We invited Director of Food Sol at Babson College Rachel Greenberger and Director of Product Strategy at ripe.io Ami Patel to facilitate a conversation on the impact of blockchains for food. To date, much of the blockchain hype has centered on cryptocurrencies and fintech like Bitcoin. However, its potential for positive impact on global food systems runs far deeper—solving for food safety, transparency and traceability, fair price, and better access and new markets for farmers and food waste, among other systemic supply chain breakdowns.
Ami Patel directs product strategy at ripe.io, a technology company creating the blockchain of food to solve challenges around traceability, food safety, and regulatory compliance. Ami most recently headed product and brand strategy at an early startup in India aiming to redesign agriculture supply chains and develop natural, farm-to-fork food products for Indian food delivery. Prior to this, she spent 4+ years working in management consulting at KPMG within their tech enablement and product strategy division. Ami is passionate about changing the trajectory of the food system by evolving the food experience and creating shared health prosperity for all its consumers.
Rachel Greenberger directs Food Sol, a platform for eaters and entrepreneurs to gather and connect ideas for action, and teaches food entrepreneurship in the Babson's graduate school. In addition, she writes on an array of food topics including new business models, meta values, and the future of food. Her work has appeared in the Stanford Social Innovation Review and The Boston Globe. The Economist, Financial Times, and Poets & Quants have all recognized Food Sol as a leader in food entrepreneurship education and innovation. Rachel received her MBA from Babson in 2011 with a concentration in food-system innovation. Beyond Babson, Rachel advises her husband's Italian food-tourism company Food.Stories.Travel., and serves on the Board of Advisors to the Boston Public Market Association.
THRIVE: Leading Through Change is a series that explores how founders, leaders, and changemakers innovate, grow, and navigate an age of constant disruptive change, presented in partnership by Free Range and Babson College.
