Rutgers Enactus (New Brunswick)的动态

Congratulations?to EIT Food Accelerator Network alumnus Meala Foodtech for being selected by Empire State Development as one of the 20 finalists for the annual $3 million Grow-NY Global Business Competition! The Grow-NY competition is a powerful catalyst for science-based innovations that enhance the food economy while promoting climate sustainability. The key focus is strengthening the emerging food, beverage, and agriculture innovation cluster. The winning companies will be required to make a positive economic impact in the Grow-NY region. In total, 312 startups applied from 50 countries, 44% included a female founder, and 60% a founder from a culturally diverse group. Meala Foodtech develops the next-generation, naturally derived, texturising proteins that can create gelling, binding, and emulsion, helping food manufacturers maintain a clean ingredient list without compromising texture, juiciness, and nutritional value. The 20 finalists are now embarking on a 10-week business development phase before pitching their innovations at the 2024 Summit. Good luck to all the finalists!

I had the opportunity to share insights of the EIT Food 's Innovator Felloship FINAL EVENT yesterday. We had 4 winners, 4 teams that managed to turn Lab Ideas into PROJECTS: they took the giant leap from #research to market. It means that sustainability and innovation CAN reach consumers, when promising talents are equipped with skills, tools and mindset. All the 9 competing teams pitched very, very good ideas, so my wish is that ALL OF THEM will benefit of the #EITFood's empowering network and courses in the future, so that we - as consumers - will benefit from their determination to hit the market and make the #agrifood system a more sustainable place! If you have a good Lab Idea, or if you want to put your business competencies in a dream-team project, and if you have #sustainability and #innovation at heart, apply to the 2024 edition of this Programme! The more diverse the backgrounds of the teams' members, the better! https://lnkd.in/ewTW6K-W Mario Roccaro Paola De Bernardi

It seems that awareness of LyteGro's value-add proposition to the banana industry is spreading. We have recently been awarded another accolade in winning the "Most Innovative Sustainable Biotechnology CEO – UK" award by SME News, a UK publication which "supports businesses with useful insights, general small business news, advice to entrepreneurs and start-ups and by providing a reliable platform from which to gain vital support". Whilst it appears to be a personal accolade I take only partial credit for where we are today - having the help, support and constant grounding from my fellow directors; co-founder Prof Mark Lyte and our COO Amin Premji. Our partnership with the Institute of Biological, Environmental and Rural Sciences (IBERS)?at Aberystwyth University needs to be recognised too as without their expert help we wouldn't have been able to develop our products. The continued support from Innovate UK and in particular the Global Business Innovation Programme?(GBIP)?who have sent us to meet potential partners in Singapore and recently Australia deserve an honourable mention. The help of Roy Pulley of Innovate UK Edge and the Manufacturing Technology Centre in realising our plans for our fully circular production plant has also been a key part of our development. Thanks to all - I am just the graceful swan on the top of the water whilst they are the legs that go like the clappers underneath ?? #innovation #wastetovalue #innovateuk #sustainability #circulareconomy #aberystwythuniversity #aberinnovation

?? What have you always wanted to know about the role of biotechnology in building a more sustainable future for the humankind? Well, this is your chance to find it out. ?? So, with a little drumroll, the panellists of the event are:? Divya Murthy who brings in the investor’s perspective through her experience as an all food-value-chain encompassing AgriFoodTech impact investor. Principal at Oyster Bay Management GmbH, she has extensive experience from the scene, also through her past position as the investment lead for ProVeg Incubator. Katariina Rommi currently holds the position of a Senior Research Manager at Fazer possesses not only extensive experience on food biotechnology, but also entrepreneurial mindset. Knowing a lot on side stream valorisation and plant proteins, she has lately commercialized a new upcycled oat protein product to the B2B markets as an example. Nemailla Bonturi is the co-founder of ?IO, a leading food biotech startup based in Estonia and an EIT FAN Helsinki alumnus. Experienced with working on yeasts, this PhD in the field is looking into transforming the food system by replacing unsustainable fats and oils with high-quality alternatives. ?? The panel would not be as great as it can be without a superb moderator. This time, a fourth mic is held by Yulia Bodnar who is currently managing all the EIT Food Accelerator Network programs at EIT Food.? ? ??We are truly thrilled to have the above people step on stage with us to share how they see food bioprocessing shaping our futures.?Aren't we starting to get you excited about Futures of Food already??? See you soon in Helsinki! #Slush24 #EITFood #FuturesOfFood #Biotechnology #VTT #EITFAN #agritech #foodtech

To borrow an expression: 'As California goes, so goes the nation.' California is the nation's top ag-producing state. California grows 50% of the nations total fruit & vegetable production. California is going to create a definition of 'Regenerative.' California's definition has the potential to impact foods that all Americans care about. If you are at Expo West on Friday 3/15, come to this Roundtable and be part of the discussion. I'll be speaking and advocating for organic.

#RegenerativePortfolio theAgricult support collaboration and exchanges among the agri- food sector players and funders. Here today an excellent example of cooperation for success EIT Food – the EU co- funded accellerator platform on food and innovation- has launched the initiative ‘Regenerative Innovation Portfolio’ to transform the Agri-Food industries through collaboration. Cross value-chain collaboration is an essential driver for change and scale – up; the Initiative is now looking for Core Partners in the following practices: Food and Agri companies, Investors, Impact funds, others entities engaged in the Regenerative sourcing at scale. The Portfolio has been established by EIT Food in collaboration with Food Innovation HubEurope, Foodvalley NL and supported by Food Collective. For more information and contacts about the Regenerative Portfolio, please visit the links: www.eitfood.eu https://lnkd.in/ebWXd8G2

A big thank you to Carter Williams for the invitation to attend The Directions Group's Food industry wargames. From food companies to growers to investors, >80 executives from across the food, fiber, and fuel industries discussed the direction of our global supply chain. One message was loud and clear: the U.S. ag industry is facing pricing pressure and potentially shrinking market share on conventional commodities given geopolitical shifts and competing countries' generally lower cost structure. Yet, all I see is opportunity: as global consumers look for healthier food, and fibers and fuels produced in a more regenerative way, there is no producer base better positioned to rapidly adopt regenerative practices and capture new markets on the rise.? Luckily we have organizations like Rodale Institute that have been leading lights for decades providing applied research on regenerative organic practices, and individuals like Trey Hill that have been building direct links between regenerative food companies and growers.? Looking forward to increasing collaboration among leading investors, CPGs, growers and non-profits to shift our supply chain to tackle this incredible opportunity.

???? We’re gearing up for our?Global Impact Challenge?in?Santa Clara?this November, and we couldn’t be more excited to bring together innovators, leaders, and visionaries from across the agrifood and climate tech space! A huge thank you to our incredible sponsors – Driscoll's, Kubota Corporation, BASF, Bayer,ICL PLANET Startup Hub, Syngenta, Lely, Big Dutchman AG, Microsoft, FCC / FAC, UFA, KRONE Agriculture, Alberta Innovates, Intel Corporation, NEC X Inc., JETRO - Japan External Trade Organization EIT Food Invest Victoria, Agriculture Victoria, National Science Foundation (NSF), – for their unwavering support. Your commitment to driving innovation in sustainability and global food systems is critical to the success of this initiative. ?? Now more than ever, the world needs bold solutions to tackle climate challenges, and?corporate involvement?plays a pivotal role in making these solutions a reality. We encourage more companies to join us in supporting breakthrough innovations and creating meaningful impact in this space. If you're a corporate leader looking to make a difference, there's still time to get involved and sponsor the event! Together, we can push the boundaries of what's possible and create lasting change. ?? Let’s build a more sustainable future, one innovation at a time. Register here: https://lnkd.in/dgQiEyV9 #GlobalImpactChallenge #Sustainability #AgriFoodTech #ClimateTech #Innovation #CorporateSponsorship #SustainabilityLeadership

Today on World Bee Day we are proud to announce that EIT Food Accelerator Network alumnus Oligofeed has secured €600,000 in pre-seed funding to enhance pollinator health, a crucial factor in maintaining global food supply stability.? ? World Bee Day aims to raise awareness on the importance of pollinators, the threats they face and their contribution to sustainable development.? ? This funding marks a significant milestone, helping Oligofeed to accelerate the development and market introduction of innovative bee feeds. The pre-seed?funding round was led by The Yield Lab Europe, a renowned fund known for its focus on sustainable agtech investments. The participation of experienced investors such as CCI Capital Croissance and Etablissements Peugeot Frères further bolsters Oligofeed’s capability to bring their scientific advancements to the market and the alignment of values between Oligofeed and The Yield Lab Europe has established a strong foundation for future growth and impact-driven innovation in sustainable agriculture.? ? ?“With the decline in pollinator health, the funding #ecosystem must support innovative approaches to address this issue. This funding will enable Oligofeed to enhance our product offerings and extend our market reach." Aneta Ozierańska, CEO and co-founder of Oligofeed? ? Last but not least, we would also like to put a spotlight on EIT Food Accelerator Network alumnus Beehold, a startup from Serbia founded with the aim of developing solutions that digitise the process of beehive inspection through precise colony status information in real-time and AI assistant suggestions for optimal beekeeping. ? Today and every day we celebrate, support and accelerate these amazing startups that play their part in our food system transformation. There is absolutely no doubt, we must all work together towards our common goal of reversing biodiversity loss and creating a healthy, sustainable, fair and resilient food system for all. #foodsystemtransformation #agrifoodtechinnovation #startupacceleration ?

"What does it take to go from a lab idea to a business idea?" Spoiler alert: it takes a team, dedication, and the right support system. Last week our CEO Simone Bleibach Alpiger shared NOLA's story at the Innovator Fellowship (EIT Food) webinar focused on "Growing Resilient Food Systems, Delivering Nutrition for a Healthy Life and a Healthy Planet." Simone introduced the amazing team behind NOLA and our innovative business idea aimed at transforming the food system! ?? We've come a long way since our lab days, and the EIT Innovator Fellowship 2023 kickstarted our personal and entrepreneurial journey. Key Takeaways from the webinar: ?? 1. Nurturing Ideas: The Fellowship provided a nurturing environment to transform our lab-based idea into a market-ready business concept. ?? 2. Skill Development: We gained invaluable skills in strategy, innovation, sustainability, business planning, communications and value creation through the program. 3. Mentorship and Resources: Our experienced mentor José Francisco Fernández Serna and access to different resources enabled us to mobilize effectively for sustainable value creation. 4. Addressing Global Challenges: The plant-based market is witnessing extensive growth, but there is a challenge in meeting the demand for high-performing plant protein ingredients. We are confident that NOLA has the potential to transform the market! We are incredibly grateful to EIT Food and the Innovator Fellowship for this transformative experience. ?? NOLA is poised to make a significant impact, and we're excited to continue our journey towards a more resilient and sustainable food system. Stay tuned for more updates on our progress! ??