Plant FWD, a conference working to accelerate the protein transition, is preparing to return to Amsterdam for the third time on April 8-9. The event will bring together 1000 food professionals, startups, investors, policy makers, and decision makers.
This year’s program will reportedly be bigger than ever before, featuring pitches from ten startups, an advance look at some groundbreaking products, a preview of the Eat Lancet Dietary Guidelines 2.0, and the initial results of the Protein Tracker (an initiative that monitors supermarkets’ progress towards selling a higher proportion of plant proteins).
Speakers will include circular economist Harald Friedl, photographer Jimmy Nelson, chefs Nicolas Acquaa and Glory Kabe, former minister Klaas Dijkhoff, Marjan Minnesma of Urgenda, Carbon Equity CEO Jacqueline van den Ende, and former Member of Parliament and energy transition expert Diederik Samsom.
Visitors will be able to sample food innovations at The Market, an area measuring over 1000m². New for 2025 is the Food Scoop Kitchen, where new products will be launched three times a day.
“More important than ever”
Plant FWD also works to connect emerging brands to investors, and has partnered with Impact Hub this year to help the initiative grow internationally. Over 60 applications have been received from all over the world, with ten selected to pitch on the Plant FWD stage.
Last year’s event saw pitches from startups such as Onego Bio, Time Travelling Milkman, and Adamo Foods, many of which went on to have a very successful year.
“In the current climate in which our national government is neglecting the major issue surrounding the protein transition, it is perhaps more important than ever that entrepreneurs and companies step into the gap to accelerate and make the protein transition more concrete,” said Marcel van der Heijden, co-founder of Plant FWD. “Ultimately, the challenges in the field of climate and health remain enormous and we must take tough action in the coming years to ensure that we as a society do not face even greater challenges in the future.”
Those wishing to attend Plant FWD can purchase tickets via the event’s website.
