Commercial / Strategic Co-Founder

HarvestCare's mission is to establish food-as-medicine models with secure financial mechanisms, in vulnerable neighborhoods to regenerate health, increase social mobility, and rebuild a connection to the local food system. We are implementing our mission together with Erasmus MC, by running a first iteration of a Food Pharmacy Program from Q3 in 2024. Food Pharmacy is designed to increase access to healthful foods, by offering free organic local boxes to diabetes type 2 patients in Rotterdam South. During the pilot health data will be collected, to test the delivered outcomes of the model.

The ambition is to create a Social Impact Bond to finance access to healthy organic produce regardless of financial status while supporting local farmers who increase their soil health. We are actively engaging with researchers, municipality representatives, and other stakeholders to secure the longevity of the model. We are also preparing for further fundraising rounds to be able to replicate and scale the pilot research.

Zuzanna is an entrepreneurial and visionary environmental nutritionist and community organizer deeply passionate about soil health, food justice, system transition and social entrepreneurship.

During her time at university in Denmark, she founded Connecting Grounds, which upcycles local coffee waste into functional flowers and healthy snacks. Currently, together with Fresh Ventures, a start-up studio in Rotterdam, she is working on unlocking the incentives for preventive healthcare and one health model. By using her multidisciplinary experience and interest she is bridging the worlds of healthcare, agriculture, and impact entrepreneurship.

Together with other nutritionists, she organizes the Regenerative Healthcare European Association (RHEA), which collects and facilitates research about human health and soil health connections.

HarvestCare is looking for a second member of its founding team who is keen to create a Social Impact Bond in Rotterdam, lead business creation for public-private partnerships, and join the day-to-day business operations:

1. Lead the partnership building for a Social Impact Bond
2. Co-create a suitable business model and business strategy in the private-governmental domain
3. Build a network in health insurance departments
4. Jointly execute the fundraising strategy (including grants)
5. Help structure the HarvestCare approach into a streamlined program and model in the coming years, setting up for replication
6. Build an organization that is an embodiment of regenerative health.

We are looking for somebody, ready to step into a founding role within an early-stage, revolutionary start-up. You will jointly develop the venture with Zuzanna and are ready to go on a journey together to make HarvestCare’s envisioned impact happen.

Be aware, to be successful in this role you should:

• Have secured personal finance of at least half a year
• Speak Dutch
• Live in the Netherlands (preferably traveling distance to Rotterdam)
• Be able to commit at least 3 days per week

Exploring a co-founder relationship is very different from hiring someone or looking for a job. It’s a process of getting to know each other and working together in ways that bring both sides value no matter the outcome. The first step is getting a better sense of you as a person and your thinking and interests.