Key Takeaways
- Expansive Cohort Selection: EIT Food Accelerator Network has welcomed 58 new startups from Europe and Brazil into its 2024 cohort, selected from over 500 applicants.
- Innovative Contributions: These startups are pioneering solutions in food bioprocessing, sustainable packaging, and more, aiming to revolutionize the agrifood sector.
- Diverse Focus Areas: The startups align with specific innovation themes across EIT Food’s five hubs, ranging from ‘Food bioprocessing’ in Helsinki to ‘Food as medicine’ in Haifa.
- Strategic Partnerships: The program is supported by major corporate partners and aims to connect startups with industry experts, investors, and research institutions.
- Future Goals: EIT Food focuses on building a resilient global food system that can withstand global challenges and provide sustainable food solutions.
The EIT Food Accelerator Network program has announced its 2024 cohort, introducing fifty groundbreaking startups from Europe and eight from Brazil. These startups are set to bring innovative technology and science to the forefront of the food industry, aiming to transform global food systems in alignment with sustainability and consumer demand.
Highlights from the 2024 Cohort
- Clean Food Group (UK): This startup is innovating in the production of sustainable, scalable oils and fats through fermentation, promising healthier alternatives for local markets.
- Melt&Marble (Sweden): Focused on enhancing the alternative protein industry, Melt&Marble uses precision fermentation to create animal-free fats, improving the taste and quality of plant-based foods.
- NOOVI (Slovakia): They offer a unique solution with their “Pheromark” pheromone line, which prevents pests from harming crops without the use of toxins, presenting no negative impact on the environment or human health.
- Nukoko (UK): Innovating in the chocolate industry, Nukoko uses fava beans instead of cocoa to produce a new type of sustainable and healthy chocolate.
- Pacifico Labs (Germany): This startup has developed a scalable, carbon-neutral process for producing seafood alternatives using mycelium and microalgae.
- Pack2Earth (Spain): They create robust biomaterials from plants and minerals, aiming to replace contaminating plastics in packaging.
- P-Agro Minerals (Latvia): Their technology recovers phosphorus from wastewater, enabling its reuse as fertilizer in agriculture.
- Papkot™ (France): This company is making strides in packaging by replacing plastic with AI-enhanced, recyclable, and biodegradable paper.
Strategic Themes and Partnership
EIT Food Accelerator Network’s structured approach revolves around themes across different hubs, including food bioprocessing, sustainable packaging, and future-proof agriculture. The program is backed by significant partnerships with global corporates such as Bayer Crop Science, Cargill, and General Mills, providing crucial support for startups to navigate the complexities of the agrifood sector.
Vision and Future Impact
Richard Zaltzman, CEO of EIT Food, emphasized the collaborative and innovative ethos of the program: “At EIT Food, we harness the power of innovation and foster a collaborative approach to build a future-fit food system that produces healthy and sustainable food for all.”
The EIT Food Accelerator Network continues to play a pivotal role in shaping the future of the global food system by supporting startups ready to address today’s and tomorrow’s challenges. With the 2024 cohort, EIT Food reinforces its commitment to transforming the agrifood industry, promoting sustainability, and enhancing food security globally.
Image provided by EIT Food
