Disrupting food systems: EIT Food selects 14 mature agrifood start-ups to drive innovation

04 Jul 2019 --- EIT Food, a pan–European consortium with focuses on entrepreneurship and innovation in the food sector, has accepted 14 agrifood start-ups from 10 different countries in its third cohort of the EIT Food RisingFoodStars community. The RisingFoodStars Association is an umbrella organization for “high potential, game-changing” mature agrifood startups and early scaleups, enabling its members to participate as partners in all EIT Food activities. The consortium says its committed to transforming the food system by scaling agrifood companies in an international context in a bid to drive future innovations. the innovations of the future.

EIT Food RisingFoodStars’ third cohort of start-ups welcomes:

• Amai Proteins (Israel) – producers of healthy, tasty and cost-effective proteins for the mass food market.
• Urban Crop Solutions (Belgium) – providing total solutions for indoor vertical farming.
• Trellis AI (Israel) – a food system intelligence platform with real-time data management and market intelligence over the entire food chain.
• Team30MHz (Netherlands) – a digital platform for all indoor farming with wireless sensors allowing real-time remote crop monitoring on any device.
• Fruitsapp (Italy) – a B2B Marketplace for the fresh produce industry, connecting companies based on their complementary needs.
• Connecting Food (France) – allowing digital B2B food auditing in real time from farm-to-fork and demonstrates to consumers proof that brands respect commitments and fair–trade practices.
• Wasteless Ltd (Israel) – a real-time dynamic pricing engine for fresh food that allows supermarkets to promote products with a shorter expiration date on the shelves.
• Mimica (UK) – focusing on food expiry labeling, Mimica Touch shows food freshness and spoilage in real time, by change in texture.
• SIA Agroplatforma (Latvia) – developing a grain trading platform connecting farmers with buyers and the stock market.
• Natufia Labs (Estonia) – focusing on vertical farming in–house, with a device that allows growing any plants and herbs automatically.
• Innovopro Ltd (Israel) – producing unique chickpea protein ingredients in order to create nutritious, tasty, safe and sustainable food products.
• Thorice (Iceland) – controlled chilling technology for the poultry industry
• Novolyze SAS (France) – a food safety company ensuring strong compliance with international Food Safety & Quality standards.
• Fazla Gida (Turkey) – a holistic tech platform to manage food waste according to the Lansink ladder.

“With every cohort we add new impactful members to our community who we know will leave a positive mark on society. I am delighted to welcome our new RisingFoodStars and am looking forward to making them an active part of our EIT Food family,” says Annick Verween, Manager of RisingFoodStars.

EIT Food RisingFoodStars lists five opportunities:

• Access to an unparalleled network – Access to, and collaboration with, an expert network of industrial and academic Partners in EIT projects, as well as potential customers and distribution channels.
• Enhanced European reach – EIT offers a presence in every country in Europe and beyond, helping businesses reach new markets and develop internationally. 
• Backing from a powerful brand – As the designated EU body to transform Europe’s food system, companies can benefit from the EIT Food RisingFoodStars brand, elevating the attractiveness of to investors and customers.
• Increased visibility – Access to and the possibility of hosting a booth at best-in-class agrifood and entrepreneurship events, both in Europe and globally.
• Long term support – Business support and professional development in scaling up, investments and the typical pains of a scaleup during membership.

Market researcher Innova Market Insights’ 2019 Trends Report notes that small players, such as the listed startups, are increasingly shaking up the industry by taking on the classic FMCG giants in an increasingly high–tech arena. The market researcher highlights this “golden age of creativity” as driven by growing demand for ethically-produced, sustainably–sourced and environmentally-conscious food products.

By Benjamin Ferrer