When University of Calgary alum Lourdes Juan picked up some leftover bread from a local bakery to drop off at the Calgary Drop-in Centre on a random night in 2012, little did she know this simple act of charity would lead to a new way to "rescue" cast-off food to help feed those in need.
Juan, BGS'05, MDes'10, is the founder of Knead Tech, a logistics software platform built for food-rescue organizations that helps them recover surplus food and redistribute it, reducing waste and improving food security.
Juan's vision is helping organizations across North America and soon, the world.
Frontline food rescue focused
Knead Tech's software helps teams track, co-ordinate and report their efforts more efficiently. One standout example is a Detroit-based organization that used Knead Tech to recover more than 100,000 lbs of food during the 2024 NFL Draft.
Juan, a School of Architecture, Planning and Landscape alum, says the platform is designed to be intuitive and mobile-friendly, even for groups with limited tech experience.
"We always get user feedback from frontline teams," says Juan. "That ensures our features make sense and are adaptable to organizations of all sizes."
UCeed funding helped launch Knead Tech
Knead Tech received early support in 2023 from UCeed, UCalgary's pre-seed investment fund. Juan credits UCeed as a key player in the company's growth.
"They were our first investor and helped us commercialize the software," says Juan. "Their support shaped our theory of change and gave us the momentum to bring Knead Tech to market."
That momentum was tested when U.S. funding programs were unexpectedly halted. Juan and her team had to pivot quickly, accelerating their international strategy.
"It pushed us to grow faster and more globally than expected," says Juan.
Global stage, global impact
Earlier this year, Knead Tech won the AgTech & Food category at the SXSW Pitch Competition in Austin, Texas. The win validated the global need for food-rescue technology and opened doors to new partnerships.
"It was a lot of fun pitching on a global stage," says Juan. "We're using this momentum to scale into new markets and bring food rescue tech to more communities."
Team Knead Tech at SXSW Pitch Competition 2025. Photo Courtesy of Lourdes Juan
Knead Tech is also exploring how artificial intelligence can enhance its platform. Juan says AI could help optimize rescue routes, predict food-surplus trends and reduce waste in real time.
But she remains cautious with the use of AI in her work. "We're mindful of the climate impacts of AI and want to make sure our use aligns with our mission," says Juan.
Advice for future changemakers
In addition to being a Master of Environmental Design grad from UCalgary, Juan holds a Bachelor of General Studies. She credits her education with giving her a systems-thinking mindset and the ability to solve complex problems across disciplines.
As recipient of the 2021 UCalgary Alumni Association Arch Award for Community Commitment, and a six-time founder of various startups across innovation, community and technology sectors, her advice to future entrepreneurs is to lead with impact.
"Start with impact, stay close to the problem and build with the people who will use your solution especially in sustainability, where lived experience is often the best insight," says Juan.
With Knead Tech, Juan is building the global infrastructure for food rescue, one community at a time.
