Dr. Misteru Tesfaye is a founder and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of AfriGene Harvest Startup. He is a Senior Agricultural Researcher specialized in plant breeding and biotechnology. He did his Doctoral Degree in Biotechnology under joint PhD program between Addis Ababa University and Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU).

For over 20 years, he committed his life to agricultural research at Ethiopian Institute of Agricultural Research (EIAR), where he made significant contribution to the improvement of crops especially oilseeds such as Ethiopian mustard, sunflower, Niger seed, linseed. He was a team leader for the development of more than 10 oilseeds varieties and generating scientific information in reputable peer-reviewed journals and other publication platforms.

Dr. Misteru plays role in coordinating and leading agricultural research projects together with both national and international partners. He served as oilseeds research program leader for six years and nominated as Deputy Director of Crop Research in 2016. Dr. Misteru has actively participated in various international training programs and workshops as resource person. He is also a member of different professional societies including Ethiopian Crop Science Society (ECSS) and the Association of Applied Biologists (AAB).