EIT Food RisingFoodStars, a non-profit organisation co-funded by the European Union and the biggest agri-food tech community, has selected a cohort of the most promising startups for their 3-year program, aimed at scaling solutions that can address environmental concerns and the long-term sustainability of food and agriculture in Europe. The program intends to solve 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. Program alumni have already secured over $700 million in investments, supported by an additional $15 million in investments from the EIT Food Impact Fund.
EIT Food RisingFoodStars offers startups comprehensive 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 been supported by the current program and the high satisfaction rate – 80% Net Satisfaction – reflects its positive impact and value. The program has notable success stories, including RedefineMeat, known for developing plant-based meat using 3D-printing technology. Partnering with Givaudan, RedefineMeat has aimed to advance the alternative protein market, and its participation in the program boosted the company’s growth, helping them secure $170 million in funding over three years.
This year's cohort is mostly focused on the challenges related to enabling the transition to a net zero food system, replacement of palm oil, as well as on sustainable packaging and alternative protein innovations.
"At RisingFoodStars, we recognise the complexity of ensuring food security, reducing CO2 emissions, and providing healthy options for EU residents while remaining competitive in the global market," explained Narjis Chakir, RisingFoodStars Programme Lead. "With over 8% of EU citizens unable to afford regular meat, fish, or vegetarian meals, new solutions are essential. Our personalised 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."
EIT Food RisingFoodStars is an integral part of the world's largest food innovation community co-funded by the European Union. Here are the 14 most promising startups that were selected to this year’s RisingFoodStars program:
- SeedForward GmbH - a Germany-based startup substitutes synthetic agrochemicals with biobased alternatives, emphasising biobased seed treatments, biostimulants, and biobased plant protection. Their commitment lies in facilitating the transition towards regenerative agriculture.
- Notpla - a UK-based sustainable packaging firm that provides solutions for everyday applications, including food containers, pipettes for oils, seaweed-paper, dissolving pods and films. Ooho and their other packaging solutions are made from Notpla, a revolutionary material made from seaweed and plants that biodegrades in weeks, naturally.
- Ficosterra - a Spanish marine biotechnology company applied to organic and conventional agriculture. The company develops prebiotic and probiotic products (biostimulants, biofertilizers and soil activators) based upon different species of seaweeds and microorganisms that favour the development of crops and plants while reducing the planet's carbon footprint.
- Carbone Farmers - a France-based startup that makes the decarbonisation of agriculture economically viable through the development of a platform that enables stakeholders to valorise their contribution to farmer's transition to low carbon agriculture practices.
- Meala Foodtech - an Israel-based company that is developing innovative ingredients and processes that enable the creation of cleaner, healthier and tastier products with a better ecological footprint.
- MyEasyFarm - a France-based startup that provides a platform managing agricultural data from many sources (fields, satellites, drones, Ag machines, weather, IoT sensors) to reduce product usage and enhance crop cycles. The company's solution aims to measure and reduce CO2 emission/storage in agriculture by changing crop cycle practices.
- Neggst Foods GmbH - a German company that develops plant-based whole egg alternative that consists of a white, yolk, and a biodegradable shell. The products the company develops are made using a legume-based recipe free of soy and gluten.
- Matr Foods - a Denmark-based firm that develops microbial food solutions allowing the transformation of local plant ingredients into a new generation of clean label plant based meat alternatives with a unique juicy texture and natural deep umami.
- Evja - an Italian startup that supports growers in optimising the management and monitoring of irrigation, nutrition and protection of their crops through the use of OPI, the agri-climatic intelligence system based on predictive agronomic models, machine learning, data analytics and sensors.
- Those Vegan Cowboys - a Belgium-based dairy product producer that makes cow-less milk and cheese products.
- AgroLeague - a French startup that builds a social platform connecting farmers, providing real-time diagnosis of farming issues, and offering direct-to-farmer services.
- NoPalm Ingredients - a Netherlands-based company that creates environmentally friendly microbial oils to substitute palm and other tropical oils in food, cosmetics, and detergents. The oil is produced in a sustainable, cyclical, and environmentally beneficial manner by fermenting sidestreams.
- Bon Vivant - a pioneering French biotech firm specialising in precision fermentation methods to produce dairy proteins without animals, reducing ecological footprints and empowering clients to create environmentally conscious, nutritionally rich dairy products.
- Cultivated Biosciences - a Switzerland-based startup that improves the mouthfeel of animal-free cheese, yoghurt and more by developing a unique creamy fat ingredient for the food industry, using fermentation.
