# Jessica Sturzenegger

> Jessica Sturzenegger is the founder and CEO of Amara Organic Foods, a baby and kids’ food business launched commercially in 2017. A Bucknell economics and international relations graduate, she worked with women entrepreneurs in Chile before pursuing a food venture supported by Start-Up Chile. Her public career spans product development, early store-by-store retail pitches, national distribution and a $20 million Series B in 2024. She was recognized on Inc.’s 2025 Female Founders 500 list and won an EY Entrepreneur Of The Year 2026 Greater Philadelphia Award.

- **Role:** Founder and CEO at Amara Organic Foods
- **Organizations:** Amara Organic Foods, Mujeres Empresarias, Princeton in Latin America, Entrepreneurs’ Organization
- **Education:** Economics and International Relations double major; minors in Arabic and Spanish, Bucknell University
- **Known for:** Founder and CEO of Amara Organic Foods., Led Amara through a $20 million Series B announced in March 2024., Amara ranked No. 44 on the 2024 Inc. 5000.

## Career timeline

- **2010** — Graduated from Bucknell University; her undergraduate work included co-founding the Microfinance Initiative.
- **2010-2011** — Princeton in Latin America fellow at Mujeres Empresarias in Chile.
- **2012** — A January fellowship newsletter reported that she and two friends had secured Start-Up Chile seed support for a baby-food venture.
- **2017** — Amara’s organic baby food debuted at Whole Foods after three years of development.
- **2020** — Amara raised a seed round reported at approximately $2 million.
- **2024** — Amara announced a $20 million Series B led by HumanCo Investments and ranked No. 44 on the Inc. 5000.
- **2025** — Named to Inc.’s Female Founders 500 list; appeared on The Kara Goldin Show on June 11.
- **2026** — Won an EY Entrepreneur Of The Year Greater Philadelphia Award in June and discussed Amara’s national retail development on Taste Radio in October.

## Achievements

- Founder and CEO of Amara Organic Foods.
- Led Amara through a $20 million Series B announced in March 2024.
- Amara ranked No. 44 on the 2024 Inc. 5000.
- Included in Inc.’s 2025 Female Founders 500.
- EY Entrepreneur Of The Year 2026 Greater Philadelphia Award winner.

## Latest updates

- **2026-10** — Appeared on Taste Radio episode 867, published October 6, to discuss national retail, consumer feedback, sourcing, fundraising and her changing responsibilities as CEO.
- **2026-06** — Named an EY Entrepreneur Of The Year 2026 Greater Philadelphia Award winner on June 11.
- **2025-06** — Appeared on The Kara Goldin Show, discussing Amara’s development, retail strategy, storytelling and freediving.

## Links

- Website: https://amaraorganicfoods.com/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessicasturzenegger/

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Profile page: https://yespress.io/jessica-sturzenegger
Published by YesPress — https://yespress.io
Last updated: 2026-10-22