Michelle Adelman

Michelle is a seasoned strategist, recognized business leader and committed mission-driven investor.  She is the founder of Accite, a boutique firm focused on building sustainable food and agriculture technology business in Sub-Saharan Africa that spur economic diversification and employment of youth and women, enabling the continent to be more food-secure.

Accite’s investment philosophy brings together proven technologies with world-class operational teams and localized business models to create pioneering businesses.  Accite’s flagship, Go Fresh!, a controlled environment, hydroponic horticulture operator, is the premier organic and sustainable vegetable brand in Botswana.  Go Fresh! has received numerous awards, including Botswana’s National Horticulture Grand Champions in 2017.

Accite’s latest ventures include: Infinite Foods, a go-to-market platform for plant-based food brands like Beyond Meat and Oatly to reach Africa and emerging markets faster, with lower risk.  Infinite provides a turn-key capability to enable its brand partners to increase revenue and impact by reaching the African consumer and tourism market.  Crossover Quality Meats is innovating more environmentally sustainable protein to meet a growing global population’s demand through nutritious blended meat products that use simple processing and all-natural ingredients.

Ms. Adelman has 30 years of business experience as a former Global Managing Director for Accenture, CEO of a US-based home health services company, and Group Strategy Executive for the pan-African Econet Group.  In 2017, Ms. Adelman was named by CEO Global as Africa’s Most Influential Woman – Business & Professional Services and in 2019, Ms. Adelman was named to the Forbes Africa “20 New Wealth Creators” list.

Ms. Adelman is a speaker and consultant on agricultural transformation in emerging markets and serves on the advisory board to Cornell University’s Dean of Agriculture and Life Sciences and FoodNext Africa.  Ms. Adelman serves on the Boards of Directors Sir Ketumile Masire Foundation, and the Impact Fund.  She graduated from Cornell University with a degree in Agricultural & Environmental Engineering.