GROW2CEO

an innovative food sustainability & entrepreneurship program designed for secondary school students across Ireland.
Since 2017, GROW2CEO has reached nearly 40,000 students and over 1,000 schools across Ireland,providing valuable skills in sustainability, food growing, and business planning

At GIY, we believe in empowering young people across Ireland to become sustainability leaders. Through the GROW2CEO campaign, we equip students with essential skills in food growing, business planning, and environmental responsibility. Our goal is to inspire a generation that values sustainable practices, fosters innovation, and actively engages in the fight against climate change. By developing these practical skills, students gain confidence to make a positive impact on their communities and the environment.

Each participating school receives a growing kit that includes seeds and educational resources. These materials help students learn about food cultivation, environmental responsibility, and the basics of entrepreneurship. Working in teams, students will not only grow their own food but also develop business ideas and marketing plans around their produce. The program culminates in exciting regional pitching events where finalists showcase their food business ideas to a panel of judges.


Why Support GROW2CEO?

Supporting GROW2CEO means:

 

Register your interest in GROW2CEO 2025 here:

FAQs about GROW2CEO Campaign:

What is the GROW2CEO campaign?

GROW2CEO by GIY is a campaign aimed at secondary school students across Ireland. It seeks to inspire and cultivate the next generation of food entrepreneurs by encouraging them to grow their own food, develop innovative business ideas, and establish new food businesses over a learning program.

Who can participate in GROW2CEO?

The program is designed for secondary school students in Ireland, teachers can register for a kit for their class. Up to 250 post-primary schools across the country are expected to participate, engaging around 10,000 young people.

What will participants learn during the program?

Participants will gain hands-on experience in food growing, develop sustainable food-related digital marketing and business plans, and receive guidance from industry experts. They will also engage with local businesses to gain practical insights and knowledge.

What resources will participating schools receive?

Registered schools will receive a growing kit with materials for 32 students to grow their own peas. Each student’s pouch will contain compost discs, peas and growing instructions, the pouch can be used to grow the peas seeds.

What is the ultimate goal of the campaign?

The campaign aims to create sustainability leaders who can transform our food system and address the climate emergency. It focuses on building skills in self-sufficiency, food growing, and entrepreneurship, empowering students to become agents of change for a sustainable future.

What do students have to do to win?
  • Form a Team and Brainstorm: After receiving the growing kit, students will form teams and start brainstorming their food business ideas.
  • Complete Challenges: There are five challenges designed to guide the teams through the process of creating a comprehensive business plan. These challenges are likely to cover various aspects of starting and running a food business, such as market research, financial planning, product development, and sustainability practices.
  • Create a Business Plan: Teams will use the experience and knowledge gained from completing the challenges to write a detailed business plan. This plan should outline their food business idea, how it will operate, its sustainability credentials, and its market potential.
  • Submission of Business Plans: Teachers will collect and submit the completed business plans to the GROW2CEO campaign via email at GROW2CEO@giy.ie.
  • Multiple Entries Allowed: It’s important to note that teachers can submit multiple entries per class, which allows for a variety of business ideas to be proposed and increases the chances of a school’s success in the competition.

By following these steps and creating a standout business plan, teams can increase their chances of being selected as finalists for the regional Dragon’s Den-style events and ultimately winning the GROW2CEO campaign.

What will the winning schools win?

Winning schools (one per region) will win a school garden valued at €2,000, a mini-grant voucher valued at €500 as well as a visit to GIY’s GROW HQ’s urban farm & zero-waste café to participate in a one-day food skills course with GIY’s head chef, head gardener, and CEO. Of course we can’t forget about you amazing teachers! Winning teachers will receive a weekend away to the value of €2,000.

When does the campaign finish?

The program finishes in a Dragon’s Den-style finale at regional locations, where students will pitch their business ideas to a panel of ‘Dragons’ from Accenture and GIY. These events will take place the week of the 20th May.

What is the vision of GIY in launching this campaign?

The vision is to drive sustainability and purpose, supporting communities to prepare for the future through collaborative efforts. This initiative aims to equip young people with the tools and skills needed to become future sustainability leaders.

 

If you have any questions please contact Katie by emailing GROW2CEO@giy.ie.

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