Desafía Foodtech United Kingdom 2024 is an initiative by ICEX in collaboration with Eatable Adventures, which aims to foster meaningful connections between the Spanish and UK food ecosystems.
Desafía Foodtech UK Demo Day was held at the Mission Kitchen in London, and was an opportunity for 10 Spanish startups to pitch their various products and solutions to a UK audience.
The Desafía program is a gateway to internationalisation for Spanish startups, offering the opportunity to explore new markets and establish connections in the foodtech ecosystem. During the event, the startups immersed themselves in activities designed by Eatable Adventures, supported by ICEX, to prepare them for their entry into the UK market, establishing connections, participating in networking sessions, and honing pitch skills with various stakeholders.
Startup expectations included gaining knowledge of the UK market, understanding innovation models and available support tools, as well as establishing collaborations with corporations, research centres, and other key players.
The startups were:
Bio2Coat, which provides natural edible films and coatings made from raw materials derived directly from food sources, offering solutions for both food packaging and edible coatings.
Cocoon Bioscience, based in the Technology Park of Vizcaya in Derio, was established in September 2022 with the goal of providing high-quality protein production solutions.
Ingredalia focuses on developing and manufacturing natural functional ingredients sourced from vegetable by-products generated by agri-food companies. Their products find applications across various industries including food, cosmetics, nutraceuticals, and pet care.
Isauki specialises in creating plant-based alternatives to seafood products, using a variety of vegetables such as legumes, cereals, and algae.
Levprot Bioscience specialises in recombinant protein synthesis through precision fermentation in yeast cells. Founded in September 2020, it develops products and technology for food, biopharmaceutical, and IVD fields.
LOV Ferments works with artisanal fermented foods including kombucha, premium guarapo, vermouth, sake, and hammurabi, crafted with high-quality ingredients and traditional techniques.
Mmmico is dedicated to making the food industry safer and more eco-friendly by offering sustainable alternatives to ingredients like food colorants and preservatives.
MIWI was founded to meet the demand from consumers seeking healthy alternatives to traditional soft drinks, offering organic and natural options without artificial additives.
Poseidona utilises algae-derived products production waste and invasive algae biomass to create proteins for various food applications, contributing to ocean restoration efforts and advocating for environmental protection.
Relash offers organic “good soda” with low calories, made with organic ingredients and antioxidants, and will soon introduce the Relash Energy range as a healthy alternative to energy drinks.
At the event, FutureFoodToday spoke with Bio2Coat co-founder and CSO Farayde Matta Fakhouri about the company and its work to reduce food waste.
Jim Cornall is editor of Future Food Today and publisher at Ayr Coastal Media. He is an award-winning writer, editor, photographer, broadcaster, designer and author. Contact Jim here.
