11 food startups that are paving the way towards sustainability

We joined VivaTech, the tech conference for innovation and startups in Paris, to find promising ideas and teams for our THE MISSION program.

While we search for healthier and more sustainable ways to live, technological advances transform the way we produce, distribute and consume food. We identified, five different trends clusters with promising startups on the rise.?

Trend 1: Alternative products & foods to realize new potentials at the product level

With an increasing world population by roughly 25% to almost 10 billion in 2050, experts already speak about a protein crisis by 2028[1] which requires alternative raw materials and food supply. With progress in plant- and cell-based technologies, precision fermentation, biotechnology or cultured agriculture the development of alternative foods is gaining ground.

Exemplary, ALGAMA Foods , a food-tech startup focusing on bringing microalgae-based foods to market by offering plant-based ingredients with nutritional and organoleptic qualities that serve as perfect alternative to animal proteins, e.g. eggs, milk or meat. Bosque Foods is utilizing biotechnology to develop an advanced fermentation platform for cutting-edge circular biomaterials. Today, they offer alternatives to whole cut meat and fish alternatives using mushroom mycelium. Another protein source, matching quality of milk protein in terms of bioavailability and muscle synthesis, has been identified by ?nsect . Ynsect offers with their AdalbaPro ingredients, a mealworm protein that is packed with essential vitamins, minerals, fiber and healthy fats. While humans benefit from protein that can reduce cholesterol up to 60% and a higher portion of protein per 1kg in comparison to beef,?their products achieve an emission level similar to plants (emit 40x less CO2 than beef).

Trend 2: Balancing health, nutrition and sustainability requires consumer education, new product development and innovative catering concepts

According to the World Health Organization, inadequate intake of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains contributes to approximately 2.7 million deaths annually, while unhealthy diets are a leading risk factor for global mortality and the development of chronic diseases. Research consistently demonstrates that a well-balanced diet, rich in essential nutrients, is essential for maintaining optimal physical and mental health. AI-powered nutrition analysis, smart kitchen appliances, mobile-apps and health trackers, as well as personalized nutrition, innovative catering concepts or progress in nutrigenomics research serve as solution approach.

At VivaTech the Munich-based startup, Ease , presented how they redefine healthy eating by cutting edge technology to connect people to real food and integrate it effortlessly with every aspect of their lives. They do so with freshly cooked, personalized meals available on every corner, prepared within minutes by their 1m2 autonomous “Robo-Kitchens”.

Trend 3: Leveraging data, process transparency and a clear sustainability focus to minimize the negative environmental & climate impact of the food industry

The global food systems are responsible for more than 33% of worldwide greenhouse gases (GHGs) according to the UN FAO and thereby, regarded as one of the biggest drivers of global warming. As a the journal Environmental Science & Technology found out, increased transparency in the supply chain can lead to a 50% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions from food production.

Thus, startups such as Connecting Food have their finger on the pulse of the times. They focus on the management, control and visualization in real time of data along the supply chain. As operator of a foodtech and blockchain platform, they offer a digital platform capable of tracing products batch by batch, as they pass through the production lines, and auditing them in real time. As a result they achieve a farm to fork traceability, which allows them to track and secure sustainability standards. Another example is netcarbon , a deeptech company revolutionizing the carbon storage measurement. Leveraging AI and satellite data, they created an algorithm to improve the carbon capture and enable farmers and cities to fight the climate change.

Trend 4: Regenerative agriculture: Modern cultivation methods & circular systems

A study showed that the contribution of regenerative farming practices to climate change mitigation can be huge: up to 9.85 gigatons of CO2 per year, which is equivalent to removing 1.5 billion cars from the road[2].

MyEasyFarm accompanies farmers on a daily basis to make the right decisions and to be more efficient to optimize competitiveness and profitability, while protecting the environment. One of their tools, the MyEasyCarbon focuses on the support of low-carbon projects and the farmers’ agro-ecological transition. As a digital platform, MyEasyCarbon aims to?diagnose the farm?and to define?an action plan?for?significantly reduce carbon emissions?and to?create carbon credits?credits over several years. The potential savings in?water, energy and?fertilizers is thereby connecting financial and environmental interests. Interestingly, we saw that the optimization of water and energy is also swapping over to the vertical farming or “grow food where you are” market. Agwa as an example, enables their customers to grow delicious, nutrient-rich and chemical-free vegetables year-round at home. The main USP of their device, or better called autonomous vegetable machine, is their artificial intelligence algorithm that enables an optimized management of light and water supply. On top of that families and businesses can reduce supermarket trips, packaging, plastic bags, and uneaten rotten food waste.?

Trend 5: Food waste: Reduction along the value & supply chain

Speaking about food waste. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), approximately 1.3 billion tons of food, worth around $1 trillion, is wasted annually. This accounts for roughly one-third of all food produced for human consumption.

Thus, Vitesy developed shelfy, the solution to food waste at home by improving the shelf life and make food in the refrigerator last longer. Their technology decreases the circulating microbial load and possible contamination, and degrades the molecules responsible for bad odors. In addition, advancing technologies in packaging and food processing enable to extend the shelf life of food. SIVA Industrie as an example invented a "water vapor" fruit treatment solution and thereby, supports all fruits operators (farmers, exporters, distributors...) to deal with the fruits flies and extend the fruits’ durability. Another solution are StixFresh stickers by Ryp Labs that utilizes a safe, patent-pending formulation that creates a protective layer around fruit during the vapor phase to slow down over-ripening and spoilage. As a result, fruit freshness prolongs 2x longer and thereby, optimizes the existing food supply.

It’s great to see how technology impacts the way we produce, distribute and consume food. At FUTURY we were extremely excited to learn about the latest trends and ideas, while being super proud to see that exhibiting startups already applied for our THE MISSION FOOD program 2023!

At FUTURY we believe in the power of networks and a whole value chain approach. Thus, we bring together market leading corporates, startups with game changing ideas and experts to create sustainable innovations that will shape tomorrow. Especially after the VivaTech innovation energy and spirit, I cannot wait to kick-off this years THE MISSION Food at our demo day on 6th of July! ?

[1] Bain & Company estimates/analysis based on FAO and OECD data

[2] Glover, J.D., et al. (2010). Increased food and ecosystem security via perennial grains. Science, 328 (5986), 1638-1639.