Apply now: The Fi Global Startup Innovation Challenge goes into the next round

Since its first edition in 2016, the Startup Innovation Challenge has also provided an important networking platform. The categories each reflect important industry trends.

Companies founded no more than five years ago are invited to participate. They can apply in one or more of the following categories.

• Most innovative food or drink ingredient
• Most innovative plant-based or alternative ingredient
• Most innovative process technology
• Most innovative service, technology or digital solution for the food and beverage industry

Innovation plays a central role in the food and beverage industry, because a growing world population needs to be supplied with nutritious, tasty and sustainable food and beverages. Many novel ideas for better food or more environmentally friendly production come from start-ups. However, they often do not have the necessary resources or network to bring their ideas to market or implement them on an industrial scale.

The Startup Innovation Challenge gives finalists and winners much-needed exposure: at Fi Europe 2022 in Paris, they will have access to the Startup Lounge, where they can present their products and solutions on the Innovation Hub stage and network with industry representatives. Both the pitches and the award ceremony will also be streamed via the Fi Europe online platform and remain permanently available. Winners will have a choice of several attractive prizes: A fully equipped exhibition stand at Fi Europe next year, a comprehensive online marketing package or a personalised mentoring programme. The latter can be coaching, for example, or the implementation of a pilot project, or it can include access to business cooperation and business accelerator programmes.

"Early support is enormously important, especially for young companies," says jury member Albrecht Wolfmeyer, head of the ProVeg International Incubator. "The Startup Innovation Challenge offers an outstanding opportunity for entrepreneurs to put their ideas to the test and expand their network in a targeted manner. The prizes are much more than just feedback and recognition: they offer concrete support and even extremely valuable professional mentoring."

The majority of alumni emphasise how important the Innovation Challenge has been for their business: "This award has helped us in many ways," says Gerit Tolborg, CEO and co-founder of Chromologics and one of the 2017 award winners. "On the one hand, we have received a lot of attention and have been able to make important contacts in the industry. For another, the award confirmed that we are on the right track and thus encouraged us to pursue our goal. And it was easier to raise additional funding without having to give up company shares."

The deadline for applications is 30 September 2022. The awards ceremony will take place on-site at Fi Europe, which will be held at the new Porte de Versailles location in Paris from 6 to 8 December. Online, the fair will run from 28 November to 8 December 2022.

You can find more information about the Startup Innovation Challenge in the e-Magazine:

https://bit.ly/3QZcExf