Key Takeaways:
- Innovative Cohort: EIT Food RisingFoodStars has selected new startups for a three-year program focused on sustainability.
- Program Objectives: Aims to address food self-sufficiency, emission reductions, healthy food options, and halving food waste.
- Comprehensive Support: Startups receive workshops, coaching, mentorship, and access to investors and industry leaders.
- Success Stories: Alumni like RedefineMeat have secured significant funding and made impactful advancements.
- Focus Areas: This year’s cohort targets net zero food systems, palm oil alternatives, sustainable packaging, and alternative proteins.
EIT Food RisingFoodStars, a non-profit organization co-funded by the European Union and the largest agri-food tech community, has selected a cohort of promising startups for their three-year program. This initiative aims to scale solutions addressing environmental concerns and the long-term sustainability of food and agriculture in Europe. The program intends to tackle challenges such as securing food self-sufficiency, reducing net emissions by 90% by 2040, providing EU residents with healthy and nutritional food options, and halving food waste.
The program’s previous participants have already secured over $700 million in investments, supplemented by an additional $15 million from the EIT Food Impact Fund.
Comprehensive Support for Startups
EIT Food RisingFoodStars offers startups extensive support through workshops, coaching, and mentorship, as well as access to a network of over 50 investors and 160 industry leaders. More than 130 startups have benefitted from the program, which boasts an 80% Net Satisfaction rate, reflecting its positive impact.
One notable success story is RedefineMeat, known for developing plant-based meat using 3D-printing technology. Partnering with Givaudan, RedefineMeat has advanced the alternative protein market, securing $170 million in funding over three years.
Focus on Sustainability and Innovation
This year’s cohort is focused on challenges related to enabling the transition to a net zero food system, replacing palm oil, and innovating in sustainable packaging and alternative proteins.
Narjis Chakir, RisingFoodStars Programme Lead, emphasized the program’s goals: “At RisingFoodStars, we recognize the complexity of ensuring food security, reducing CO2 emissions, and providing healthy options for EU residents while remaining competitive in the global market. With over 8% of EU citizens unable to afford regular meat, fish, or vegetarian meals, new solutions are essential. Our personalized approach is key to initiating transformative change, unlocking commercial opportunities, and facilitating rapid, sustainable growth for startups. For example, our alumni company Infinite Roots has secured $58 million from a leading European retailer and the holding company behind Haribo to scale its mycelium fermentation platform.”
Selected Startups for the 2024 Program
- SeedForward GmbH (Germany) – Substitutes synthetic agrochemicals with biobased alternatives, emphasizing seed treatments, biostimulants, and plant protection to support regenerative agriculture.
- Notpla (UK) – Provides sustainable packaging solutions made from seaweed and plants, such as food containers and dissolving pods.
- Ficosterra (Spain) – Develops prebiotic and probiotic products for agriculture, using seaweeds and microorganisms to enhance crop development and reduce carbon footprints.
- Carbone Farmers (France) – Creates platforms that make agricultural decarbonization economically viable by supporting low-carbon practices.
- Meala Foodtech (Israel) – Develops ingredients and processes for cleaner, healthier, and tastier food products with a better ecological footprint.
- MyEasyFarm (France) – Provides a platform for managing agricultural data to enhance crop cycles and reduce CO2 emissions.
- Neggst Foods GmbH (Germany) – Develops plant-based whole egg alternatives using a legume-based recipe free of soy and gluten.
- Matr Foods (Denmark) – Creates microbial food solutions transforming local plant ingredients into clean-label meat alternatives.
- Evja (Italy) – Supports growers with OPI, an agri-climatic intelligence system optimizing irrigation, nutrition, and crop protection.
- Those Vegan Cowboys (Belgium) – Produces dairy products without cows, focusing on milk and cheese alternatives.
- AgroLeague (France) – Builds a social platform connecting farmers with real-time diagnosis and direct-to-farmer services.
- NoPalm Ingredients (Netherlands) – Creates microbial oils to substitute palm and tropical oils in various industries.
- Bon Vivant (France) – Specializes in precision fermentation methods to produce animal-free dairy proteins.
- Cultivated Biosciences (Switzerland) – Improves the mouthfeel of animal-free cheese and yoghurt using a unique creamy fat ingredient.
EIT Food RisingFoodStars is a key component of the world’s largest food innovation community, co-funded by the European Union. The program continues to drive advancements in sustainable and efficient food production, ensuring a better future for the agri-food sector.
