ERIS VUB TechTransfer’s Post

This is big! - EIT Food RisingFoodStars is proud to announce a new partnership with Agrifood Futures, designed to strengthen collaboration between Europe and Asia’s agrifood ecosystems. 🇪🇺 In Europe, we’re lucky to have incredible innovation pipelines; deep science, world-class research, and founders who are reimagining everything from sustainable proteins to smarter supply chains. 🌏 In Asia, the agrifood markets are fast-growing and home to half the world’s population so it's full of diverse farming systems, evolving consumer needs, and an unstoppable appetite for new food solutions. Together with the RFS and Agrifood Futures teams we will be: - Opening new growth pathways for Europe’s most promising agrifood scaleups - Unlocking access to fast-growing markets hungry for better food solutions - Sparking a two-way exchange of talent, knowledge, and ideas that benefits both regions This is about expansion of course but it's also rooted in the need for greater connections and this will help innovation flow where it’s needed most. We’ll be announcing the two RisingFoodStars joining this initiative very soon and you can find out more at Agrifood Futures! Narjis Chakir Magdalena Herrador Moreno Marie Russier Benoit Buntinx PFx Biotech, Lda Perfat Technologies Lena Marijke Wenzel Anna Laudy-Nagy Laura Curtis Shirly Kalush #RisingFoodStars #EITFood #AgrifoodFutures #AgriFoodTech #FoodTech #AgTech #SustainableAgriculture #Innovation #FutureOfFood

Spain: A Global Leader in Agri-Food Innovation Spain stands as one of the largest agricultural exporters in the European Union, maintaining its reputation as a global leader in agriculture. Renowned for its excellence in fruit, vegetable, olive oil, and wine production, the country benefits from its rich geographical diversity, ranging from fertile plains to Mediterranean climates, which support a vast array of agricultural products. This robust foundation has paved the way for Spain’s rise as a hub for AgriFoodTech innovation.    With these pillars, Spain is positioned as an AgriFoodTech Nation, a breeding ground for startups determined to reshape the world. The year 2024 has marked a turning point, characterised by a shift from unrestrained growth to a more conscious and sustainable approach. This new mindset emphasizes building solid foundations that ensure business profitability while advancing technology across the agricultural sector.    Looking ahead, Spain’s AgriFoodTech sector is set to lead with its blend of innovation and tradition, driving forward with a clear focus on technological integration, market expansion, and sustainable practices. Spain is a significant player in the AgriFoodTech ecosystem, leveraging its strong agricultural heritage, innovative food technology, and sustainable practices. The country is at the forefront of the transformation of agriculture and food production, mainly due to the adoption of digital technologies, innovation in food supply chains, and sustainable agricultural practices.    Following the latest annual reports that you can download here (https://lnkd.in/g6GcCGNb), there are four key areas of operation for AgriFoodTech startups: Agritech, Food production and transformation, Logistics, distribution, and retail and Restaurant Tech. In total, 387 companies are focused on applying new technologies to the agriculture and food sectors.     In a nutshell, Spain continues to stand out as a leader in agrifood innovation, leveraging its strong agricultural heritage and cutting-edge technological integration. Startups in the sector are dynamically addressing shifting consumer demands, promoting sustainability, and driving transformative changes in food production and distribution. The restructuring of the sector has led to a strategic emphasis on building solid foundations for profitability while advancing technological adoption.    📍Meet the innovators and discover Spanish AgriFoodTech excellence at the Spain Pavilion at #AFTEA2025.    👉 Register now for your complimentary trade pass:  https://lnkd.in/ghBSPvDk

🇪🇺 Agrifood Futures is thrilled to announce our partnership with EIT Food RisingFoodStars to strengthen collaboration between Europe and Asia’s agrifood innovation and technology. Europe’s agrifood sector is powered by world-class research, deep science and innovation pipelines that are reimagining everything from sustainable proteins to smarter supply chains. 🌏 Asia’s agrifood markets are dynamic and fast-growing, home to half the world’s population and projected to drive 60% of global food demand growth by 2050. With diverse farming systems and consumer needs, it’s hungry for new food solutions. With EIT Food RisingFoodStars, we’re building bridges that create value on both sides: 🤝 Creating new growth pathways for Europe’s rising stars to scale. 🤝 Unlocking market access to bold new solutions that meet Asia’s demand for better food. 🤝 Sparking a two-way exchange of talent, knowledge, and ideas that strengthens both regions. This is about more than expansion — it’s about creating connections that amplify innovation on both sides, driving tangible benefits for founders, farmers, corporates, and consumers alike. In the coming days, we'll be unveiling the two startups we're partnering with under the EIT Food RisingFoodStars programme. 🌱 Follow our journey here → Agrifood Futures EIT Food Narjis Chakir Magdalena Herrador Moreno Marie Russier Benoit Buntinx PFx Biotech, Lda Ali Osman Perfat Technologies Jyrki Lee-Korhonen Marcello Basset Joshua Soo Shirly Kalush Cherie Tan Jeremy Yap Dr Christine Pitt Skye Raward MAICD Kelvin Ng ♻️ #AgrifoodFutures #EITFood #RisingFoodStars #AgTech #AgriFood #AgriFoodTech #FoodTech #Biologicals #SustainableAgriculture #FutureOfFood #AgStartup #AgInvestment

🌱 How can consumers play a more active role in shaping the future of our food systems? At Hub4Food, we believe that engaging #society is key to building more sustainable and competitive #food value chains. That’s why we are launching #Citizen Science Actions across the Atlantic Region. 👥 These actions bring together #consumers, researchers, companies, and policymakers to co-create knowledge, raise awareness, and promote innovation in the food sector. 🔹 What will happen? Our partners will organise these citizen science activities in their regions, targeting one of three audiences: children, teenagers and consumers in general. Activities will include co-creation workshops, school initiatives on healthy eating, innovation showcases, consumer engagement in dairy, agriculture, aquaculture, and much more. By putting #social innovation at the heart of food systems, Hub4Food is helping transform them into more resilient, #sustainable, and inclusive models. The first Citizen Science Action will happen on Thursday 9th October, organized by our partner PRAXENS! 👉 Stay tuned for more updates on our website: https://www.hub4food.eu/! ANFACO-CYTMA , CATAA - Centro de Apoio Tecnologico Agro Alimentar, LEMPA – Laboratoire National de la Boulangerie Pâtisserie, MARE - Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre, PRAXENS, Teagasc, BIA Innovator Campus, InovCluster, Valorial, cluster d'innovation agri-agro, EIT Food and Clúster Alimentario de Galicia Interreg Atlantic Area   #Hub4Food #Sustainability #MarineResources #CitizenScienceActions #AtlanticArea #Interreg #ForbetterAtlanticregions #Foodinnovation

🇪🇸 A new report into Spain’s alternative protein ecosystem reveals that entrepreneurship, investment, and technological innovation are driving rapid growth—making it the second most attractive country for alt protein investors in Europe, behind Denmark. The analysis, authored by The Good Food Institute Europe's Spain Public Affairs Manager Carlos Campillos Martínez, finds that investments in Spanish plant-based, cultivated meat and fermentation companies increased 547% from 2023 to 2024, and that 41.8% of Spanish agrifood tech startups are already working on alternative proteins. There is also clear evidence of a strong domestic market for these products. Climate change causes annual losses of €550M to Spain’s agriculture sector, underscoring the importance of scaling more sustainable and resilient methods of food production. While the report highlights signs of impressive progress, it also finds that the government needs to go further to reap the many benefits of alternative proteins. Check out the report summary 👇

🚀 Exciting news from Agrifood Futures' Land x Launch™ platform partnership with EIT Food RisingFoodStars! We're thrilled to spotlight two innovative startups both poised to make significant impact in the agrifood market. ⚪️ Perfat Technologies is a Finland-based deep-tech food company developing healthy, functional lipid-based solutions. 🧬 PFx Biotech, Lda is a pioneering European biotechnology company leveraging precision fermentation to produce breast milk-inspired bioactive proteins at scale. Through Land x Launch™, we're supporting these founders to : 🚀 Create new growth pathways 🚀 Unlock business opportunities in Asia 🚀 Collaborate with partners to harness Singapore’s world-class talent, research and know-how In partnership with EIT Food RisingFoodStars programme, we're accelerating Europe-Asia collaboration and driving the innovation needed for sustainable, climate-resilient food systems. - Want to learn more? Join our breakout session at the Asia-Pacific Agri-Food Innovation Summit — “Global Food Futures: Bioengineering Next-Gen Foods” Wednesday, 5 November, 16:00 Together with Perfat Technologies and PFx Biotech, Lda, we will be showcasing the latest developments and novel solutions in the food sector. 🌾 Asia-Pacific Agri-Food Innovation Summit → https://lnkd.in/ekPdsnQ 🌱 Follow our journey here → Agrifood Futures #AgrifoodFutures #LandxLaunch #APACAgriFood #EITFood #RisingFoodStars #PFxBiotech #PerfatTechnologies #AgTech #AgriFood #AgriFoodTech #FoodTech #Biologicals #SustainableAgriculture #FutureOfFood #AgStartup #AgInvestment EIT Food Narjis Chakir Magdalena Herrador Moreno Marie Russier Benoit Buntinx PFx Biotech, Lda Ali Osman Perfat Technologies Jyrki Lee-Korhonen Marcello Basset Joshua Soo Shirly Kalush Kelvin Ng ♻️ Jeremy Yap Cherie Tan Dr Christine Pitt Skye Raward MAICD

🚀 𝗡𝗲𝘅𝘁 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗽: 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘁𝘂𝗽 𝗩𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝗙𝗼𝗿𝘂𝗺 On October 29th in Brussels, #FoodCoP joins Europe's rural innovation ecosystem at this flagship event hosted by the European Commission's Joint Research Centre. 𝗪𝗲'𝗿𝗲 𝗯𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗰𝗿𝗲𝘁𝗲 𝘀𝗼𝗹𝘂𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘁𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲 As part of a 14-partner consortium led by the Município do Fundão, FoodCoP is tackling one of rural Europe's biggest challenges, an our mission is clear: Empower Startup Villages to build circular bioeconomy strategies that work on the ground. 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗺𝗮𝗸𝗲𝘀 𝗙𝗼𝗼𝗱𝗖𝗼𝗣 𝗱𝗶𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗻𝘁? → A digital platform connecting rural communities with shared tools, best practices, and collaborative resources → Hands-on workshops and hackathons where local stakeholders co-design tailored solutions to their specific challenges → Training and mentorship that turns innovative ideas into real implementation FoodCoP bridges this gap by helping Startup Villages: ✓ Reduce waste and lower food-related emissions ✓ Optimize resource use through circular practices ✓ Create sustainable, resilient rural food systems ✓ Build local value chains that generate jobs and keep young talent in rural regions This isn't about white papers and strategies. It's about transformation in action. At the Startup Village Forum, we'll share how our communities are moving from concept to implementation—building the rural bioeconomy Europe needs. See you in Brussels🌱 #StartupVillageForum #SVF2025 #RuralEntrepreneurship #Bioeconomy #AgriFood #CircularEconomy

Agrifood Futures is thrilled to announce our partnership with EIT Food EIT Food RisingFoodStars to strengthen collaboration between Europe and Asia’s agrifood innovation and technology. 🇪🇺 Europe’s agrifood sector is powered by world-class research, deep science and innovation pipelines that are reimagining everything from sustainable proteins to smarter supply chains. 🌏 Asia’s agrifood markets are dynamic and fast-growing, home to half the world’s population and projected to drive 60% of global food demand growth by 2050. With diverse farming systems and consumer needs, it’s hungry for new food solutions. With EIT Food RisingFoodStars, we’re building bridges that create value on both sides: 🤝 Creating new growth pathways for Europe’s rising stars to scale. 🤝 Unlocking market access to bold new solutions that meet Asia’s demand for better food. 🤝 Sparking a two-way exchange of talent, knowledge, and ideas that strengthens both regions. This is about more than expansion — it’s about creating connections that amplify innovation on both sides, driving tangible benefits for founders, farmers, corporates, and consumers alike. In the coming days, we'll be unveiling the two startups we're partnering with under the EIT Food RisingFoodStars programme. 🌱 Follow our journey here → Agrifood Futures EIT Food Narjis Chakir Magdalena Herrador Moreno Marie Russier Benoit Buntinx PFx Biotech, Lda Ali Osman Perfat Technologies Jyrki Lee-Korhonen Marcello Basset Joshua Soo Shirly Kalush Cherie Tan Jeremy Yap Dr Christine Pitt Skye Raward MAICD Kelvin Ng ♻️ #AgrifoodFutures #EITFood #RisingFoodStars #AgTech #AgriFood #AgriFoodTech #FoodTech #Biologicals #SustainableAgriculture #FutureOfFood #AgStartup #AgInvestment

🌱 For #WorldFoodDay 2025, hear Karen Refsgaard share five key actions to attract young people to agri-food careers, strengthen food security, and transform the food value chain.💡 📍🎥 Green Innovation Week in Skive, Denmark last month Five policy actions to boost the sector’s appeal: 1️⃣ Strengthen food-related education from an early age 2️⃣ Showcase opportunities for innovation and entrepreneurship in food systems 3️⃣ Involve young people in shaping resilient food strategies 4️⃣ Make rural areas more attractive and highlight opportunities for women and young entrepreneurs 5️⃣ Support the integration of migrants within the agri-food workforce Read more in the new report: 📕 https://lnkd.in/dt_SZzgZ #GrowingFoodies #sustainablefood #foodsystems #Nordic #agrifood #agriculture #greeninnovation #Nordregio Nordic Council of Ministers Karen Refsgaard Torfi Johannesson Jonas Kačkus Tybjerg Maija Kāle, PhD Eva Mærsk Louise Ormstrup Vestergård Sara Melander

🇪🇺 Europe continues to dominate the global AgriFoodTech landscape, with 252 companies (representing 50.4% of all finalists) earning their place in the 2024 FoodTech 500. Despite a challenging investment climate, Europe recorded €5.3B in funding in 2024 and has proven more resilient than the global market, declining 62% from 2021 to 2024 compared to the global ecosystem's 73% drop. Europe's share of global AgriFoodTech funding has grown from 22% in 2021 to 32% in 2024, demonstrating sustained investor confidence in the region's innovation capacity. 🇬🇧 United Kingdom (59 companies): 🔹 Winnow, Marc Zornes 🔹 THIS™, Mark Cuddigan 🔹 Vertical Future, Marie-Alexandrine Burrows 🔹 Better Nature, Elin Roberts 🔹 AGRIVI, Matija Zulj 🔹 Olio • Share More, Waste Less, Tessa Clarke 🔹 BX Technologies, Ben Bardsley 🔹 JULIENNE BRUNO®, Axel Katalan 🔹 CCm Technologies, Pawel Kisielewski 🔹 Spotta, Robert Fryers 🔹 Roslin Technologies, Ernst van Orsouw 🔹 Clean Food Group, Alex Neves 🔹 Hoxton Farms, Max Jamilly 🔹 Mimica, Laurence Kayson 🔹 Brite, Andrius Ratkevicius 🔹 Ideagen Authenticate, Alex Walters 🔹 OCEANIUM , Karen Scofield Seal 🔹 Multus, Cai Linton 🔹 Ivy Farm Technologies, Cathy Ye 🔹 MicroLub, Professor Anwesha Sarkar (List continues in the comments below) Government Support Driving Innovation: European governments are actively backing the ecosystem through strategic initiatives: the European Investment Bank granted Lantmännen €50M for a pea protein factory, the UK invested £75M+ in sustainable food development since 2021, the Netherlands committed €25M to cellular agriculture facilities, and multiple countries have established regulatory sandboxes to accelerate novel food approvals. ✨ Explore the complete European FoodTech 500 spotlight: https://lnkd.in/eBDrvb6e 🏆 Is your company shaping the future of food? Applications are now open for the 2025 FoodTech 500. Apply here: https://lnkd.in/e6rY2Pen #ForwardFooding #FoodTech500 #Europe #AgriFoodTech #FoodInnovation #Sustainability