About ICL
ICL is a global leader in the field of agriculture, food, and engineered materials, and continually seeks with its unparalleled R&D infrastructure to develop innovative solutions for humanity’s greatest sustainability challenges.
Planet Startup Hub
ICL Planet Startup Hub is the vehicle in which ICL chooses to work with innovative companies, synergize with their novelty, and short-cut their way to global play.
Our ICL Planet Startup Hub offers a unique flexible hybrid innovation model that uses various startup incubator and startup accelerator elements to synergize ICL’s resources, expertise, mentorship, and infrastructure with early-stage innovative AgTech startups and FoodTech startups with the goal to make an impact in the world we live in and in the AgriFood Tech ecosystem.
Together, we can grow game-changing technology and address vital global sustainability concerns, in order to create significant environmental transformation!
Meet the team
Hadar
Sutovsky
General Manager of ICL Planet & ICL VP External Innovation Hadar brings an extensive experience in innovation, incubation investments, global business development in FoodTech, Sustainable AgTech and IMPACT technology, together with an in-depth scientific approach. Before joining ICL Hadar was a Managing Partner in Aquagro Fund which is a dedicated impact investment management firm. Along her professional path Hadar led Innovation and investments in areas of AgriFood & Sustainability for the Global Unilever Open Innovation Hub in TLV, and Frutarom. Hadar holds both an MBA in Business and Innovation and MSc in Molecular Microbiology & Biotechnology from Tel Aviv University. She is a mentor at the Mass Challenge accelerator, at the European EIT Food Accelerator Network (FAN), and at Startup Bootcamp accelerator in Rome.
Guy
Cooper
Business development lead Guy is a trusted advisor and former senior crop protection executive, focused on creating long-term value through selective M&A, portfolio differentiation, asset allocation and operational excellence. Over the course of 20+ years, Guy held senior executive positions at STK bio-ag technologies group and ADAMA Ltd. and acted as lead advisor to a variety of industry players ranging from Agtech/biotech startups to very large multinationals. Guy holds an MBA (with honors) specializing in Marketing, Finance and Organizational Behavior. He also holds a BA in Economics and International Affairs. Both degrees are from The Hebrew University of Jerusalem. Guy is also the owner of Cooper Investment and Consulting a consultancy focused on the agricultural space.
Sathaporn
Srichuwong, PhD
FoodTech Front End Innovation Leader
Sathaporn has over 15 years of scientific research and professional experience the B2B and B2C food industry including various leadership roles in R&D, project management, scientific & regulatory affairs, innovation management and corporate venturing.
He is an experienced innovation manager with a proven track record in technology scouting, innovation pipeline development, and strategic investment in foodtech startups, covering several categories such as: alternative proteins, plant-based alternatives, gut health & microbiome, and ingredient innovation (e.g. clean-label ingredients, sugar substitutes). Sathaporn holds a PhD in Food Chemistry from Mie University, Japan.
Natanja
Slager, PhD
AgTech Front End Innovation Leader
Natanja has over 15 years of executive management experience in the biotech, agritech, and foodtech industries. She has expertise in scaling companies from scratch, while overseeing general operational management, innovation management, and business development.
Natanja has a PhD in Bioinformatics from the Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research and an international EMBA from the Kellogg School of Management from Tel Aviv University. Prior to her role at ICL, Natanja was COO of Rootility .Ltd and founded NeSS Projects, where she provided consultancy services to both startups and corporate companies in organizational alignment, strategic planning and business development
Roza
Aminov
Deal Flow & Ecosystem Manager Roza has a passion for discovering business opportunities, analyzing competitors in agrifood tech, promoting change, and making a significant economic and environmental impact. Before joining the ICL Planet team, Roza was an analyst at Prevera providing ongoing growth opportunities, due diligence processes, technology research, and global trends analyses. Prior to that she was a Clinical Data Specialist at Nutrino. Roza did an Innovation internship at The Kitchen FoodTech Hub, she holds a bachelor’s degree in Nutritional Science (RD) from Tel Hai Academic College and a postgraduate diploma in Sports Nutrition from the International Olympic Committee.
Eric Park,
PhD, RD
Global Regulatory Affairs Manager
Eric brings with him over 25 years of experience in the food, nutrition, and life sciences areas. Working at first in academic research and later on in the Food and Ag industry, and leading regulatory diligence for corporate acquisition teams, Eric has vast experience in global trade and navigating the regulatory landscape to bring new food, feed, and agricultural products to commercialization. He holds a PhD in Nutritional Sciences from the University of Illinois, USA and is a Registered Dietitian.
Yaara
Shimony
Marketing Operations Consultant
Yaara is a business-oriented marketing executive with over 10 years of experience working with international platforms to increase global awareness and to create business opportunities. At the Israel Export Institute, she held positions as the Foodtech Business Development Manager as well in Food Packaging, and the Wine & Alcohol sectors. She is an expert in the food sector, with a comprehensive understanding of the sector’s untapped needs.
Advisory board
Anantha
Desikan, PhD
Chief Research, Development & Innovation Anantha has been serving as Executive Vice President and Chief Research, Development & Innovation Officer of ICL since 2018. Prior thereto, he served as Senior Vice President of ICL Industrial Products’ Flame Retardants business, as well as several other management and technology management positions at ICL including President, ICL-IP America, and VP of Global Phosphorous R&D. Prior to joining ICL in 2007, Anantha held technology management roles at Supresta and Akzo Nobel. He holds a Ph.D. and M.S in Chemical Engineering from Clarkson University, Potsdam, New York, and a BS in Chemical Engineering from Coimbatore Institute of Technology, Madras University, India.
Yoav
Doppelt
ICL Chairman of the Board Yoav, CEO of Israel Corp. Ltd. Previously served as CEO of Kenon Holdings Ltd., a global company (NYSE: KEN), and from March 2014 to September 2017 served as Executive Chairman of IC Power Ltd., a power generation company. Prior thereto, Yoav was the founder and CEO of the Ofer Group’s private equity fund where he was involved in numerous investments in the private equity and technology sectors. He has been the Chief Executive Officer of XT Investments (formerly known as XT Capital and Ofer Hi-Tech) since 2001. He has actively led several public offerings of equity and debt offerings in the US and Europe and he has extensive operational and global business experience with growth companies. He also served as Chairman of OPC Energy Ltd. (TASE: OPC) as well as Director of Zim Integrated Shipping Services Ltd. Yoav has a BA in Economics and Management from the Technion – Israel Institute of Technology, and an MBA from Haifa University.
Gadi
Lesin
ICL Member of the Board Gadi has been serving as Director since 2021. He also currently serves as Director of ORIAN SH.M Ltd. From 2009 to 2018 Mr. Gadi served as the President and CEO of Strauss Group, an international food and beverage company that has collaborations with Danone, PepsiCo, and Haier. Since joining the Strauss Group in 1993, he served in various senior leadership positions, including as the CEO of Strauss Israel, CEO of Sabra USA, CEO of Strauss Dairies, and CEO of the Sales and Distribution Department. Gadi also served, among other things, from 2014 to 2015 as the Chairman of the Council of the Manufacturers Association of Israel. From 2013 to 2014 he served as a member of the Interface Round Table Forum headed by the Israeli Prime Minister, and from 2008 to 2013 served as the Chairman of the Israeli Food Industries Association. Gadi also served as an Officer in an elite air force unit in the IDF. Gadi holds a BA in Business Management from the Tel Aviv College of Management, and an MBA from Ben Gurion University, and is also a graduate of the CEO workshop of Harvard Business School.
Our Partners
EIT Food is the world’s largest and most dynamic food innovation community. The platform accelerate innovation to build a future-fit food system that produces healthy and sustainable food for all. Supported by the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT), a body of the European Union, EIT FAN invests in projects, organizations and individuals that share our goals for a healthy and sustainable food system. ICL Planet StartUp Hub together with ICL Food Specialties, have partnered EIT FAN to promote our quest to collaborate and invest in startups focused on new ways of addressing global challenges in food production.
ShakeUpFactory is a business accelerator and network catalyst, adding value in growth and transformation for breakthrough projects from farm to fork. ShakeUpFactory partners with leading food companies to strengthen their understanding of FoodTech and build business cases with startups to improve competitiveness, invent new products and services, deploy new access to consumers and explore more strategic alliances. As an integral affiliate of EIT Food Accelerator Network and the 5 European hubs program, ICL partnered ShakeUpFactory to bring an innovative value proposition for startups in the EU.
IMagine IMpact is a strategic consulting firm focusing on social and environmental innovation and its potential for organizational growth and future positioning. The company is based in Israel and works with corporations and companies both locally and abroad. IMagine IMpact’s founder, Omri Boral, is highly experienced professional in the field of impact innovation, impact strategy and impact management. In the past 13 years she has founded 3 infrastructure organizations that have driven the Israeli impact ecosystem’s establishment and growth.
ICL Planet is working with IMagine IMpact to implement clear impact methodologies and tools throughout the investment processes including mentoring our portfolio companies to establish positive IMPACT matrices into their business strategy.
Since 2010 SVG-THRIVE is the leading global AgriFood investment and innovation platform headquartered in Silicon Valley, and comprised of top agriculture, food & technology corporations, universities, and investors.
Our partnership is centred around challenges like the ‘THRIVE Europe Challenge’ or "Global IMPACT Challenge" both programs that seek out the most innovative and sustainable Agri-Food Tech start-ups globally or across Europe and Israel who are solving some of the critical sustainability challenges facing the global agri-food industry today.
Rethink conferences are created by experts in sustainable agri-food, cleantech and renewable energy to address the issues most crucial to investors and developers in these sectors. World Agri-Tech and Future Foodtech summits are held annually in London, San Francisco and São Paulo.
ICL Planet is collaborating with Rethink as Innovation Partners and Gold Partners in the WorldAgriTech Innovation Summit, and for Future Foodtech summit.
GrowingIL is a government initiative of the Israel Innovation Institute, Ministry of Economy, Ministry of Agriculture, and Rural Development and Israel Innovation Authority. It aims to develop the Israeli AgTech ecosystem and reshape Israeli agriculture to meet emerging global food needs through the implementation of groundbreaking technologies.
Our collaboration with GrowingIL facilitates our engagement to the Israeli AgriFood Tech ecosystem.
Plug and Play is an innovation platform bringing together startups and large corporations. The platform spans across venture capital investments, corporate open innovation services and accelerator programs in most major industries and cities.
Plug&Play feeds our growing deal flow with global investment opportunities and early-stage innovative AgTech startups and FoodTech startups.
StartLife is Europe’s top agrifoodtech startup accelerator, co-founded by Wageningen University & Research in 2010. Its mission is to empower founders to build and grow startups with breakthrough technologies that shape a sustainable food system. To this end, it provides a wide range of services, including business development support, top industry business mentors, non-equity funding and access to a global community of startups, investors, corporates and experts.
The key to ICL Planet Startup Hub’s decision to enter this partnership is StartLife’s position at the heart of European agrifood tech, its focus on sustainable food systems and its strong links with Wageningen University & Research.
AgTech Garage initiatives in Brazil are promoting the connection between agribusinesses, startups, producers, investors, universities and other stakeholders in Agriculture’s innovation and entrepreneurial ecosystem to develop technological solutions that increase the sustainability and competitiveness of Brazilian agribusiness.
As a leading agribusiness player in Brazil, ICL has partnered with the AgTech Garage ecosystem to promote innovation dynamic in AgriTech and to enhance it's connection with Brazilian startups.
ZoecialMedia is an expert organic social media agency bringing visibility and credibility to B2B tech brands on social media. We chose ZoecialMedia to leverage our ICL Planet Brand in social media and transform it into our asset.
NutriPR is a boutique PR agency with strong expertise in public relations services for the foodTech and agriTech industries. NutriPR support its clients stand out in the media crowd, internationally, by customizing and developing a complete toolbox of PR promotions and social media campaigns. this boutique agency speaks, inspires, and writes about changing our food system towards a more sustainable, transparent, and secure world. NutriPR supports us in telling our story and spreading the word.
