International Fresh Produce Association’s Post

International Fresh Produce Association is launching a catalyst programme to support #innovation in reusable #packaging for fresh produce. This is much needed as modern packaging plays a crucial role in preservation and provenance of fresh produce and making it all reusable as well adds another dimension of complexity. More details of the programme below 👇 Of course there are all types of packaging along the #supplychain from farm to fork (or finger) so the scope and scale of challenge and opportunity are immense. Speaking as a consumer buying at my local stores, much fresh produce packaging (especially films) is not even recyclable yet, let alone reusable. Separating the (non recyclable) film from the (recyclable) carton before disposal is not exactly a mountain to climb 🧗🏻♂️ But consumers are used to disposability … Reusable packaging will be a technological, societal and systemic shift effort. Which of these challenges will be the greatest? #reuse #recycle #packaging #waste #circulareconomy #freshandgreen #perishables #fruit #vegetables

Hey Startuppers! Are you ready to disrupt the food and beverage industry, or do you know someone who could? I am thrilled to share that the Innovation Hub Generate by @CSM Ingredients is now accepting applications from startups with breakthrough ingredient solutions.  Generate will offer access to top-tier facilities, hands-on technical guidance, expert market knowhow and dedicated commercial support to the startups that will be selected to join its 12–18-month customized programs.  What is Generate looking for? We seek transformative ideas in the following areas: ∞ Clean label gelling agents and emulsifiers ∞ Natural origin preservatives and clean label shelf-life extenders ∞ Upcycled plant origin proteins and fibers ∞ Novel solutions for textural, nutritional and sensory improvement in plant-based foods ∞ Liquid oil stabilization solutions …we’re open to more! Find out more at: https://lnkd.in/dE6NtR-f Don’t miss this opportunity to bring your startup to the next level: send us your investor deck and join us in reshaping the future of ingredients.  📅 Applications Open November 18th #Generate #EvolvingIngredients #IngredientStartups #OpenCall

🎉 A Year of Impact and Agrifoodtech Innovation! As we reflect on the incredible journey of 2024 at StartLife, we are filled with gratitude and pride for the remarkable achievements and milestones reached this year. Here’s a quick overview of our impactful year: 🚀 Alumni Success: Our alumni have had a phenomenal year, raising over €100M! This milestone underscores the ongoing impact and innovation our startups continues to bring to the agrifoodtech sector. 🌍 Demo Days Success: We hosted 2 Demo Days in 2024, both of which were a tremendous success, attracting +400 visitors in Wageningen. These events showcased the cutting-edge solutions our startups are bringing to the table, connecting them with investors, industry leaders, and potential partners. 🤝 New Collaborations: This year marked the beginning of HIC - HortiScience Innovation Center, setting the stage for new opportunities and advancements in agrifoodtech. Co-created with Wageningen University & Research, Delphy, Gemeente Lansingerland, and YES!Delft. Moreover, we welcomed new partners to our network, such as The Hershey Company & Corteva Agriscience. 🌱 Supporting Startups: In 2024, we welcomed 27 new agrifoodtech startups into our community, supporting them through their journey towards innovation and impact. 🌐 F&A Next 2024: The 9th edition of F&A Next brought together more than 850 professionals from 36 countries, creating a melting pot of ideas, partnerships, and collaborations that continue to drive the agrifood sector forward. On to the 10th edition!! 🔍 Looking Ahead: As we close a successful year, we are more committed than ever to fostering innovation and supporting our agrifoodtech startups in making a meaningful impact on global food systems. Thank you to everyone who has been part of this journey. Here’s to continuing our mission in 2025 and beyond! #agritech #foodtech #startups

A while back, I discussed the urgent need for innovation in the packaging industry (check out my previous post here: Link). Since then, I've explored the startup landscape and identified several promising reusable packaging options. While the transport packaging and Food2Go sectors are becoming increasingly competitive, there's still a significant opportunity for growth in pre-packaged solutions, offering FMCGs reusable packaging that they can fill at the factories and consumers grab from the shelves. Currently, Loop is leading the charge internationally, but there's ample "grey" space for new entrants. To enhance the document and while we are continuing to look at the topic further, I'm calling on all angel investors, VCs, PEs, corporates, and startups to share any other companies offering reusable packaging solutions. #Consumer #PackagingInnovation #StartupGrowth

Innovation in Beekeeping: Insights from Ru Wikmann 🐝of BeeSage During my Berlin trip at Hanze for my Master's, Lennart Schwiersch and I interviewed Ru Wikmann for the concepts of Innovation. Here's a brief summary of the conversation:   1. What is your personal definition of innovation?  - Thinking outside the box: "Leveraging technology in a way that has never been done before."   2. Can you explain the innovation behind BeeSage?    - Modular beehive monitoring system to support pollinators and enhance food security by using technologies such as wireless sensor network and satellite navigation 3. Do most startups emerge from an "innovation-first" or "market-first" approach? What about BeeSage?  - BeeSage is innovation-first start up. Ru and his co-founder met at a Hackathon which is a birthplace for innovation. 4. What skills or experiences helped you recognize the business opportunity?    - Self-reliance, the right mindset, accountability, and openness to learning.   5. Did you implement theoretical business concepts in your venture?    - Ru used frameworks sub consciously, proving practical application often most entrepreneurs do it without knowledge.   A standout quote from Ru: "You cannot improve what you don't measure." #innovation #startup #Founderinterviews #Hanze

We are excited to be featured in Foodbytes by Rabobank’s Q2 Report: How Incremental Innovation Powers the F&A Transition. It includes a market map of 50+ global startups including microTERRA. We were chosen as one of 5 standout startups in our sector, and are showcased as an innovator in Ingredient Diversification. Stay tuned for a more in-depth feature on microTERRA from Foodbytes this week. #Foodbytes #FoodTech #AgTech #Innovation #Sustainability #Lemna #FunctionalIngredients https://lnkd.in/dGyBKyQf

It's an honor to be featured in Foodbytes by Rabobank’s 2024 EOY Report: Harnessing Sustainable Business Models to Catalyze Growth. It includes a market map of 50 global startups including InsectSense, 7 collaboration case studies and startup spotlights, Foodbytes hub trend insights and many more. Check out the report: https://lnkd.in/eg_yt-rj #Foodbytes #FoodTech #AgTech #Innovation #Sustainability

⚡ Applications for the AgFunder GROW Impact Accelerator closed at the end of February and our team is now busy honing this year’s outstanding shortlist down to our 2024 cohort of 10. 🔝 Top of our list? Startups that offer impactful solutions with holistic business models that effectively address a gap in the agrifood system, and can prove why their solution is better than their contemporaries, and how it will ignite progression throughout the value chain. 👀 While we’re busy cogitating and deliberating, we’ve put together the attached insights report from this year’s applicant pool for you to digest. 🔍 We hope this leaves you hungry for more, and we look forward to announcing  this year’s final 10 - in the coming weeks, and showcasing them at Demo Day in November 2024. John Friedman Angela Tay Ryan Lee Joshua Soo Sin Hang Leung Magdalene Tan Marilyn Kang Yaniv Corem charlotte james #goGROW #agritech #foodtech #innovation #founders #accelerator

It's an honor to be featured in Foodbytes by Rabobank’s Q2 Report: How Incremental Innovation is Powering the F&A Transition. It includes a market map of 50+ global startups including Kiinns, 6 collaboration case studies, Rabobank sector analysis, Foodbytes hub trend insights and more. https://lnkd.in/dGyBKyQf #Foodbytes #FoodTech #AgTech #Innovation #Sustainability 

So, what's the 𝐑𝐞𝐩𝐮𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐜 𝐏𝐨𝐥𝐲 𝐀𝐠𝐫𝐢-𝐅𝐨𝐨𝐝 𝐓𝐞𝐜𝐡 𝐈𝐧𝐜𝐮𝐛𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐦𝐦𝐞 all about? Well, it's an amazing initiative that provides 𝐬𝐮𝐩𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭 to 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐮𝐩𝐬 and 𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐮𝐫𝐬 who are making waves in the 𝐚𝐠𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐮𝐥𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐚𝐥 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐟𝐨𝐨𝐝 𝐭𝐞𝐜𝐡𝐧𝐨𝐥𝐨𝐠𝐲 𝐬𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐬. And, oh, 𝐌𝐖𝐀 has formed a 𝐬𝐨𝐥𝐢𝐝 𝐭𝐞𝐚𝐦 for this program, and we've got a few of us here today, including 𝐦𝐲𝐬𝐞𝐥𝐟, 𝐀𝐳𝐞𝐚𝐧 - who's probably lurking somewhere around here 🤭- and 𝐇𝐚𝐫𝐣𝐢𝐭. We're progressively building momentum, and we're all excited to share more about this innovative program and how it's shaping the future of agri-food tech!