The finalists of this year’s Startup Innovation Challenge have been announced. Find out which game-changing companies were selected for their innovative ingredients, technologies, and services. Startup pitches and the announcement of the winners will take place on Tuesday 6 December at 14.20 in the Innovation Hub
The Fi Global Startup Innovation Challenge gives startups the opportunity to pitch their ideas to a jury of R&D experts, investors, and major F&B industry company representatives.
The Fi Global Startup Innovation Challenge offers startups targeting the Food and Beverages sector, an opportunity to develop their innovative projects through a specialised support programme.
Taking part in the programme gives finalists great exposure in the F&B industry, and offers them the chance to make valuable industry connections in the early stage of their company development.
The first advice I have for startups is to apply, don't miss the chance to experience this great challenge. The feedback from the jury was very personalized and extremely wise. Winning the prize was also extremely helpful not only to be contacted by new investors and potential costumers but also to reactivate some conversations we had in the past.
All startups (5 years or less) who are targeting the F&B industry with innovations focusing on:
This category covers ingredients or additives that improve taste, texture, appearance and/ or nutritional value.
For example, flavours, flavour enhancer, colours, sweeteners, emulsifiers, stabilisers, (thickeners, binders, texturisers), acidulants, firming agent, anti-caking agents, leavening agents, humectants, dough strengtheners, fat substitutions, yeast nutrients, PH control agents, enzyme preparations, functional lipids, dietary fibre, probiotics, etc.
This category covers innovations related to food and beverage ingredients or additives specifically from a plant-based or alternative, non-animal source.
This category covers innovations related to food processing technologies that have the potential to positively impact the F&B industry.
Examples include molecular farming, biomass fermentation, cellular agriculture, precision fermentation, etc.
This category covers innovations that support improvements in ingredients sourcing and production, formulation, food safety, traceability, transparency, smart packaging, upcycling, and/ or supply chain management.
This special prize will be awarded to the startup with the most sustainable innovation. All startup finalists across categories can be considered for this award, with the winners being decided by the expert jury. The startups’ overall sustainability efforts will be considered.
All category winners of the Fi Global Startup Innovation Challenge can select one of the below prizes on offer:
California Cultured, one of the the 2021 Fi Global Startup Innovation Challenge finalists,
is creating non-GMO chocolate with their pioneering cell culture technology.
Time-Travelling Milkman, one of the the 2021 Fi Global Startup Innovation Challenge finalists, is taking novel concepts out of the lab and bringing creaminess to plant-based dairy.
NoPalm Ingredients is using microbial fermentation to produce palm oil in laboratories without oil palms, a development that it says will reduce deforestation rates in tropical regions.