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F4 AWARD

 

Future Forest Female Founder Award

Because the future needs Female Leadership

With the F4 Award at the Future Forest Forum 2025, we honor visionary women who are building scalable solutions—whether in regenerative forestry, NatureTech, the circular bioeconomy, or ecosystem services.

Now it's your turn! 🗳️

Get to know our nominees

Alicia Charennat (c) Michel Laurent
Alicia Charennat
Co-Founder Fold Ecosystemics
About Alicia
Alicia is the co-founder and CEO of fold ecosystemics, a startup that develops software tools for managing and monitoring biodiversity and managing forest risks using networks of AI enabled sensors.
 
She has a Franco-German law degree in European and International Business Law (Paris II and LMU Munich) and began her career as an in-house lawyer at a hardware start-up focusing on Quality and Compliance high tech consumer electronics in Munich. 
 
In 2017, she came up with the idea of developing tools to collect indicators of forest ecosystems health. She began to study forest management in France and assembled a team of data scientists and technology experts. Together, they developed the first prototypes of in-situ sensors for forest monitoring. While preparing a solid product strategy and boot-strapping the company she also worked as a scientific project manager for the monitoring of sensitive forest species in the Vosges mountain in Eastern France. Here, she worked hands-on with the national foresters and took part in the planning, and decision making in the management of highly sensitive ecosystems. Following her interest in the socio-ecolgical complex of forest management she became head of an association for the promotion and training of sustainable forest management practices. 
 
Next to her role as CEO in fold ecosystemics, she carries out economic studies on forestry (e.g. bark beetle crisis) and is called upon to speak at conferences and public presentations on various forestry topics. In her private capacity, she takes part in training courses for foresters, and is a board member of three associations promoting the sharing of biodiversity knowledge, the development of open source tooling in Forestry and interdisciplinary exchanges between art and science and their combined power to document contemporary socio-environmental issues and to raise awareness of the public.
 
In the last 6 years, Alicia and her colleagues worked on research projects with scientific labs from INRAE, the LMU, AgroParisTech, RWTH Aachen, etc., as well as forest and biodiversity monitoring projects with partners such as birdNET and Cornell.
Anne Findeisen (c) Scio MediaChristian Schröder
Anne Findeisen
Co-Founder IdentMe
About Anne

Anne Findeisen studied biotechnology and then worked for ten years as a project manager in the private sector. She is co-founder and managing director of IdentMe GmbH, a company founded in 2021 in Halle (Saale) that specialises in molecular genetic species identification using eDNA analysis. With IdentMe, she pursues the vision of making biodiversity measurable and protecting it sustainably. She is also actively involved in the board of the Wirtschaftsjunioren Halle (Saale) e. V. (Junior Chamber International Halle (Saale)).

 

About IdentMe: The startup's claim is "Species identification made easy". With this in mind, their mission is:

  • Protection and preservation of biodiversity through targeted eDNA (environmental DNA) analysis of environmental samples, e.g. from water, flowers, soil or air
  • This generates knowledge to combat biodiversity loss by identifying species worthy of protection and invasive species.
 
Brigitte Petersen
Brigitte Petersen
Founder EQAsce
About Brigitte

Brigitte Petersen as Germany’s first Professor of One Health Management is the founder and chairwoman of EQAsce, a Excellence University Bonn spin-off. Her guiding principle is: „What one person cannot achieve alone, many can." She promotes lifelong learning and Twin Transformation - integrating sustainability and digitalization in agriculture, forestry, and food sectors. She inspires leaders and interdisciplinary teams in value chains to strengthen sustainable, cross-border collaboration.

Jana Baltscheit
Jana Baltscheit
Founder Lykaia
About Jana

Jana Baltscheit is the founder of Lykaia, a brand for functional foods with a focus on products containing medicinal mushrooms. The Future Forest Forum in 2023 led to collaboration with the current project partners in the EIP-funded ‘Waldpilz’ project. The project involves cultivating native medicinal mushrooms on waste wood in German forests, which not only adds value to the ecosystem but also creates a new source of income for forest owners.

 

Michelle Spitzer
Michelle Spitzer
Co-Founder eco:fibr
About Michelle

Michelle is co-founder of eco:fibr. Her mission: turning waste into purpose. She transforms agricultural waste into resource-saving fibres for the paper and construction industries. Instead of disposing plant waste in an environmentally harmful way, eco:fibr creates added value for agriculture, the environment and an alternative to virgin fibres made from wood, which saves CO₂ and conserves resources.

Tea Bano
Tea Bano
Co-Founder TreeScatter
About Tea

Tea is Co-founder and CEO of TreeScatter, building advanced data infrastructure for forests. Using high-resolution digital twins, TreeScatter provides forest owners and managers with actionable insights for better, more sustainable decisions. With a background in engineering and product leadership, Tea focuses on delivering practical tools for real-world climate impact.

Ulrike Gollmick
Ulrike Gollmick
Co-Founder MIYA Forest e.V.
About Ulrike

Hello, I am Ulrike and I work for MIYA forest e.V.

Together with children and volunteers, we plant tiny forests in cities – as green classrooms and living places to connect with nature. In this way, we strengthen community and the resilience of urban spaces. For us, it is clear that we can only overcome the great challenges of our time together.

My path led me from the world of finance to regeneration. I am convinced that real change begins within – empathy, mindfulness and responsibility shape my daily actions.

Why we are doing this.

About the F4 Award

While everyone talks about transformation, we still see far too few women leading it – especially in the forest and climate space. At a time when crises are growing more complex and democratic values, sustainability, and equality are under pressure, we need visible, bold, entrepreneurial women who are shaping the future of our forests and our planet. The F4 Award celebrates these changemakers and puts them on the stage they deserve – because real transformation requires diverse perspectives and collective leadership. Now is the time to amplify female leadership where it matters most.

Susanne Rönnefarth (1)
Susanne Rönnefarth
Head of Startups, Future Forest Initiative
Susanne is Head of Startups at the Future Forest Initiative and co-initiator of the F4 Award. Before entering the forest and climate space, she worked in the world of purpose-driven e-commerce, including as co-founder of Ida’s Place – a female health brand. Transitioning into forestry, she was struck by how male-dominated the sector still is. With a background in marketing strategy, entrepreneurship, and forestry, her work bridges scientific research, startup ecosystems, and regenerative land use. Through the F4 Award, she advocates for more visibility, recognition, and funding for women who are boldly shaping the future of forests and climate.
eva piepenbrock
Eva Piepenbrock
Editor top agrar
Eva Piepenbrock is a specialist journalist and editor with a passion for agricultural and food innovation. As co-founder and former editor-in-chief of f3 – farm. food. future., she has spent years spotlighting the ideas and individuals shaping the future of sustainable farming. Now working with top agrar, Eva continues to amplify startup voices and transformative perspectives in the agri-food sector. Named "Specialist Journalist of the Year 2025" by the German trade press, she brings deep editorial expertise, a creative background in copywriting, and a strong commitment to gender equity in innovation. As a co-initiator of the F4 Award, Eva advocates for more visibility and recognition of female leadership in the forest and climate space.

Want to meet these and more changemakers in person?

Then take part at the Future Forest Forum 2025, taking place in Blankenburg (Harz) on September 5-6th!

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