Chashne
Team information
Category:
Tuana Karafakıoglu
Bachelor
Middle East Technical University
Öykü Çil
Bachelor
MIDDLE EAST TECHNICAL UNIVERSITY
Semina Akkaya
Nilüfer Yağmur Özdemir
Bachelor
Middle East Technical University
Mustafa Akin
Bachelor
Middle East Technical University
Taha Berkay İşler
Bachelor
Middle East Technical University
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About the team
Drawing on our expertise in sustainable food innovation, we have backgrounds in food engineering, biology, and product development. We are driven by a common desire to tackle global challenges in nutrition and sustainability. We unite around a vision to build practical, eco-friendly solutions that bring better nutritional food to communities while minimizing environmental impact. We work together to make sustainability easy and available to all.
Our vision
Modern diets face dual challenges: insufficient protein and essential nutrients in everyday foods, and the environmental effects of traditional protein sources like meat and soy. The growing demand for sustainable nutrition compounds these issues as populations increase, and nutrient deficiencies like B12 remain common in plant-based diets. Without compromising taste or convenience, we dream of a future where nutritious food is practical and not boring. Therefore, we aim to create innovative, high-protein products that enrich diets naturally without sacrificing taste or convenience. Our approach minimizes waste and promotes affordable, eco-friendly alternatives to meet protein needs sustainably. Our long-term goal is to empower global communities with resilient food solutions that address, reduce environmental impact, and redefine healthy eating by integrating sustainability into everyday meals effortlessly.
Our solution
We focus on harnessing duckweed, a nutrient-dense, sustainable protein source, to create versatile products such as sauces and protein-rich seasonings. Duckweed is a complete protein, rich in essential amino acids and bioavailable B12, making it an excellent alternative to meat and soy. It grows rapidly on water with minimal resources, requires no arable land, and can utilize nutrient-rich wastewater, reducing environmental impact and supporting hydroponic farming. What makes this solution unique is its non-restrictive approach to nutrition. Instead of demanding dietary changes, we offer a simple way to enrich everyday meals with protein and essential nutrients, without compromising taste or convenience. Duckweed-based products integrate seamlessly into familiar foods, making better nutrition an enjoyable and effortless part of daily life. This solution addresses key challenges in global food systems: insufficient protein in modern diets, the environmental strain of traditional protein sources, and the need for scalable, affordable alternatives. By prioritizing sustainability, practicality, and inclusivity, we aim to redefine how people think about protein and transform food systems to benefit both human health and environmental well-being.