New Tech in Food Production

Delving into the cutting-edge technology driving efficiency and reshaping how we grow, process and deliver food.

About the Speakers

Diyonisia Angeliki Lyra

Dr. Dionysia Angeliki Lyra is a Senior Research Agronomist specializing in saline agriculture, with over 15 years of experience leading multidisciplinary R&D projects and teams globally. Her key research areas include halophytes farming, halophytes value chain, integrated & sustainable crop fish systems, agroforestry, saltmarsh restoration and management.

Dr. Lyra has collaborated closely with clinical scientists, nutritionists, culinary professionals, food technology experts and food industries to advance the use of halophytes as functional foods, developing market access for halophyte-based products. During her tenure at the International Center for Biosaline Agriculture (ICBA), Dr. Lyra established the “Halophytic Kitchen Lab” program to raise public awareness on the nutritional and healthy benefits of halophytes. She has worked with national and international bodies across the EU, Middle East, North Africa, and Central Asia and collaborated with international organizations such as FAO, EU, USAID governmental agencies, financial institutions and private sector entities on the development of sustainable crop production systems in hot and desert areas. She has co-led the NNEdPro Middle East and Central Asia Regional Network and led the Saline Agriculture Working Group of FAO/WASAG. She strongly believes in the interdisciplinary approach, which uniquely bridges diverse expertise across food systems through evidence-based research and collaborative innovation, advancing awareness, education, and creating lasting impact in communities.

Sky Kurtz

Sky Kurtz is a Stanford-educated, mission-driven founder and globally recognized operator, blending institutional private equity discipline with operational excellence across climate tech, ag tech, and infrastructure. Holding an MBA from Stanford Graduate School of Business where he was an Arbuckle Fellow and Global Trip Leader and graduating summa cum laude in Finance from Arizona State University with a perfect 4.00 GPA, Sky further distinguished himself with a GMAT score in the top 3–4 percent globally. A C-level athlete with a disciplined mindset, he views the world through a private equity lens, leading high-performance teams and transforming local ventures into global brands with strategic clarity and operational rigor.

Sky is the founder and CEO of Pure Harvest Smart Farms, which he has built from a concept into a global leader in climate-resilient agriculture. Under his leadership, Pure Harvest raised over $287 million in capital from sovereign wealth and institutional investors, scaling to more than 500 employees across four countries and delivering unlevered IRRs of 13-15 percent and project-level ROEs of 18–20 percent or higher. The company developed the region’s first hybrid, semi-automated greenhouse system, pioneering perishable supply chains in extreme climates, earning global acclaim from the BBC, Time, and Forbes, as well as recognition from the World Food Forum.

A thought leader in sustainable innovation, Sky serves on advisory boards for the World Agri-Tech Innovation Summit, Asia-Pacific Agri-Food Innovation Summit, and is a member of the World Economic Forum’s Global Innovators community. He is a frequent speaker at climate action and venture capital summits, where he champions impact-driven investment models and digital transformation in agriculture, as well as supply chain resilience. Across ventures, he remains anchored in aligning people, performance, and purpose, driving impact while delivering high returns in capital-intensive, volatile environments.

Necip Camcigil

Necip Camcigil is a Dubai-raised entrepreneur whose journey reflects a rare balance of discipline, curiosity, and creative ambition. Educated in the UK with a degree in Mechanical Engineering and a Master’s in Business Management, he began his career in the corporate world, spending nearly a decade managing global brands at Unilever, Johnson & Johnson, and Boehringer Ingelheim. This foundation gave him both rigor and strategic vision, yet his instinct for independence and innovation eventually steered him toward entrepreneurship. Known for his thoughtful leadership and hands-on approach, Necip is deeply committed to cultivating community and authenticity in all that he does, and is recognised not only for his business acumen but also for his ability to connect with people and nurture teams—qualities that found expression in the creation of One Life Kitchen & Café.