disruptive ideas that will change the current way nutrition is delivered. The EPC’s goal is to identify and support projects that can be implemented and produce a meaningful impact in the short term. To stimulate innovation, the EPC looks to identify and support projects that can provide climate-smart solutions for better nutrition. Congratulations to these EPC finalists who made it to the final round ahead of over 200 applicants from 46 countries. These entrepreneurs pitched their innovative solutions changing the way nutrition is delivered and competed for a grand prize of US$5,000 and an Audience Award worth US$1,000. Esnath Divasoni | Zimbabwe | Glorified Community Empowerment Trust (GCET) GCET empowers rural communities to improve their livelihoods. By working with a community’s vulnerable members, GCET ensures they receive the nutrition that they deserve through farmed insects and provides training on nutritional topics. Esnath, its founder, is a recent graduate from EARTH University in Costa Rica. She is passionate about community development and unleashing the potential in the forgotten communities. Melissa Stephanie Kartjito | Indonesia | Gama Mlindang Team Mlindang Spray Coating is a spray-based edible coating that seals uneaten or unused food parts so people can meet nutritional needs while reducing waste. The sustainable spray is made through a simple and easy processes and uses inexpensive and easily found materials or waste products such as shrimp skin ormelinjo seed. The Gama Mlindang team consists of three agile-minded, change-focused students from the Universitas Gadjah Mada in Indonesia: Melissa, Eka, and Nadia. Dysmus Kisilu | Kenya | Solar Freeze Solar Freeze is pioneering portable cold storage units powered by solar energy for rural, smallholder farmers of perishable produce, to help them reduce the vast challenge of post-harvest food loss that currently accounts for more than 45% of all perishable produce going to waste in developing countries. Rio Lawandra | The Netherlands | Enakke Enakke is a high protein and flavor-rich seasoning to be sprinkled in your daily food and is made with herbs and viable ingredients such as moringa leaves and crickets. Without change eating habits, Enakke will help consumers enjoy delicious and sustainable food consumption. Dennis Nyarko | Ghana | After Energy Dennis is the Founder and CEO of After Energy Ventures, a Black Soldier Fly (BSF) Biowaste treatment facility that would feed food scraps to BSF larvae and then process the larvae into protein meals for aquaculture businesses and feed producers worldwide. Dennis is an award-winning, young environmentalist who is passionate about conservation in Africa. Through innovative enterprises, he is creating sustainable community development projects to help build a greener world. Kelvin Ogholi | Nigeria | AgroVie Agrovie is a social enterprise that up-cycles food waste from breweries, food service organizations, and farms into low-cost animal feed and bio-fertilizer. Kelvin Ogholi, its founder, is a young farmer, social entrepreneur, and innovator. He is very passionate about farmers and his boldest ambition is to see poverty reversed in the lives of Nigerians and African farmers. Alejandro Ortega | Costa Rica | Costa Rica Insect Company The Costa Rica Insect Company creates sustainable and healthy food solutions using insects to provide a solution to malnutrition and future food scarcity. Alejandro Ortega is an expert in Business Communications, with a passion for creating sustainable solutions to save the world, experienced leader and an entrepreneur. He is the CEO of Sibo Inc. & Costa Rica Insect Company. Find out where some of the past EPC finalists are now by reading this blog post.each, and the private sector does not currently do enough to aid proper nutrition. Business, as usual, is therefore not enough. We need a new generation of innovators who can solve one of humanity’s most pressing challenges: how can we nourish and sustain 10 billion people by 2050 without hurting our planet? On August 6, 2020, the fifth edition of the Elevator Pitch Contest (EPC) hosted by Sight and Life, a competition amongst innovators, was held online. The edition was supported by UNITLIFE, a new fund hosted by the United Nations and exclusively dedicated to the prevention of chronic malnutrition, and brings disruptive ideas that will change the current way nutrition is delivered. The EPC’s goal is to identify and support projects that can be implemented and produce a meaningful impact in the short term. To stimulate innovation, the EPC looks to identify and support projects that can provide climate-smart solutions for better nutrition. Congratulations to these EPC finalists who made it to the final round ahead of over 200 applicants from 46 countries. These entrepreneurs pitched their innovative solutions changing the way nutrition is delivered and competed for a grand prize of US$5,000 and an Audience Award worth US$1,000. Esnath Divasoni | Zimbabwe | Glorified Community Empowerment Trust (GCET) GCET empowers rural communities to improve their livelihoods. By working with a community’s vulnerable members, GCET ensures they receive the nutrition that they deserve through farmed insects and provides training on nutritional topics. Esnath, its founder, is a recent graduate from EARTH University in Costa Rica. She is passionate about community development and unleashing the potential in the forgotten communities. Melissa Stephanie Kartjito | Indonesia | Gama Mlindang Team Mlindang Spray Coating is a spray-based edible coating that seals uneaten or unused food parts so people can meet nutritional needs while reducing waste. The sustainable spray is made through a simple and easy processes and uses inexpensive and easily found materials or waste products such as shrimp skin ormelinjo seed. The Gama Mlindang team consists of three agile-minded, change-focused students from the Universitas Gadjah Mada in Indonesia: Melissa, Eka, and Nadia. Dysmus Kisilu | Kenya | Solar Freeze Solar Freeze is pioneering portable cold storage units powered by solar energy for rural, smallholder farmers of perishable produce, to help them reduce the vast challenge of post-harvest food loss that currently accounts for more than 45% of all perishable produce going to waste in developing countries. Rio Lawandra | The Netherlands | Enakke Enakke is a high protein and flavor-rich seasoning to be sprinkled in your daily food and is made with herbs and viable ingredients such as moringa leaves and crickets. Without change eating habits, Enakke will help consumers enjoy delicious and sustainable food consumption. Dennis Nyarko | Ghana | After Energy Dennis is the Founder and CEO of After Energy Ventures, a Black Soldier Fly (BSF) Biowaste treatment facility that would feed food scraps to BSF larvae and then process the larvae into protein meals for aquaculture businesses and feed producers worldwide. Dennis is an award-winning, young environmentalist who is passionate about conservation in Africa. Through innovative enterprises, he is creating sustainable community development projects to help build a greener world. Kelvin Ogholi | Nigeria | AgroVie Agrovie is a social enterprise that up-cycles food waste from breweries, food service organizations, and farms into low-cost animal feed and bio-fertilizer. Kelvin Ogholi, its founder, is a young farmer, social entrepreneur, and innovator. He is very passionate about farmers and his boldest ambition is to see poverty reversed in the lives of Nigerians and African farmers. Alejandro Ortega | Costa Rica | Costa Rica Insect Company The Costa Rica Insect Company creates sustainable and healthy food solutions using insects to provide a solution to malnutrition and future food scarcity. Alejandro Ortega is an expert in Business Communications, with a passion for creating sustainable solutions to save the world, experienced leader and an entrepreneur. He is the CEO of Sibo Inc. & Costa Rica Insect Company. Find out where some of the past EPC finalists are now by reading this blog post.