Antonella Succurro: From Academic Research to Entrepreneur and Co-Founder CinSOIL
Focused on climate change innovation
After many years as an academic researcher, Antonella took a turn in search for a way to make impact.
Her startup CinSOIL aims to decarbonize agrifood value chains with deep-tech solutions for carbon removals. Her journey shows how scientific expertise can drive meaningful sustainable innovation.
Can you tell us about your personal and professional background?
Antonella Succurro: ‘I'm originally from Italy and now live in Bonn, Germany.
After completing my Master's in physics, I obtained a PhD from the Autonomous University of Barcelona conducting research in particle physics and applied data science at CERN in Geneva.
While those were exciting times with significant scientific discoveries, I felt a growing desire to engage more directly with societal challenges, particularly sustainable agriculture and food production. I switched to research in computational biology.’
How did you discover EIT Food and the Innovator Fellowship?
Antonella: ‘While working as a postdoctoral fellow in plant sciences at the university of Cologne, I attended a presentation by Mario Roccaro, EIT Food's Education Programme Manager, about the EIT Food Innovator Fellowship.
The programme intrigued me but I was initially hesitant to leave academia, especially as I was planning to start a family.’
When did you decide to apply?
Antonella: ‘The birth of my first child in 2020 only intensified my commitment to combating climate change.
When Mario contacted me in 2021 to encourage me to apply to that year’s edition, he also introduced me to another participant, Giorgi, who would become my co-founder. I was expecting my second daughter and had the feeling the timing was right, so I finally decided to apply.’
How did the Innovator Fellowship programme lead to creating your startup?
Antonella: ‘The Innovator Fellowship was kind of transformative. Over 10-12 intensive training days, our team developed an early concept of what would become CinSOIL.
Remarkably, our final pitch occurred just two days after the birth of my second daughter, and we won the award for the best idea. After the programme, my team members Giorgi and Tavseef shared the passion and commitment to continue developing our concept.’
When did you officially become an entrepreneur?
Antonella: ‘In 2024, we established CinSOIL in Berlin after receiving the EXIST business start-up grant from the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action in collaboration with the Technical University of Munich, an EIT Food partner.
We're currently in the Proof of Concept stage, developing a deep-tech software solution to support agri-food actors decarbonizing their supply chain through efficient carbon farming.'
What is the Innovator Fellowship Programme?
Mario Roccaro, EIT Food’s Education Programme Manager, explains:
‘The Innovator Fellowship was created to enhance the career prospects and employability of researchers and professionals working for the agri-food sector.
Recognizing that many researchers must transition out of academia without the skills needed for the private sector, the Innovator Fellowship programme addresses this gap with high-level entrepreneurial training.
Over six months, participants transform lab ideas into business propositions with the potential to tackle real food system challenges.
Participants aiming to bring their innovations to market can further refine their ideas through EIT Food's Seedbed Incubator and the Food Accelerator Network.’
How do you view your entrepreneurial journey?
Antonella: ‘I always considered myself a ‘scientist’. The Innovator Fellowship was crucial in shifting my mindset from academic research to a product and client-oriented approach.
We've since participated in additional EIT Food programmes like the Seedbed Incubator and the Food Accelerator Network (FAN), which have been instrumental in our growth.
EIT Food is a very relevant quality stamp that can open many doors. Especially as we received the Technology Validation Award at the end of the FAN programme, worth €30,000 euros to run our proof of concept with corporate and academic partners.’
What is cinSOIL's mission?
Antonella: ‘We develop deep-tech solutions for nature-based carbon removals, aiming to decarbonize the agri-food value chain while improving soil health. Our mission is to support the large-scale adoption of regenerative agriculture and carbon farming.’
CinSOIL's impact on Society, Environment & Economy
People How is CinSOIL impacting our Society?
Healthier soils produce more nutritious food. CinSOIL’s three founders all have young children - an important motivator for aiming to make a difference as an entrepreneur. It’s also influencing the company’s way of working: mostly remote and very flexible.
Planet How is CinSOIL impacting our Environment?
Soil stores four times more carbon than vegetation, but unsustainable practices have damaged this capacity. With 46% of global habitable land devoted to agriculture, improving agricultural soil carbon sequestration potential is key to fighting climate change. Measuring and monitoring soil organic carbon helps control the progress of regenerative agriculture.
Profit How is CinSOIL impacting our Economy?
The only way to make a product carbon neutral is reducing its emissions and removing CO2 where possible along the product supply chain. The money invested in regenerative agriculture and carbon farming projects comes back as improved farm productivity, additional ecosystem benefits and better relations with stakeholders.
“I always considered myself a ‘scientist’. The Innovator Fellowship was crucial in shifting my mindset from academic research to a product and client-oriented approach. ”