DS Smith, a leading manufacturer of sustainable corrugated cardboard packaging solutions in Greece, is actively contributing to the advancement of the country’s agri-food sector by partnering for the second consecutive year with the organization ‘New Agriculture New Generation’ to support the industry, this time by backing the TrophyΤροφή program. Specifically, DS Smith Hellas will support three meet-ups of the program, with the main theme being ‘Reducing the use of plastic in the agri-food sector,’ which will take place during the last four months of 2024 at three universities across the country.
But what exactly is TrophyΤροφή?
TrophyΤροφή is an innovative initiative that highlights and rewards pioneering business ideas and startups in the fields of agritechnology, food technology, and agrologistics, offering products and services that utilize innovative technologies, even at the early stages of development (pre-seed). So far, thanks to this program, 122 startups from this sector have already been supported.
The meet-ups are an integral part of TrophyΤροφή. There, students, startuppers, new entrepreneurs, and researchers come into contact with research institutions, investors, mentors, and companies, working together to develop new groundbreaking ideas through hands-on workshops.
For DS Smith, the adoption of sustainable development practices and circular economy is at the core of its activities, and the transformation of the agrifood sector can be framed by innovative and environmentally friendly packaging solutions that will enhance the added value of the final products. In this context, the company supports in the three meet-ups the thematic section titled: ‘Reducing the use of plastic in the agrifood sector.’
Mr. George Filippoglou, DS Smith Managing Director for the Greece cluster, stated: ‘We are particularly pleased that for another year we stand by New Agriculture New Generation, as through this collaboration we have contributed to strengthening the agri-food sector while highlighting the crucial role that corrugated cardboard packaging plays in promoting the country’s sustainable development.’
The three Meet-ups supported by DS Smith Hellas are the following:
- Trophy Meet-up co-organized with the Agricultural University of Athens.
- Trophy Meet-up co-organized with the University of the Peloponnese.
- Trophy Meet-up co-organized with the University of Macedonia.
Ms. Effie Lazaridou, CEO of the organization New Agriculture New Generation, stated: ‘TrophyΤροφή is a meaningful initiative that connects the academic community with the industry and the market in the critical agri-food sector. Every year it brings hundreds of students and researchers into contact with innovative companies through the TrophyΤροφή meet-ups that are held at universities across Greece, providing an effective platform for the exchange of business ideas and experiences. More than 700 students have participated in the program’s meet-ups over the past two years, working on developing innovative solutions and starting to design their first entrepreneurial steps. DS Smith, a pioneering company in corrugated cardboard packaging that invests in sustainable practices, supports 3 meet-ups, enriching the content of the TrophyΤροφή initiative.’
DS Smith is headquartered in London and is a member of the FTSE 100, operating in 34 countries and employing approximately 30,000 people, with its history dating back to packaging production companies from 1940. In Greece, the company has been present for the last 65 years with factories in Corinth, Thessaloniki, and Crete, employing over 400 workers in total. DS Smith Hellas actively supports the TrophyΤροφή initiative of the organization New Agriculture New Generation, with the aim of boosting innovation and sustainability in Greece’s agrifood ecosystem through a substantial and reliable effort to accelerate startup entrepreneurship.
TrophyΤροφή has been successfully implemented since 2019 by the organization New Agriculture New Generation, thanks to the founding grant of the Stavros Niarchos Foundation (SNF).
