Startups, Accelerators & Incubators: Latest News 2023 - vegconomist: the vegan business magazine

Ergo Biosciences for ProVeg Demo Day

Image courtesy ProVeg Incubator

ProVeg Incubator: 12 Innovative Startups to Pitch at First In-Person Demo Day in Four Years

May 31, 2023

The tenth cohort of the ProVeg Incubator will culminate next month with a Demo Day, where alt protein startups will pitch in front of a panel of investors. For the first time in four years, the event will be held in person as well as online, watched by a global audience of food-tech investors, entrepreneurs, corporates, media, and researchers. It will be sponsored by Earthstar Investments, a women-led asset management business investing in plant-based food ventures. The following twelve startups will pitch at the event. Be Better My Friend, the Netherlands: Plant-based butter and cream alternatives for professional pastry chefs. Food Squared, UK: Next-generation plant-based shellfish, such as shrimp. Ergo Bioscience, Argentina and the US: Complex animal proteins created via plant cell precision fermentation. Plant …

Organisations and Brands:ProVeg

Vegan Lamb Burgers

© Black Sheep Foods

ProVeg in Washington: Cutting Meat is Necessary for Fighting Climate Change

May 18, 2023

ProVeg International told participants of the AIM for Climate Summit in Washington, D.C., that one long-term solution to climate change is reducing animal stocks and public meat consumption. At the recent summit, private and public sector stakeholders gathered to explore climate-focused innovation and investment strategies to combat climate change in the food and agriculture industries. At the event, ProVeg seized the opportunity to emphasize the importance of alternative proteins as the most effective way to reduce the impact of animal agriculture: GHG emissions, air and water pollution, soil erosion, land occupation, zoonotic diseases, and biodiversity loss, among others. A recent GINA report also emphasizes that investing in alt proteins helps to reduce methane emissions and create new jobs. GHG emissions Animal agriculture, especially livestock such …

Organisations and Brands:ProVeg

Grow-NY Food Tech Summit

©Grow-NY

Grow-NY 2023: Food and AgTech Startups Invited to Compete for $1M & Mentorship

May 17, 2023

Empire State Development announces there is one month left to apply for the 2023 Grow-NY competition. Now in its fifth year, the competition invites global food and agriculture startups to submit applications for a chance to win up to $1 million in prize money. Described as a unique initiative that connects innovators and investors in the food, beverage, and agriculture sectors, Grow-NY is focused on expanding economic growth and development in Upstate New York’s agricultural regions. The Grow-NY region spans a 22-county area including Central New York, the Finger Lakes, and the Southern Tier. Through its competition, Grow-NY attracts high-growth food and agriculture startups from around the world, who will compete for a total of $3M in prize money. Following the application period, up to …

Organisations and Brands:Grow-NY

Sponsored

Open Position: Digital Ad Sales Manager (US-based, remote) (m/f/d)

ProVeg international opens new office in Nigeria to promote the benefits of plant-based diets

© ProVeg International

ProVeg Kickstarts the Plant-Based Revolution in Nigeria

May 16, 2023May 16, 2023

Global food awareness organization ProVeg International announces the launch of its first office in Nigeria to help transform the food system in the world’s third fastest-growing country by population. As a new food awareness organization in the country, ProVeg Nigeria will promote the benefits of healthy and climate-friendly diets by showcasing the deliciousness of plant-based foods, joining the global team on its campaign to replace animal consumption with alternative protein by 50% by 2040. In 2021, ProVeg launched the ProVeg Africa Accelerator planting the seeds of the plant-based movement across the continent. Hakeem Jimo, the new country director of ProVeg Nigeria, said: “I’m truly thrilled about the opening of the ProVeg Nigeria office and the impact we will have in raising awareness about the need to …

Organisations and Brands:ProVeg Nigeria

CellX cultivated chicken breast finalist at XPRIZE

Image courtesy of CellX

CellX Team Reaches XPRIZE Finals with Cultivated Chicken Breast

May 12, 2023

Chinese cultivated meat company CellX announces it has been selected among the six finalists (out of 353 participants) of the XPRIZE Feed the Next Billion (FTNB) competition to develop alternative proteins. FTNB, established in 2020, encourages startups to develop alternative chicken breast or fish filet products that surpass conventional meat in terms of nutrition, taste, and texture. Moreover, these products must be affordable and promote environmental sustainability and animal welfare. © XPRIZE Foundation Six breakthroughs in food tech A judging panel of diverse experts in international sustainability, agricultural and biological engineering, the food industry, and experts working at the highest levels of academia and research selected the finalist, explains XPRIZE. The following teams will compete for the final prize of $12 million in 2024: Revo Foods: Plant-based fish from Austria Eternal: Fermentation-derived chicken …

Organisations and Brands:cellx

Scale It Up! Banner

Image credit: Scale it Up! LinkedIn

Scale it Up! USA 2023 Helps Plant-Based Startups Launch Innovative Proteins

May 8, 2023May 8, 2023

Following three successful programs in the US, Europe, and Asia; four industry giants — Bühler, Cargill, Givaudan, and Puris –are launching Scale It Up! US 2023. The challenge seeks to identify and support innovative startups working on plant-based proteins in North America, including Canada, the United States of America, Mexico, and Latin America, down to Panama. The program aims to support plant-based protein startups to scale and commercialize their projects without taking any IP or equity. The selected groups will benefit from mentorship, funding, and access to a network of experts in the industry. Previous participants include Nowadays, a San Franciso-based plant-based meat company; MOA Foodtech, a Spanish startup converting waste and by-products from the agri-food industry into next-gen protein; and Meatless Kingdom, an Indonesian startup making …

Organisations and Brands:Scale it up!

Sponsored

Open Position: Paywall and Subscription Manager (remote) (m/f/d)

GFI banner

Image credit: GFI.org/blog

India Smart Protein Innovation Challenge Calls for Novel Solutions to Transform the Food System

April 27, 2023

After training over a thousand new innovators in the alt protein ecosystem through its two previous programs, the Good Food Institute India (GFI India) announces the launch of the third edition of its flagship initiative, The India Smart Protein Innovation Challenge 2023 (ISPIC). This year‘s challenge is focused on ideation and innovation in whitespaces across the value chain of plant-based, cultivated, and fermentation-derived proteins. ISPIC launched for the first time in 2020 to create a vibrant ecosystem of innovators, entrepreneurs, researchers, and investors to accelerate the development of smart proteins for a sustainable and equitable food system. Impactful ideas Devika Suresh, Innovation Specialist at GFI India and an alumnus of the challenge, said: “With each passing year, we see more talented innovators bringing their unique perspectives and solutions to the …

Organisations and Brands:Good Food Institute India (GFI India)

Plant-Based burger

© Ergo Bioscience / Image provided by ProVeg International

ProVeg Incubator Reveals Latest Cohort, Including Plant-Based Shrimp & Chickpea Milk Startups

April 12, 2023

In January, the ProVeg Incubator — the world’s first and leading alt protein startup accelerator — opened applications for its tenth cohort. Today, the incubator announces the 12 startups from around the globe that will participate in the programme, developing everything from plant-based eggs and shrimp to microalgae-based proteins. These startups will receive personalized mentoring, access to an extensive network of industry contacts, up to €300,000 in funding, and in-kind services to help them quickly bring their alternative protein products to the market. The ProVeg Incubator was set up in 2018 and was the first programme in the world to offer business support for plant-based and cultivated food. “Plant-based foods emit half the amount of greenhouse gases compared to animal-based foods so it is vitally …

Organisations and Brands:ProVeg

© The Mighty Kitchen

Cyprus-Based The Mighty Kitchen Wins IFE Big Business Break Competition

April 3, 2023

Cypriot alt meat startup The Mighty Kitchen has taken the top spot at International Food Expo’s first Big Business Break competition. Along with three other finalists, The Mighty Kitchen pitched in front of a panel of judges at the event in London, UK. The prize is up to £500,000 in investment from Surya Foods, the co-founder of the initiative. The Mighty Kitchen first launched in Cyprus in 2019, offering Mediterranean-style alt meat products such as strips, gyros, shawarma, and Cypriot meatballs. Breaded chicken-style nuggets and tenders are also available. To produce the meat alternatives, materials chemistry and data modelling are used to give pea and wheat protein an authentically fibrous texture. In 2021, The Mighty Kitchen announced that it planned to expand internationally, starting with …

Organisations and Brands:The Mighty Kitchen

Magic Valley

The Magic Valley team. © Magic Valley

Magic Valley Selected for SVG Ventures | Thrive Accelerator Following Cultivated Lamb Breakthrough

March 14, 2023

Australian cultivated meat company Magic Valley, producer of cultivated lamb, is among the ten startups selected for the latest cohort of the SVG Ventures | Thrive APAC Accelerator program. Aimed at growth-stage agrifood tech companies, the program is based in Melbourne and received almost 100 applications for the cohort. Participation will enable Magic Valley to access funding, mentorship, networking opportunities, training, and more. Magic Valley said it was excited to be involved in the program, which it claimed would “leverage the global reach of SVG Ventures | THRIVE, building a strong connection between Australia and the US”. The news comes shortly after the company hired Dr. Vijay Kumar as its new Senior Bioprocess Engineer. Kumar has extensive industry experience, and was previously a bioprocess engineer …

Organisations and Brands:Magic Valley

Nudj jackfruit burgers

© Nudj

French Startup Nudj is Championing Jackfruit in France After Indian Voyage

January 31, 2023

Nudj founders, brothers Barthélemy Peuchot and Foucauld Peuchot, passionate about the evolution of consumption patterns, spent time racking their brains about how to change the food industry from within. During a trip to India, they discovered the jackfruit, a largely untapped resource in the west, yet a source of natural protein, rich in fibre and vitamins, and were inspired to launch their brand in 2020. The jackfruit is the oldest natural alternative to meat there is, say the founders. “Once cooked, the melting and stringy flesh of our tender jackfruit is very similar to that of pork or chicken. Indonesians have been cooking it in hot dishes for thousands of years. It’s our turn.” Replacing the “meat moment” Nudj describes itself as an impact startup, …

Organisations and Brands:Nudj

©Bosque Foods

ProVeg Incubator Announces 10th Cohort, Seeking Startups in Plant-Based, Fermentation & Cultivated Foods

January 25, 2023January 25, 2023

The ProVeg Incubator, the world’s first and leading alt-protein startup accelerator, invites applications for its tenth cohort, announcing that it has increased the amount of investment for this edition. Startups that join and complete the programme can now benefit from up to €300K investment — an increase from the previous €250K — including €75K worth of in-kind services. The Incubator aims to support mission-driven startups working on plant-based, fermentation, and cultured-food products and technologies. Startups applying for the cohort should, through their offering, provide the potential to remove animals from the global food system, either by the production of alternatives to animal products or through supporting technology. Based in Berlin, the Incubator especially welcomes applications from startups developing egg, seafood, and chicken alternatives, as well …

Organisations and Brands:ProVeg

Green Go steak

© Green Go

Ukraine: Green Go Creates Realistic Plant-Based Shrimp, Calamari, Ribeye Steak, Filet Minon and More

January 20, 2023January 20, 2023

Ukrainian food startup Green Go is set to host a tasting event and Q&A session with a select group of investors, media, chefs, charities, and other industry partners at the ProVeg HQ in Berlin on Thursday, February 2nd. Green Go will showcase samples of its realistic plant-based shrimp, salmon burgers, calamari, and whole cuts including “ribeye steak” and “filet mignon”, prepared by vegan chef and blogger Alexander Flohr, author of the cookbook Vegan Ocean. Besides tasting the startup’s products — not yet available in restaurants, retail, or food service outside Ukraine — attendees will have the opportunity to talk to Founder Alexandr Panasiuk, CEO and Creative Director Bogdana Leonova, and Head of Food Technology Maria Manturova. ProVeg Incubator Green Go was founded in 2021 by …

Organisations and Brands:Green Go ProVeg

close up woman chewing Dévore food NUGGS

© dévore food

New Startup Dévore Food is Launched by Meat Lovers in France

January 20, 2023

After 2 years of R&D, French startup Dévore food debuts with its first range of organic certified NUGS and STRIPS, founded by meat lovers who say they have created an offering that is more affordable than organic chicken. Meat-loving founders Vasco Duarte Ribeiro, multi-entrepreneur, and Eugénie Le Dressay, expert in brand strategy, realised two years ago that their normal consumption was not sustainable, not only for their health but also for the planet and animal welfare. Similarly, 23 million French people have decreased their meat consumption over the last year, equating to one in three consumers in the country who are gradually recognising the same. In search of a healthy and tasty alternative to treat themselves, the savvy founders quickly identified three challenges: improving the …

colombia foodtech acceleration programe first cohort.

Image courtesy of Eatable Adventures

Colombia Foodtech Acceleration Program Announces First Cohort to Support Entrepreneurial Ecosystem

January 17, 2023

Colombia Foodtech Acceleration Program announces the launch of its first edition with five startups focusing on the health and wellness food market participating in the first cohort. According to the Organisation for Economic Growth and Development (OECD), Colombia is the third most entrepreneurial country among its 34 members, behind Chile and Korea. It is one of the few countries in Latin America with two unicorn companies, Rappi and Habi. The young program, which seeks to develop and strengthen the entrepreneurial ecosystem of the agrifood industry in Colombia, is led by the center for innovation in Colombia Vertical-i in alliance with Eatable Adventures, a leading European and LATAM food technology accelerator. It is also supported by Colombia’s Gobernación del Atlántico and the General System of Royalties. Products …

Organisations and Brands:Colombia Foodtech Acceleration Program Eatable Adventures