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A Safer Bite: How FoodTech Startups are Revolutionizing Food Safety

Food safety is a critical aspect of the food industry, encompassing measures taken to ensure that food products are safe for consumption. It involves monitoring, handling, and storing food in a way that prevents contamination and minimizes the risk of foodborne illnesses. In today’s world, technology plays a crucial role in revolutionizing food safety practices. Several startups are at the forefront of this transformation, utilizing innovative technologies to enhance food safety across various domains.

This article explores startups in the realm of food safety. It delves into the core principles of food safety and how they apply to different facets of the food industry, from production and processing to packaging and distribution. These startups are not just shaping the future of food; they are safeguarding it, one technological breakthrough at a time. 

 

Agree Net
Agree Net

Agree NET 🇮🇹 is an Italian startup dedicated to advancing food safety in the realm of fruit and vegetable packing. Their focus lies in developing innovative, bio-based, and biodegradable materials for food packaging, revolutionizing the way of store and transport fresh produce. By utilizing by-products of agriculture, we craft sustainable materials that extend the shelf life of fruits and vegetables, reducing food waste and the reliance on disposable plastics. Their flagship products, Ally and ActivePack, are tailored solutions that significantly increase shelf life, promoting eco-friendliness and compliance with international sustainability standards.

 

Agnext

AgNext

AgNext 🇮🇳 harnesses technology to ensure food safety from the beginning: the farm. It is a fast-growing AgTech company that aims to solve quality and trust in food value chains by making them safer, transparent, and fairer. With the digitalization of food quality assessment as its core focus, it offers a uniquely integrated, AI-driven SaaS platform to agribusinesses for automated and instant food quality results. AgNext is bringing trust, speed & transparency to the agriculture value chain using AI-based food assessment technologies.

 

oscillum logo

Oscillum

Oscillum 🇪🇸 is a Spanish startup that plays a pivotal role in ensuring food safety with its cutting-edge smart labeling solutions. These labels not only provide real-time monitoring for quality control but also help optimize logistics and reduce wastage in the food supply chain. By allowing producers to recirculate products efficiently and maintain stringent quality standards, Oscillum significantly contributes to enhancing food safety. This technology is adaptable and extends its impact beyond the food industry, making it a powerful tool for ensuring the safety and quality of various consumer products.

 

prevera

Prevera

Prevera 🇮🇱 is an Israeli startup on a mission to transform food safety into an asset. They’re combatting the challenges in the food industry, where harmful preservatives and ineffective methods compromise safety and shelf-life. Their innovative solution uses Food Protection Proteins, inspired by natural antimicrobial proteins, to enhance food safety. Prevera’s unique mixture of natural essential amino acids forms a powerful antimicrobial protein that protects food from relevant pathogens. When digested, the Prevera protein is broken back into original natural essential amino acids that provide essential nutrients while affecting our microbiome. By replacing harmful preservatives, their approach not only ensures safety but also significantly reduces food waste.

 

tagone logo

TAG ONE

TAG ONE 🇺🇸 is a groundbreaking Traceability Management System delivering comprehensive transparency to the food and natural products supply chain, from seed to sale. It specializes in blockchain-based traceability solutions, bolstering transparency throughout the food supply chain. By enhancing traceability, TAG ONE ensures that food safety incidents can be swiftly identified and addressed, reducing risks for all stakeholders.

 

Bio2Coat_Logo

Bio2coat

Bio2coat, 🇪🇸 an alumnus of  Spain FoodTech, Eatable Adventures accelerator, focuses on enhancing food safety through innovative packaging solutions. They develop biopolymer coatings and films that act as barriers against contaminants, extending the shelf life of products and minimizing food waste. These sustainable packaging innovations contribute to safer food storage and transportation. Their products are 100% natural, reduce plastic consumption, and fight waste. 

 

To sum up, through innovation, technology, and collaboration, these companies are making strides toward a safer and more secure food ecosystem. Their contributions span pathogen detection, packaging solutions, crop management, freshness preservation, and transparent supply chains, ultimately safeguarding the well-being of consumers and the integrity of the global food industry.

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Italy’s Agri Food-tech sector gets a boost with the launch of the Verona Agri Food Innovation Hub

Verona-Agrifood-Innovation-hub

The Hub will integrate the activity of FoodSeed, the accelerator Foodtech programme of CDP Venture Capital Sgr’s national network, recently launched in partnership with Eatable Adventures.

 

“Stimulate a culture of innovation in the agri-food sector and establish a strong, sustainable entrepreneurial ecosystem” is the purpose of the Verona Agrifood Innovation Hub, whose memorandum of understanding was presented and signed on Saturday, March 18th at Veronafiere Congress Centre. This groundbreaking initiative is poised to become the strategic hub for the development of agrifood in Italy, serving as a critical meeting point for entrepreneurs, experts, and researchers to exchange ideas and collaborate on the latest advances in the industry.

At the heart of the Verona Agrifood Innovation Hub is a commitment to promote and disseminate knowledge of the most advanced solutions in the agri-food sector. With a focus on creating strategic connections between all industry players, the Hub is dedicated to relaunching sustainable growth in the sector while upholding ethical principles and enhancing the excellence of the Italian supply chain. This is essential in light of the unprecedented challenges posed by the current international context and the climate crisis.

“Today’s achievement represents a significant milestone for the Verona ecosystem, the development of venture capital, and for its role as an enabler in the technological innovation of production chains,” commented Economy and Finance Minister Giancarlo Giorgetti in the message sent to the event – “Start-ups are key drivers for transformation and modernization processes within mature economies like Italy’s”.

The initiative is supported by a broad partnership of public and private players – Fondazione Cariverona, UniCredit, the Municipality of Verona, Veronafiere, Confindustria Verona, the University of Verona, Cattolica Assicurazioni and Eatable Adventures (which will operationally manage the structure) – and strategically complements the activities of FoodSeed, the start-up accelerator of the National Accelerators Network CDP Venture Capital Sgr financed with over 15 million euros, promoting the growth of young companies specializing in high-potential markets.

The Verona Agrifood Innovation Hub aims to foster entrepreneurship in the agri-food sector, creating high-quality employment opportunities and driving sustainable, long-term growth. The development catalyzed by this new structure is expected to have positive effects on the entire system, both locally and nationally, and will contribute to enhancing the competitiveness of the Italian industry.

According to Minister Giorgetti, “the strength of the agro-food sector is a source of pride, but it is important to always look for ways to take a step forward, and this is where the propulsive effect of new companies and innovations can add value: Verona, one of the leading industrial areas in Europe, can serve as a model to be emulated, thanks to an ecosystem that is poised to embrace the opportunities that are being built”. 

To achieve its objectives, the Verona Agrifood Innovation Hub will pursue four lines of action. Firstly, it will establish an ecosystem that brings together and collaborates with enterprises, SMEs, research centers, universities, and citizens with shared food-related interests. Secondly, it will publish periodic reports containing relevant information on the agrifood market to stimulate the emergence of new startups and encourage technology adoption. Thirdly, networking events and collaborative activities involving all stakeholders will be organized to find original solutions to major challenges facing the sector. Lastly, educational projects will be launched to foster tech entrepreneurship, especially among the younger generation. The hub will offer a wide range of activities, all of which will be accessible to startups free of charge.

The latest figures confirm that Italy is poised to take the lead in technological innovation in the agri-food sector, not just locally but also globally. According to the Smart AgriFood Observatory, the Crop 4.0 market was worth approximately EUR 2.1 billion in 2022, representing a remarkable growth of 31% over the previous year. Investments that aim to accelerate the technological transition are also substantial: according to the Venture Capital Monitor of the Liuc Business School, deals closed by venture capital funds in the in agrifoodtech approached 270 million euros over the two-year period of 2020-2021, while last year, the sector ranked among the top in terms of the amount of resources invested.

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Webinar: Foodtech in Spain- Addressing new challenges across the food value chain

WEBINAR

28/03/2023. Online 

Free entry, registration required. 

4PM  CET

ICEX Spain Trade & Investment has recently launched its third report on the Foodtech sector in Spain. As a result, a webinar on “Foodtech in Spain: Addressing new challenges across the food value chain” will take place, featuring prominent stakeholders, from investors, and innovation hubs, to corporations and startups, of the Spanish foodtech ecosystem who were highlighted in the report and are currently developing initiatives to support innovative solutions to various challenges. The webinar aims to give visibility to the Spanish Foodtech ecosystem and showcase its potential to become a leading Foodtech Nation.

WHY PARTICIPATE

 

The Foodtech industry in Spain is experiencing a significant transformation towards more sustainable and efficient projects, aided by public and private support at regional and national levels. These developments have helped Spain maintain its strength in Foodtech investment, even in the face of the industry’s most significant investment drop.

Despite the challenges, the Foodtech sector in Spain saw a rise of up to €268M in 2022, representing a 9.38% increase since the previous year, excluding the Glovo effect, as revealed in our latest report “Addressing new challenges across the food value chain”. 

In addition to successfully securing significant investment operations with both national and international players, the Foodtech industry has witnessed a substantial growth in the number of operators within its ecosystem. This includes a notable increase from 407 to 412 startups in the past year, alongside over 30,000 companies engaged in food transformation. Furthermore, the industry benefits from the involvement of more than 50 specialized universities and 20 advanced technology centers.

Join us as we explore the intricacies of the Spanish foodtech industry’s future through the perspectives of investors (Clave Capital), corporations (Mahou San Miguel), startups (Oscillum), and technology centers (Eatex Food Innovation Hub). Discover success stories, compelling projects, and programs that are facilitating collaboration between the industry and technology centers.

If you’re interested in delving deeper into the current state and challenges of the country’s food sector, download the report here.

AGENDA

Where Via online
When 28-03-2023 – 16.00 – Foodtech in Spain: Addressing new challenges across the food value
Registration Registration is completely free. Register yourself in the following link:

 https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_ncDuDO8lT9uSEg8fBzmQfA

SPEAKERS

 

Maria Naranjo, the Agrifood Industry Director of ICEX, will be introducing the following speakers:

 

Eatex Food Innovation Hub:  Eatex is the collaborative innovation hub for technology transfer and implementation in the agri-food industry, promoting and financing collaborative R&D&I projects for the development of innovative technological solutions that can be transferred from R&D centers to the agri-food industry.

 

Clave Capital: Clave Capital is a venture capital management company with 20 years of experience, during which time they have made more than 90 investments, and actively collaborate in the definition of strategy and management of investee companies. 

They promote technology transfer projects, industrial SMEs and renewable energy projects. They are currently launching a new €80M investment fund for technology transfer projects in the health sector.

  • Carlos Jacoste – Entrepreneurship, Venturing and New Technologies Manager – Mahou San Miguel

Mahou San Miguel: Mahou San Miguel is the leading Spanish company in the beer sector in our country and the most international, with a presence in more than 70 countries. The company is a family of more than 3,876 professionals who, with their enthusiasm and commitment, strive every day to make our brands part of the best moments of our consumers. Mahou San Miguel drives innovation, they believe in people, seek excellence, enjoy doing things well and create sustainable businesses and environments.

  • Luis Chimeno Morales, Co founder & CMO – Oscillum 

Oscillum: Oscillum is a biotech company that develops sensors for the agri-food industry. Founded in Alicante (2019), Oscillum has developed SmartLabel a smart label that is placed in contact with food and is able to alert about the state of spoilage/freshness of that product by a simple color change.

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FONDO EUROPEO DE DESARROLLO REGIONAL (FEDER).                                      A way of making Europe
This service/activity is eligible for co-financing from Fondo Europeo de Desarrollo Regional (FEDER)
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Eatable Adventures presents the data of its annual report “The State of Open Innovation in the Agrifood Industry”

Big companies are betting on open innovation to lead the transformation of the agrifood industry

  • 78% of the companies consulted already use external sources to innovate, and 100% have invested in innovation in the last two years.
  • According to the study, most innovation efforts are concentrated on the Product area (92%), followed by Technologies (57%), Processes (53%), and Business Models (46%).
  • 78% of companies identify the General Management as the main decision-maker, although the Innovation Departments with 57% and the Business Development and Marketing Departments with 28% in both cases are gaining more weight.
  • 93% of surveyed companies prefer collaborating with technology centers, while 71% prefer co-developing with external entities as open innovation tools.

 

 “Innovate or die” is the motto of almost every company today. Demographic and sustainability challenges, socioeconomic uncertainty and changing consumer trends are some of the key factors that have driven a major technological transformation in the agri-food sector. A transition that has become an opportunity to promote the competitiveness and progress of companies.

Eatable Adventures, one of the world’s leading accelerators, has today presented the data of its first study “The State of Open Innovation”, a report that dives into the need for companies in the food and beverage industry to innovate, as well as the keys to make this innovation as successful as possible.

When it comes to collaborating with external agents to create new products or services or transform existing ones, Mila Valcárcel, Managing Partner of Eatable Adventures, highlighted the change in mentality of companies. “We are in a changing and dynamic environment. Companies need to generate innovation at all levels to improve their competitiveness, but in many cases, they do not have the structure or capacity to do so efficiently internally. Collaborative environments with startups, R&D centers, or universities provide a great advantage, as they allow companies to innovate in a disruptive, agile, and efficient manner, with much more efficient risk management. From Eatable Adventures, we are witnessing how companies are adopting open innovation models more frequently, allowing them to take their productivity and efficiency to another level. The sector is undergoing a transformation process very similar to the one the technology industry went through.” This trend, according to the study, is being established among the Food and Beverage sector leaders in Spain such as Mahou, Pascual, or Europastry, but is also spreading in more emerging markets in the Latin America region, with companies that are leading the transformation of the sector, such as Sigma or Alianza Team.

 

Innovation is a strategic priority for companies

According to the study, 100% of the surveyed companies said they have invested in innovation in the last two years, during the analyzed period (2020- 2022). Positively, this indicates a great deal of maturity in this area, which makes it easier to establish win-win partnerships with external agents. This fact extends to all types of companies in the sector, regardless of their revenue volume and size, as well as their geographical area.

Among the areas of innovation that are prioritized, Products takes the lead (92%), followed by Technologies (57%), Processes (53%), and Business Models (46%).

 

Which department is responsible for the innovation decisions within your company?

78% of the surveyed companies identify General Management as the most responsible party when it comes to decision-making. However, 57% of surveyed companies cite the need for innovation and adaptation as the reason for creating Innovation Departments to handle these decisions. In terms of launching R&D projects, this is highly positive, since it confirms that organizations are changing their cultural mindsets. Finally, the Business Development and Marketing departments also have a very significant weight in establishing these decisions and coordinating innovation flows, making the correlation between innovation and the expansion potential of the companies evident.

 

2022, the year of open innovation

Open innovation is the process by which companies implement innovative opportunities to their existing business models through corporate partnerships with external agents, as well as the acquisition of social capital through investments. As the food sector faces enormous pressures and shoppers demand healthier, more functional, and more sustainably produced products, this sector presents a very favorable environment for the development of these valuable partnerships.

According to the survey, 89% of companies prioritize their internal resources for generating innovation. However, 78% of the surveyed companies state that they turn to external sources to transform their company, making collaboration a key way to generate synergies and new business opportunities.

 

From where does innovation in your company originate?

Respondent companies choose to collaborate with universities and technological centers (93%) first when it comes to choosing open innovation tools that meet their needs and level of innovation.

In these universities, the research is generally carried out in scientific parks equipped with the technology necessary to scale these solutions.  Secondly, 71% of surveyed companies prefer to codevelop with external entities, which sometimes results in acceleration programs, industrial scaling, or venture building, among others entities , which often results in acceleration programs, industrial scaling, or venture building, among other results. Over 50% of companies conduct startup search programs such as showcases, scouting, and challenges to learn more about the ecosystem. With 25%, direct investment in startups comes in fourth place. Companies allocate certain amounts of financial resources to another company in order to capture value.

In these universities, the research is generally carried out in scientific parks equipped with the technology necessary to scale these solutions. Secondly, 71% of surveyed companies prefer to codevelop with external entities, which sometimes results in acceleration programs, industrial scaling, or venture building, among others entities , which often results in acceleration programs, industrial scaling, or venture building, among other results

 

Collaboration with startups and creation of specialized investment vehicles: the areas with the greatest growth projection

Nearly all surveyed companies (93%) state that they plan to invest in innovation in the next 3 upcoming years. When considering which tools would best suit their needs, collaboration with universities and technology centers (78%) emerges again, followed by the desire to conduct pilot tests (75%), as well as co-development with external entities (75%) and boosting the innovation culture within the companies (75%), which once again reinforces the priority of innovation in the growth strategy of the companies. Startup search and incubation tools are also capturing growing interest from companies, with 46% and 42% respectively. A projection that is also supported by the comparison between current and desired tools. In addition, the desire for growth in the tool of specialized investment vehicles is also highlighted.

 

What type of open innovation tools would best suit your company?

Regarding the self-perception of the degree of innovation of the company, the average score of these companies is 7.46 out of 10, still room for improvement, especially considering that companies award a 9.4 to the importance of innovation for the growth of their company.

The companies’ self-perception of innovation scored 7.46 out of 10, still room for improvement, especially since most companies assign a 9.4 rating to innovation’s importance to their growth.

Finally, when talking about the projected investment in innovation during the next year, companies are clear, with over 85% betting on increasing investment in this area.

As the study highlights, it is evident that open innovation is gaining more and more weight as a model for attracting talent, technology, and new business models since it has the power to transform organizations in an agile and efficient way

 

Download the full report here.

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Through the support of Mercamadrid, a new innovation hub has emerged in Spain

La innovación ya tiene sede en Mercamadrid

Spain’s largest platform for the distribution, commercialization, transformation, and logistics of fresh food, launches its first challenge to the entrepreneurial community in collaboration with Eatable Adventures.

Mercamadrid, the largest fresh food distribution, commercialization, processing and logistics platform in Spain, looks forward to the future with a strong commitment to innovation, which will allow companies in this industry to provide innovative and effective solutions to current challenges. Mercamadrid is now the home of innovation, thanks to a new space serving as a base and meeting place for innovative companies.

As part of its efforts to improve the competitiveness and quality of the food sector, or to digitalize the companies in the sector, the Mercamadrid Innovation Hub already works with entities such as the National Center for Food Technology and Safety and Orange. The Innovation Hub is born with the aspiration of becoming a stable collaboration platform for companies, startups, and professionals in search of innovative solutions to the challenges of the food sector, allowing them to improve competitiveness and drive activity. In addition, they have a coworking area where projects, presentations, and collaboration on innovative solutions can be developed.

With this company’s strategic bet on innovation, special importance is placed on the first initiative driven in collaboration with the accelerator Eatable Adventures: Smart Food Future Innovation Challenge. The first call to innovation, launched from the food unit, will allow to offer innovative answers to real challenges, previously posed by Mercamadrid companies in three strategic areas such as logistics, packaging, and upcycling. In this way, Mercamadrid will challenge the international innovation ecosystem to find solutions aimed at optimizing transportation routes in terms of sustainability and cost, as well as identifying traceability systems that allow the tracking of goods. As part of the packaging area, proposals will be selected that improve food preservation and extend its shelf life, taking into account the concept of sustainability. Finally, the challenge also aims to revalue food waste and residuals through their transformation into new products, including reusable containers.

Startups that develop solutions in these areas and want to collaborate with an international leader in fresh food management will find this program a great opportunity.

Start-ups wishing to present their proposals for some of the challenges posed can do so from today at www.smartfoodfuture.com.

This is the beginning of Mercamadrid’s future, coinciding with the commemoration of its 40 years of success, with its sights set on future solutions that will allow it to continue moving towards the forefront of commercial distribution in the world.

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The investment in the Foodtech sector in Spain grows by over 9% in 2022

The conclusions of the third report on the Foodtech sector in Spain were presented at the ICEX Auditorium. In the framework of this event, some of the main players of the ecosystem have discussed the challenges and the internationalization strategy for this sector. The food technology sector is an essential link in the Spanish food industry.

An intense transformation of food is taking place as a result of the impact of new technologies and the foodtech ecosystem is set to play an essential role in this process in the coming years.

Thus, in a context of global contraction, investment in the foodtech sector in Spain in 2022 has increased by 9.38%, reaching 268 million euros, discounting the Glovo effect, as revealed in the report “Addressing new challenges across the food value chain” promoted by ICEX Spain Export and Investment.

But not only has it been able to attract major investment operations with national and international players, but there has also been a significant increase in the number of operators in the ecosystem: 412 startups, compared to 407 last year, more than 30,000 companies involved in food transformation, as well as more than 50 specialized universities and 20 cutting-edge technology centers involved.

These are just some of the conclusions drawn from the report on the Spanish Foodtech sector in 2022 presented, an essential link in the Spanish food industry.

This third report also points out that, in order to consolidate in the ecosystem, it is essential to have a high technological capacity and strength, which translates into patents, trade secrets and trademarks. Thus, 32.9% of the 412 Spanish startups have a patent for their technology and 29% have a trade secret, which indicates the robustness of Spanish companies in the sector.

Moreover, during 2022, the percentage of startups that have developed their own technology has further increased. In this area, there is a spectacular growth in the use of technologies, mainly startups that use artificial intelligence (AI), rising from 28.21% to 40.79%, gaining 12 points over the previous year.

It is worth highlighting the sector’s contribution in terms of circular economy, providing those technologies that allow the re-valorization of by-products, thus reducing waste and creating new uses ranging from packaging to ingredients.

ICEX CEO, María Peña, opened the event to present the report, highlighting that it is “a fundamental sector for attracting capital and investment in startups”. She stressed that “it has become a key of high added value in any strategy in favor of knowledge and expansion of our ecosystem of innovative and technological entrepreneurs” and also noted “the sector’s commitment to sustainability and making this attribute its flag”.

Likewise, María Peña emphasized that “there is no promotional strategy that is not based on knowledge”, and in this sense, “this report, within the framework of our alliance with Eatable Adventures, is undoubtedly a fundamental element of that knowledge”.

In closing his speech, Peña wanted to put on record that “if Spain will continue to be a Spain Food Nation, it will be so because it is also a Spain Foodtech Nation”.

To download the report, click here

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Investment in Spanish foodtech reaches 268 million euros by 2022

  • Investment in Spanish foodtech reaches 268 million euros by 2022, a 9.38% increase since the previous year, not considering investment round reached by Glovo

Eatable Adventures, one of the world’s leading agrifood accelerators, has presented the data from its annual study “The State of Foodtech in Spain 2022”. A report gathering key information on the characterization and investment evolution of the Spanish Foodtech entrepreneurial ecosystem.

Broadly, 2022 has been a positive year for the sector in the country. Despite the macroeconomic context, the Spanish Startups have been supported by investors, companies and governments, which have taken a much more active role in the growth of the Spanish ecosystem.

In 2022, Spain remains in the global top 10 ranking in terms of number of foodtech startups, whose latest census, according to the report, totals 412 startups. As for the key areas of the Foodtech sector, once again this year, 4 major categories were identified, showing a fairly balance among them: Agritech (24%); Food Production and Transformation (34%); Logistics, Distribution and Retail (25%); and Restaurant Tech (16%).

Spanish startups are solvent at a technological level and have a solid level of development. The percentage of startups that decide to patent their solutions or generate utility models is growing: 32,9% of startups have patents, 56,6% have a trademark registration and 29% have a trade secret. There is significant growth in the use of artificial intelligence, with an increase of more than 12 points, compared to last year, as well as in machine learning and IoT, with an increase of 8,5 and 9,6 points, respectively. Regarding the degree of technological development (TRL) of the startups, more than 80% have market-ready solutions and 14% are still at an intermediate stage.

This year, the total investment figure stands at 268 million euros, an increase of 9,38% compared to the previous year, not considering the investment round achieved by Glovo (450 million euros). In addition, the increase in Series A rounds stands out, growing by nearly 20%, 5 points more than in 2021.

The largest investments have been in startups working in foodservice/retail, but the emergence of the protein alternative stands out among investments. The top 5 startups leading this ranking are Cover Manager (€52M), Heura (€20M), Good News (€11M), Nova Meat (€6M) and Cubiq (€6M).

“Spain is consolidating its position as a Foodtech Nation with a flourishing ecosystem and great technological and intellectual solvency, which has attracted the interest of global investors and corporates throughout the year. Proof of this are the investment rounds received by some of the startups of our Spain Foodtech portfolio, such as Cocuus, Innomy or Moa Foodtech.”, commented José Luis Cabañero, CEO and founder at Eatable Adventures.

New Call for Projects for Spain Foodtech, the national Foodtech acceleration program

Also, Eatable Adventures announced the opening of the new caLl for projects for the acceleration program Spain Foodtech Startups’ Program. This is a national program led by Eatable Adventures, in collaboration with ICEX Spain Export and Investment and CNTA (National Center for Food Technology and Safety) and supported by multiple agents of the food ecosystem.

This year, the program incorporates as partners the largest companies in the food industry that are driving open innovation in the agri-food sector: Mahou San Miguel, leading brewing company, Alianza Team, a Colombian-based corporate group, expert in lipids and fats and leader in the food sector, Pascual Innoventures, Pascual’s Corporate Venturing arm, and Sigma, leading multinational food company.

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Pascual Innoventures announces 2022 Mylkcubator’s cohort to develop the milk of the future

With just one year of operations, Pascual Innoventures, founded in 2021 to promote the food of the future, has already made its first significant capital investment demonstrating its clear commitment to innovation and fulfilling its goal to help to develop the milk of the future. Specifically, it has invested in De Novo Dairy and Zero Cow Factory, two of the four startups that were part of the first cohort of Mylkcubator, the first incubator in the world specialized in the development of innovation projects for the dairy sector, launched by Pascual Innoventures in partnership with Eatable Adventures.

De Novo Dairy and Zero Cow Factory, highly innovative, are specialized in the development of cellular agriculture and precision fermentation technologies, a segment currently gaining traction in the dairy sector. These technologies, capable of directly producing nutrients and ingredients for the dairy industry through microorganisms, sum up and complement the traditional industry, helping industry players move towards increasingly sustainable, efficient, and healthy mixed production models that ensure food security for everyone. 

Investment to address disruptive projects worldwide

De Novo Dairy, based in South Africa, is focused on developing precision fermentation technologies to create alternative proteins (Lactoferrin) that can reproduce the same nutritional profiles and sensory experiences as their dairy analogs. Zero Cow Factory, of Indian origin, seeks to complement the traditional dairy industry by producing the first milk and dairy products using bioengineering and microbial fermentation.

Through these investments, says Gabriel Torres, director of Pascual Innoventures, “We intend to strengthen collaboration agreements to launch new products with novel and expanded functionality, which improve the quality of life of our consumers and allow us to enter new markets. Together with De Novo Dairy, we will explore the production of Lactoferrin, a high-value protein, essential in the development of babies and a strengthener of the immune system. Together with Zero Cow, we will work on the synthesis of Casein, a milk protein vital to achieve a good flavor and texture of non-animal origin cheeses or yogurt “.

Cell cultures and precision fermentation techniques are starting to demonstrate industrial viability, as evidenced by the growth of investment in this sector (currently more than 200 investors are identified) and the emergence of new startups using these technologies as a base, whose total business value now exceeds $5.316 million, according to Dealroom data.

In short, this is a sector whose ecosystem is evolving rapidly and generating significant investment traction, both globally and locally. This is supported by the numbers, with investment in dairy alternatives that tripled in 2021 compared to the previous year, from US$194 million to US$605 million.

2nd edition of Mylkcubator: meeting the global challenges of today and tomorrow

Today more than ever, the current global socioeconomic context highlights the present and future challenges that the agri-food industry will have to face. Among them, is being able to develop and apply sustainable and efficient food production models that allow feeding a world population that just in November already reached 8 billion people. To this end, the promotion, development, and application of new technologies complementary to the traditional sector will play a fundamental role.

In this context, Pascual Innoventures and Eatable Adventures, aware of the need for action, have launched Mylkcubator 2.0, the second edition of this pioneering program worldwide.

“At Pascual Innoventures we are convinced that only through innovation and commitment to disruptive food technologies we will be able to meet the current challenges facing not only the agri-food sector but also the global socioeconomic sector as a whole. Thanks to initiatives like Mylkcubator, we will be able to evolve towards an efficient and sustainable mixed production system that improves the lives of people, animals, and the planet“, said Gabriel Torres.

Itziar Ortega, VP of Global Operations at Eatable Adventures, adds that “the collaboration of such relevant and committed players as Eatable Adventures and Pascual Innoventures has allowed us to be pioneers and one step ahead. We are sure that in the next few years, these technologies will be consolidated and that Spain will undoubtedly continue to set historic milestones, among other things, thanks to the innovation of unique programs in the world such as Mylkcubator, which drives the innovation ecosystem on a global scale”.

THE MYLKCUBATOR 2.0 PICKS

Maolac is an Israeli startup specializing in the research of biofunctional ingredients to create precision proteins with high nutritional capacity, inspired by milking milk. Its main goal is to apply this technology to improve the health and well-being of both humans and domestic animals.

Portuguese startup PFx Biotech focuses on commercializing bioactive and functional human milk proteins as alternative protein ingredients for use in pediatric and advanced nutrition. They use a high-tech precision fermentation process to ensure the well-being of people and care for the planet

Miruku from New Zealand is a leader in the emerging molecular farming sector. Its mission is to provide sustainable, nutritious, and cost-effective dairy products by applying molecular farming technologies to program plant cells and produce proteins and fats suitable for the creation of plant-based dairy products.

ERGO Bioscience, an Argentine startup focused on the development of complex animal proteins, has succeeded in developing an innovative process to create alternative foods of plant origin. Its goal is to achieve products organoleptically identical to those of animal origin. Among its portfolio of proteins are Alfa-S1 and Kappa caseins, for dairy applications of plant origin, and myoglobin for meat applications of plant origin.

Nutropy is a French startup dedicated to the production of dairy ingredients by feeding the yeast with sugars, minerals, and vitamins. These ingredients are identical to those produced by cows and make it possible to develop alternatives to dairy products without quitting the original taste.

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Webinar: New ingredients- shaping the future of food from Spain

Webinar ICEX

WEBINAR

25/10/2022. Online 

Free entry, registration required. 

9:00AM CET

18:00PM  CET

 

ICEX Spain Trade & Investment is hosting a webinar on “New ingredients: shaping the future of food from Spain” featuring five Spanish startups, and one of the leading technological centers, that are disrupting the food industry by using the most innovative technologies to create the foods of the future, in the most sustainable way.

WHY PARTICIPATE

Today, technology in the food industry is an essential part of food production processes. As food is becoming more wellness-oriented, consumers are increasingly opting for foods and beverages that, in addition to providing satisfaction and pleasure in eating, also offer health functions or benefits. To meet this demand, entrepreneurs and large industries are in the need of innovating and producing certain functional foods, and in some cases introducing new ingredients to the market which have specific health attributes through new technologies such as cellular agriculture, fermentation and artificial intelligence.

This initiative aims to strengthen the network of the Spanish foodtech industry, to showcase it to the world, and highlight success stories and interesting projects from other countries to enhance collaboration.

AGENDA

Where Via online
When To ensure that you do not miss this chance to learn more about the Spanish food tech ecosystem, we are offering you two time slots at 9AM and 6PM CET.

9.00AM CET Webinar #1: Shaping the future of food from Spain

18.00PM CET Webinar #2: Shaping the future of food from Spain
Registration Registration is completely free. Please register at the following link:

9.00 AM CET: https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_6LQmKDQjQiSOS-abCzoKog

18.00PM CET: https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_-PexbwSjTiGcQN6paT8l_A

SPEAKERS

Bread Free

Daniel Gomez Bravo, CEO – Bread Free  

Bread Free:  Bread free is a startup formed by young entrepreneurs who, through an innovative process, have managed to process cereals with gluten to separate this component from the rest of the food so that it can be consumed by people with celiac disease. 

Bio:  Daniel Gómez-Bravo is the CEO and technology developer of BREAD FREE S.L. He is a graduate in Biotechnology, Master in Health Information Engineering, and has experience in Research Centers such as the Center for Plant Biotechnology and Genomics. Daniel is fully involved in the use of Biotechnology to solve a real problem in the market, and a primary need of the gluten-free population. He has an economic, business and legal background backed by his training at the European Business and Innovation Center of Navarra (CEIN). With international prospection, he seeks to direct the company’s technology towards foreign markets, and thus be able to help as many people as possible.

 

The Good Cubes

Manuel Diez de Oñate De Toro, CEO – The Good Cubes (Origin Algae) 

Origin Algae: With the help of technology, Origin Algae provide the means and resources necessary to start producing spirulina, or to optimize your crops in an intelligent way.

Bio: Manuel graduated in industrial engineering at the University of Seville, where he began his career in the algae sector working in a spin-off of the university where he studied processes to make the production of algae more efficient in a sustainable way. After working for this company and for the Air Force as an intern in the Quality Department, he decided to take the leap to Sweden to study a master’s degree in business and entrepreneurship. At the end of this process, Manuel had already begun to undertake projects in real estate and music, but it was from the end of 2021 when he decided to undertake his current project focused on food based on algae for human consumption, Origin Algae (The Good Cubes).

Ingredalia

Miguel Ángel Cubero Márquez, CEO – Ingredalia 

Ingredalia develops and produce natural functional ingredients from plant by-products of agri-food companies for use in the food, cosmetic, nutraceutical and pet industries. With sustainability and circular economy as the cornerstones of our activity, Ingredalia obtain, natural functional ingredients, extracts, and healthy additives. 

Bio: He has developed his professional career as a technician, advancing from the position of laboratory manager to R&D Director at Indulleida for more than 10 years. He has been part of the Technical Management and held other management positions in other companies, such as aroma companies and other food industries; he has also been working as an associate professor at the University of Lleida, as well as visiting professor from 2008 to the present. He has developed and led various R&D projects, directing the creation of new lines and following the industrial development of the companies in which he has worked. Therefore, he has extensive experience in moving from an R&D project to an industrial reality. He has been the full-time General Director of the company since February 2020, assuming full responsibility for the fulfillment of the business plan. 

Sanygran

Roselyne Chane, Director – Sanygran 

Sanygran produce extruded food based on legumes and cereals, highlighting their nutritional and environmental benefits. Their vegetable protein has now become the basis of all our products due to its protein content, source of fiber, low level of saturated fats, as well as being gluten and lactose-free and manufactured in Spain. All this, without forgetting the positive impact it has on our health and that of the environment, by using less water resources than animal protein and reducing greenhouse gases from livestock farming, while promoting biodiversity and animal subsistence.

Bio: With +18 years of managing experience In Sales, Marketing, Innovation and Business development in the Food industry, Roselyne is now the Managing Director of Alimentos Sanygran, a Spanish Vegtech company specialized in plant-based foods and ingredients.

She believes in spending her time, energy and money in projects that impact positively on the planet and its people and this is why she also invests in foodtech, biotech and renewable energy companies.

Tebrio

Adriana Casillas, CEO – TEBRIO 

Tebrio: Spanish biotechnology company that is building an 80.000 square meter insect farm – the largest of its kind in the world, which, in line with our pilot operations, will breed and transform mealworms into 3 main co-products: (i) amino rich, sustainable premium protein for petfood, fishmeal and animal feed, (ii) tech powered biofertilizer for plant nutrition and (iii) chitosan for biodegradable plastic manufacturing. 

Bio: Adriana Casillas is CEO and Co-Funder of Tebrio. During her professional life, she has developed successfully different technological projects both in USA and Spain, related to industries such as art or food. She is also actively involved in interactions with the European Commission, EFSA and other European stakeholders for the development of the insect industry in Europe through her position as President of IPIFF, the International Platform of Insects for Food and Feed, based in Brussels. Adriana  holds a Bachelor’s degree in classical and contemporary music, MBA and Executive Master in Agri-Food Business Management from ESMUC, Johns Hopkins University and the IME Business School of the University of Salamanca, respectively.

AZTI

Carolina Najar, Food Market Director – AZTI

Azti conducts strategic and applied research in an international context, providing comprehensive and innovative solutions to its clients. AZTI’s mission is to transform science into sustainable and healthy development for present and future societies.

Bio Entrepreneur and business woman specialized in food industry and gastronomy of the national, European, and latinoamerican markets. She has experience in the GMCP (Gross Market Consumption Products) sector, where she has held different positions within the management team in the commercial and marketing areas. Foodtech investor. Teacher at Cámarabilbao University Business School. Founder of Baiba, a consultancy specialized in food, mentor al EIT Food and other incubation and acceleration programs. Since 2021 she is the director of food market at the technological center AZTI. 

 

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FONDO EUROPEO DE DESARROLLO REGIONAL (FEDER).                                      A way of making Europe
This service/activity is eligible for co-financing from Fondo Europeo de Desarrollo Regional (FEDER)

 

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Innomy raises €1.3 million in funding, thanks to its alternative proteins based on mushrooms

The Spanish startup Innomy has raised 1,3 million euros in its Pre Series A funding round. The round was led by international investors as Corporación Cervino, Rockstart, Zubi Capital, Eatable Adventures and the National Center for Technology and Food Safety (CNTA), who have taken equity stakes in the company to scale the startup’s disruptive technology and promote a much more sustainable and healthier protein consumption alternative in other markets.

The leading Argentinian team, composed by CEO and co-founder Juan Pablo de Giacomi, biotechnologist COO and co-founder Pablo Sánchez Rey, and mycologist CSO and Technology Partner Francisco Kuhar, has dedicated years of research to the properties of mushroom-based proteins and their benefits for the health of people and the planet.

Innomy is the third foodtech Spanish startup announcing its first funding round after successfully completing the acceleration program Spain Foodtech developed by Eatable Adventures, in collaboration with ICEX Spain Export and Investment and the National Center for Technology and Food Safety (CNTA) and the Rockstart AgriFood program. Disruptive startups Cocuus and Moa Foodtech were also selected in Spain Foodtech program.

Juan Pablo de Giacomi, CEO and founder of Innomy states “We were born as a platform to channel many years of research in the field of the properties of edible mushrooms. Our mission is to respond to consumers that demand good food products for their health but also for the planet’s wellbeing. We want to reach new markets and bring our product to thousands of people”.

Mycelium, a filamentous, protein-rich ingredient extracted from the root structure of mushrooms is considered to be one of the most promising sources of protein for the future. Its quality in terms of nutrition was recognized by scientists a long time ago, but its current production for human consumption is not yet widespread. Furthermore, the fact that fungi do not produce cholesterol or significant amounts of saturated fats has redirected the attention of the food industry towards them.

On the other hand, José Luis Cabañero, CEO and founder of Eatable Adventures notes “We are very proud to be part of this new milestone that consolidates the leadership of the Spanish foodtech ecosystem. In the last few months, we have managed to raise Funding rounds of an average of 1.8M for three of the startups that have been selected in our acceleration program. We continue to bet on disruptive technologies that impact the way food is produced and consumed, ensuring food safety for all”.

Mark Durno, Managing Partner AgriFood of Rockstart said: “At Rockstart, purpose driven and determined founders are central to our investment selection. In the case of Innomy, the founding team is composed of specialists in mycelium and have all shown amazing commercial insight and humble curiosity during the mentor sessions throughout our accelerator program. We are delighted to make our second investment in the company.”

“With the entry into the capital we formalize the collaboration we have maintained in recent years to develop Innomy’s proprietary technology. And now, with this financial injection, it will be possible to bring this technology to the market and continue contributing to transforming the future of food to make it healthier, more sustainable, safer and available to everyone,” said Héctor Barbarin, CEO of CNTA.

In the context of the current global environmental and demographic challenges, meat alternatives, such as mycelium, are an effective solution to reduce meat production effects, which are responsible for almost 60% of all greenhouse gasses generated by food production, according to FAO data.

Innomy has been awarded in the fourth edition of the ‘Ingenia Startup Awards’, promoted by the Spanish Federation of Food and Beverage Industries (FIAB), the Technology Platform Food for LifeSpain (PTF4LS) and the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (MAPA). In addition, it has been a finalist in the Foodtech Heroes 2022 in the F&A category and has been chosen as one of the top 15 foodtech startups according to El Referente.

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