ProVeg calls for animal advocates to join AI initiative to boost food systems

22 May 2024 --- ProVeg, which aims to reduce the consumption of animals, is looking for animal rights activists to apply to its Kickstarting for Good AI incubator and accelerator program aiming to launch and grow new non-profits and impacted initiatives where AI is leveraged for animal advocacy.

“Talking to over 100 experts, we have identified AI as one of the high-potential ‘idea areas’ to focus on in the next cohort at Kickstarting for Good,” says ProVeg’s founding president, Sebastian Joy.

The AI initiative is launched alongside tech-focused partner Vegan Hacktivist and the design-centered Violet Studios, a sister organization for ProVeg. 

“Kickstarting for Good seeks to support effective ways to use AI to improve animal advocacy and transform the global food system. We’re very excited to work together with Vegan Hacktivists and Violet Studios to achieve this. Our joint goal is to identify the strongest founders and most impactful AI-focused ideas”.

David van Beveren, founder and president at Vegan Hacktivists, adds: “AI technology is accelerating at a speed that demands for us as a movement to focus on finding solutions that help animals, by incubating and supporting ideas from the global community. Currently, we’re seeing a real gap in both new and novel AI-based ideas and the organizations available to support them.”

Kickstarting for Good
ProVeg believes that AI will disrupt society, while highlighting the uncertainty surrounding how this recent technological development will affect the global food system. 

ProVeg urges the plant-based and animal advocacy movements to catch up in their AI adoption efforts.The organization argues that the plant-based and animal advocacy movements need to catch up in their AI adoption efforts compared to other industries. The program aims to “fast-track and integrate AI solutions” in the animal advocacy movement. 

Kickstarting for Good is the not-for-profit arm of the ProVeg Incubator. Since 2018, it has worked with over 100 food tech start-ups. In 2023, Kickstarting for Good helped ten founders to validate and launch new organizations, while applications for the 2024 cohort of the program are currently open.

ProVeg proposes the creation of a new AI Training Institute to create and administer an in-depth program to train advocacy organizations to utilize existing AI tools in order to more effectively streamline processes, improve research and communications, thus increasing their overall impact. 

AI training
Alongside Vegan Hacktivists, Provis will select applicants to participate in a ten-week expert-led program that offers a customized curriculum, expert mentoring from experienced founders, mentors and researchers and exclusive networking opportunities. 

During the two week program set to take place in Berlin, participants will have the chance to work alongside like-minded co-founders, backed up with a grant of up to US$5,000 to cover travel and accommodation costs. The experience will culminate with a pitch day. 

The Kickstarting for Good team will further offer support by validating ideas, finding co-founders, setting up a budget, improving cost-effectiveness and developing a theory if change. Fundraising training will also be offered as part of another program focus area.

Meanwhile, the Vegan Hacktivists will provide web development services for platforms that will allow them to leverage AI for animal advocacy. They will offer advice on projects’ technical feasibility, costs, usability, scope, impact and implementation. 

By Milana Nikolova