Plant Futures Challenge Lab

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Plant Futures Challenge Lab →

The Plant Futures Challenge Lab is a unique university course that equips students with applied learning experiences in the plant-based food and agriculture sectors.

Students ( undergraduate to PhD) are paired with organizations based on their skills, passions, and experiences and work to address the real-time needs of these organizations while gaining invaluable real-world experience.

In 2023, the Challenge Lab was offered at three Universities for Major or Program Credit:

Partners

Our Partners

…and more

Mentor Testimonials

  • "Amy’s Kitchen gained valuable insights from the students of the Plant Futures Program. We value academic business partnerships as it’s mutually beneficial and very rewarding. Our students conducted research and surveyed over 500 of their peers, to help us better understand the best ways to communicate the environmental and nutritional impact of our vegetarian and plant-based foods".

    Stacia Betley
    Sustainability Integration Manager
    Amy’s Kitchen

  • “It was a pleasure working with the plant futures team on a project of area exploration for our brand. The team did their research and came up with well thought out ideas and suggestions. Many of those we took to then explore further after the project was finished. What I loved most was the energy, enthusiasm, and outside the box ideas that come from those just starting their careers!"

    Katie Marston
    CMO
    Once Upon a Farm

  • "Our participation in this course was extremely rewarding. The students were bright, insightful, and dedicated, and made contributions of real value to our team. Can we do this again? Sign us up!"

    David L. Katz
    CEO
    Diet ID

  • "Plant Futures allowed me to immediately plug into a group of exceptionally bright, mission-driven students for a strategic analytical project benefitting my organization and the greater alternative protein ecosystem. The structure and programming of the course allowed me to focus on core project work without the hassle of recruitment. It felt great to provide a mentorship opportunity to students while also receiving a valuable business deliverable"

    Nate Crosser
    Principal
    Blue Horizon

Students

Meet Our Students

Plant Futures Challenge Lab students have represented over 45+ disciplines, including: 

  • Business

  • Engineering

  • Policy

  • Public Health

  • Social Science

  • Data Science

  • Biology

  • Media Studies

  • Environmental Studies

  • Nutrition

  • Education

  • Bioengineering

  • Social Welfare

  • And More!

Through a careful application process, working closely with recommendation from faculty advisors and student ambassadors, Plant Futures invites the most talented and motivated cohort of students with a variety of skill sets, experiences, expertise, and the passion to work with our partners.

Both students and Challenge Lab mentors consistently report the interdisciplinary design of the course to be one of the most valuable components of their Challenge Lab experience.

Student Testimonials

  • "The Plant Futures Challenge Lab has pushed me beyond my comfort zone unlike any other course! The intimate collaboration with individuals of varying backgrounds and expertise is the exact interdisciplinary experience I seek in my MPH education. There's creativity, mental conditioning, and endless opportunities to expand your personal and professional network. Plant Futures has given me the chance to be at the forefront of sustainable food systems innovation and entrepreneurship - a driving force in public health transformation."

    Kassandra Bacon
    Mater of Public Health Candidate

  • "This was an awesome exercise in product development, innovation and communication. It will definitely be a foundational experience for me to keep practicing designing innovative food products that promote planetary health."

    Aga Gugala
    MBA Candidate

  • "The Plant Futures Challenge Lab is not just a class... It's an incubator for future plant-based food system entrepreneurs and change-makers…For me, being part of this course has been eye-opening and has provided me a valuable opportunity to work with a leading business partner like Califia in designing with our team a line of products that they might consider adding to their company's product portfolio. I would highly recommend this course to any graduate student like myself who is interested in exploring possible career alternatives in the business plant-forward world."

    Bestsabe Castro
    PhD Integrative Biology Candidate

Challenge Lab Case Studies

Challenge Lab Impact at a Glance

375

Students since 2021

98%

reported that they feel motivated and equipped to work in the plant-centric food sector

82

Professional Partners in the last six semesters

99%

reported that the Challenge Lab enabled them to develop multiple relevant connections within the plant-centric food sector

61%

of Challenge Lab participants reported that the course inspired them to shift to a more plant-centric diet

90%

of participants have influenced friends and family to eat a more plant-centric diet since the course

Get Involved

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Get Involved →

Take the first step towards creating a diverse, multi-disciplinary talent pipeline for the global plant-rich food and agriculture sectors.