Key Takeaways
- Initiative Launch: Givaudan and FoodHack unveil the FoodTech World Cup to highlight and support entrepreneurial talent in the food sector.
- Application Period: Interested startups have until April 11, 2024, to apply for participation in this global competition.
- Sustainability Goal: The contest aims to discover innovative solutions for sustainable and healthy food systems in response to the climate crisis.
- Diverse Categories: Participants can showcase their innovations across various sectors, including Food Circularity, AI for Food, Sustainable Proteins, and more.
- Final Pitch Event: The top 12 finalists will present at the HackSummit in Lausanne, Switzerland, with winners to be announced June 13-14th.
Givaudan and FoodHack are collaborating to host the first FoodTech World Cup to combat the global food system’s challenges. This competition seeks to identify and support the most innovative entrepreneurs working towards more sustainable and nutritious food solutions. The launch is critical as the world confronts a climate crisis and a growing global population.
Global Search for Innovation
The FoodTech World Cup is open for applications, offering a unique opportunity for startups to gain international exposure and accelerate their growth. Alexandre Bastos, Head of Open Innovation and Ventures at Givaudan, emphasized the importance of the initiative: “By partnering with FoodHack and the HackSummit, we hope to uncover never-before-seen solutions created by exceptional, entrepreneurial Founders who are driving real-world impact for a healthier, more sustainable future for all.”
Categories of Competition
The competition invites startups in various stages, from Stealth to Seed, to present their solutions in categories such as Food Circularity, AI and Digital Tools, Sustainable Proteins, Personalized Nutrition, Food Safety and Traceability, Novel Food Product Concepts, and New Ingredients and Technologies. These categories represent the broad spectrum of innovation necessary to address current and future food system challenges.
Selection and Finals
The FoodTech World Cup will feature 6 regional Demo Days across continents, including Asia, Europe, Latin America, MENA, North America, and Sub-Saharan Africa. Sixty shortlisted founders will have the opportunity to present their visions and the impact potential of their startups to a panel of esteemed judges. The 12 most promising solutions, two from each region, will advance to the final round at the HackSummit in Lausanne, where they will compete for the championship title.
60 shortlisted Founders will present their vision and demonstrate their startup’s impact potential to a lineup of top-tier judges of The FoodTech World Cup, including but not limited to:
North America:
- Steven Finn at Siddhi Capital
Sub-Saharan Africa:
- Andrew Meredith at Givaudan
- Maxime Bayen at Catalyst Fund
APAC:
- Michal Klar at Better Bite Ventures
Europe:
- Christian Guba at FoodLabs
- Susanne Steghoefer at Givaudan
- Susana Reber at Nestlé R+D Accelerator
Latin America:
- Flávia Angella at Givaudan
- Camila Petignat at The Yield Lab
MENA:
- Gil Horsky at FLORA Ventures
Discover the complete list of this year’s FoodTech World Cup judges here.
Organizational Backgrounds
Givaudan Taste & Wellbeing is leveraging its global leadership in flavors and tastes to create food experiences that benefit the body, mind, and planet. FoodHack operates as one of the world’s largest Food Tech communities, helping food founders access vital resources. The HackSummit, held in Lausanne, Switzerland, is a significant event for Climate Tech innovation, attracting industry leaders and innovators.
Image provided by Food Hack
