18 Innovative FoodTech Startups to Watch for in 2023
FoodTech startups have become increasingly popular in recent years, as they offer unique solutions to improve the way food is produced, distributed, and consumed.
These startups are focused on leveraging technology to create better systems for food production, from agricultural innovations to new methods of delivery and tracking.
They often target specific problems like food waste or sustainability and devise ways to address them with the help of technology.
FoodTech startups are often part of larger initiatives to reduce food insecurity, create more efficient production methods, and improve the quality of food available to consumers.
They can make use of blockchain or artificial intelligence technologies to track and manage inventories and make sure that no excess or waste is created.
Some are even developing new methods of food production that reduce the need for chemical pesticides, while others are focused on creating better ways to store and transport food. Additionally, they can make use of data to create predictive models that better inform decision-making and help companies adjust their prices and availability accordingly.
FoodTech startups are leading the way for a more sustainable, efficient, and healthful food industry. They’re creating innovative solutions to tackle some of the most pressing issues in food production, from improving access to fresh produce to reducing food waste.
As the sector continues to grow, these startups will continue to shape the future of our food systems. Almost all seafood is farmed, and almost all farmed seafood uses wild-caught fish as the protein component of feed.
1. INSEACT changes this by replacing fish protein with insect protein. INSEACT grows black soldier fly larvae fed with waste from the palm oil industry that was otherwise destined for landfill.
INSEACT’s unique protein application in shrimp aquaculture performs more profitably than traditional feed options.
This improved performance allows INSEACT to achieve impact at scale, with a focus in Asia. The high-performance protein product INSEACT offers diverts agri-waste back from landfill back into the foodstream to close the circular economy loop.
The INSEAD mission is to provide sustainable and healthy food sources for the world through innovative technologies.
2. Vow is a collective of innovators, engineers, scientists, artists and foodies working to improve the quality of life for people, animals and planetary health, by reinventing food from the ground up. Vow recently raised $49.2 million in Series A funding. The building block of biology is a cell, and by starting here all needs can be met. By taking an entirely new approach, we can now bypass raising animals and find tastes, flavors and textures completely new to us.
This new category of food will be sustainable, abundant and irresistible. Vow creates real and delicious meat from cells, instead of breeding and killing animals. Six weeks is all it takes from a handful of cells to plating the finished meal. It’s a logical and considerate alternative from which more people enjoy the highest quality meat.
3. Fyto leverages automation to unlock the potential of unique aquatic plants. They partner with farmers to build a new foundation for food, feed, and fertilizer that supports a healthy planet and resilient food system.
Their automated cultivation and harvesting technologies grow highly nutritious crops at scale, which drastically reduce input costs for food producers.
4. Standing Ovation is a company dedicated to making animal and lactose-free substitutes for cheese using fermentation process without any recourse on products derived from milk including but not limited caseins -the proteins which give it its unique taste texture nutritional values. Unfortunately current alternatives fall short when compared against those made with animals’ milks because they lack these key features that make up what we love about eating this type of food! The founders are experienced biotechnologist in the field of precision fermentation, who have surrounded themselves with specialists in the food and cheese industries. With their expertise, Standing Ovation was able to develop a truly innovative technological process that represents a paradigm shift for the animal-free dairy market.
5. WhatIF Foods offers an authentic, nutritious basket of regenerative foods – foods that replenish the nutrients we need throughout an active day; foods that regenerate land and reconnect us with our values and communities; foods that appreciate the interdependency of our well being because we need nature in cities, life in food, and a purpose in communities.
WhatIF Foods aren’t designed for baby boomers, Gen X, Millennials, or Gen Z – but for the Regeneration. Finalist at the Liveability Challenge 2020 and winner of the MIT Solve Food Sustainability Challenge 2020.
6. Klim digital climate platform offers farmers documentation and financing options for regenerative methods, as well as access to knowledge and a community.
They cooperate with the entire value chain, from agriculture and food producers to retailers and consumers. They also make the progress of farmers visible and enable a direct relationship with them.
Makes agriculture climate-compatible by removing CO2 from the atmosphere, hectare by hectare, and storing it in the form of carbon in the soil. To date, they have convinced over 2000 farmers to register on the Klim platform and take the step towards regenerative agriculture.
7. Because animals is a start-up that provide dogs and cats with the most nutritious and sustainable pet food on the without harming animals or the environment. Through supporting Animals, it can end the breeding of livestock for slaughter. As it Reduces the number of factory farms that negatively impact rainforests, oceans and climate.
8. Umaro foods has a pursuit to create an entire new food system that will aid wild life and thriving planet. The journey will begin with the ocean instead of using land , they look for new sources of protein in the water from -protein from seaweed.
Alternatively to growing proteins in small bioreactors, the ocean is the bioreactor, and proteins don't need land, fresh water, or fertilisers to grow.
it is a super food that is kind to both people and the earth. They have already begun their mission to mimic bacon fat by developing innovative applications of seaweed hydrocolloids. Umaro was co-founded by two experts in the seaweed and vegetable protein industry. They are funded by influential investors who want to lead the industry and make a difference .
9. Pyxo is a French start-up that has been thinking about single-use plastic food packaging for three years. The company offers a simple, inexpensive service at scale by offering reusable storage containers in exchange for current single-use containers!
A big market opportunity for Pyxo is now that the French government has passed anti-waste legislation with significant changes. Starting in 2019, all restaurants will have to switch to reusable food containers by January 2023. Failure to do so may result in fines of up to €500 per day.
That means fast food chains like McDonald's can no longer use paper or plastic cups therefore there is a growth opportunity for Pyxo.
10. Micro Harvest has the concept of new single-cell protein production system that addresses urgent need for sustainable alternatives to meet global demand by 2030. As an added bonus, this invention also enables the Micro Harvest with unparalleled speed as raw materials are transformed into finished products within a day therefore it increases the availability of nutritious foods in the market.
11. Demi has the purpose to build tools to facilitate culinary entrepreneurs to create connections with their peers and to create a thriving community for chefs.The platform provides chefs with simple tools to share content, foster interaction, connect directly with the audience, and generate revenue. Consumers have the opportunity to connect with their favourite and other chefs, receive exclusive content, share their stories and creations, and discover new ideas in a positive environment.
12. solynta is a hybrid potato breeding company based in Wageningen, The Netherlands. The Solynta team is developing hybrid potato varieties with superior traits and performance at a faster rate than conventional breeding.
Successful application of hybrid breeding will allow the use of hybrid true potato seeds or his HTPS. This revolution in breeding not only significantly speeds up product development, but also offers significant logistical and phytosanitary benefits. New potato varieties have been bred for centuries, but the ability to hybridise was the "holy grail" of potato improvement, and many believed it was impossible.
13..Ifarmer Connects farmers, acreage/landowners, investors and crop buyers to build a complete agricultural supply chain. The app and platform are used by more than 71,000 of farmers in Bangladesh and are growing rapidly every month. In Bangladesh alone, there are 20 million smallholder farmers.
The company has developed an innovative online HE platform that allows anyone in Bangladesh to easily sponsor agriculture and livestock. Being part of the iFarmer community is more than just generating income.
14. Meticulouslyhas been formulated in two years by a team that has the experience of working for a decade in food science. Current Foods has the history of being a step ahead in making plant-based seafood. The next generation project is to make tuna and Smoked salmon that offers nutritious, plant-based seafood without an environmental impact.Current Foods uses his 100% plant-based ingredients such as seaweed, bamboo, peas and radishes to provide consumers with a taste of the sea while remaining true to their plant-based roots.
15. Micromeat macrocarriers has one of the most efficient and environmental friendly methods to cultivated meat. As macrocarriers, producers can use animal-free, sustainable, plant-based ingredients to make meats and fats. Therefore the meat is more nutritious and free of chemicals. It can easily be produced as it does not required the use of hormones.Macrocarriers improve yields in all types of reactors, from compact units used in the laboratory to large reactors used on a production scale. In each macrocarrier, the cells enjoy an ideal size-independent biological environment, ensuring ideal production regardless of the size of your business.Macrocarriers allow cells to grow 3-4 times more densely, allowing manufacturers to produce more cells while minimizing production costs.
16.Numi Foods was founded in 2022 by Marilena and Anton. They came together with the purpose of solving one of the world's biggest issue to relieve pressure from the food system. Numi used a consumer-focused biotechnology company, to utilize the power of plant proteins and biotechnology to deliver the next generation of sustainable seafood. Their mission is to rebalance the food system by empowering people to make greener choices in every bite
17. UrbanKisaan is India's first farmers' marketplace that has transformed the national fruit and vegetable shopping experience. it works with grassroots farmers to improve yields and use core IP built over many years in precision agriculture, hydroponics and core agronomy.
18.Solein It is the first time in history that , humans are able to produce food without harming the planet. Solein is a pioneering protein for the global food industry. Made from air, CO2, water, nitrogen, and electricity, our unique natural single-cell protein is unaffected by agriculture, weather, and climate.
Solar Foods' unique bioprocess allows one of nature's billions of microorganisms to grow into an infinite number of edible foods using air, electricity and fermentation. This bioprocess isn't traditional, but it's as natural as the air we breathe.