Founder. Organizer. Designer. Speaker. As the daughter of Willem van Eelen — one of the earliest pioneers of cultivated meat — Ira van Eelen carries more than a legacy. She carries over 40 years of history in the making. Known to many as the “daughter of the godfather of cultivated meat,” she has grown into a connector, advocate and catalyst for food system innovation in her own right.

Since 2017, she has translated that heritage into action: speaking, lobbying, organizing, researching and championing the urgency and potential of cultivated meat and future foods. Through KindEarth.Tech, she creates platforms where people can encounter — and embrace — the promise of an industry that is no longer futuristic, but already unfolding.

Ira believes every road counts in bringing cultivated meat to our plates — small, medium and large — and that farmers and agriculture must be part of the journey. As co-founder of RESPECTfarms.com and board member of Cellulaire Agricultuur Nederland, she works to ensure that transition is inclusive. For her, innovation is never one-dimensional — it’s systemic, creative, and deeply human.