Ninna Granucci

As a female start-up founder working in a largely male-dominated industry, it’s Dr Ninna Granucci’s empathy that helps her stand out. Inspired by former Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, she aims to lead with “kindness, honesty and calm strength – even through crisis”.

Ninna is co-founder and CEO of Green Spot Technologies, a company that transforms food processing by-products into nutritious ingredients – giving new life to what would otherwise go to waste.

The idea for Green Spot was born while Ninna was completing her PhD in biotechnology at the University of Auckland. 

“My years at the University of Auckland were foundational,” she says. “Not only did I gain scientific knowledge and build the initial tech behind Green Spot, but I also discovered the entrepreneurial world through the Velocity $100K Challenge. That experience sparked a deep interest in turning research into real-world solutions and gave me the tools to start my company.”

Along with the lessons she learnt through her studies, Ninna credits her parents with shaping her values and outlook.

“They taught me the value of hard work, humility and service to others. Watching them lead with integrity and care shaped how I approach both business and life.”

After completing her PhD in 2017, Ninna, who is Brazilian-born, moved to Europe, where the business secured more than €5 million in investment funding.

“After leaving university, my career evolved in ways I could never have predicted,” she says. “I moved from the lab bench to the boardroom and from New Zealand to France. What began as academic curiosity transformed into a business that's now scaling across Europe with global ambitions. It’s been an unexpected and incredibly rewarding journey.”

The technology behind Green Spot, developed by Ninna during her PhD, is based on a patented process of dry fermentation that uses 60 percent less water than traditional wet fermentation processes. The method turns plant-based food by-products such as peels, hulls and pulps that would normally be thrown out into powders that can be used as nutritious food ingredients. One example is a cocoa alternative made from fermented grape skins and fava bean husks.

So far, the company has saved around 500 tonnes of vegetable waste from going to landfill and prevented 750 tonnes of CO2 emissions.Asked about the biggest challenges she’s faced building and growing the company so far, Ninna says it’s “learning to be comfortable with the uncomfortable”.

“Turning science into a commercial product is messy and uncertain. You fail, you pivot and you try again. One of my key learnings is that perseverance and openness to change are more important than having all the answers upfront.”

Thankfully, there have been “several moments that have felt like powerful validations of this journey”. 

Last year Ninna won a Cartier Women’s Initiative Award and was named as a finalist in the Earthshot Prize. She also won the EU Prize for Women Innovators 2022 and Green Spot has been selected to take part in the La French Tech 2030 and Agri20 programmes.

Another milestone was when she was invited to Brazil as part of President Emmanuel Macron’s delegation, taking part in discussions on biodiversity and partnerships between France and Brazil.

Ninna’s current focus is on expanding operations internationally and bringing the company’s ingredients to more food manufacturers. As someone who knows first-hand how challenging it can be for women in the tech industry, she is also passionate about working with other female founders in the deep tech and sustainability space. 

“I’m committed to paying forward the guidance I received,” she says.
“I care deeply about people and the planet – and that shows up in everything I do.”