This year, the canton of Fribourg presented for the first time the Sustainable Economy Award, and it was given to Bloom Biorenewables.

Bloom Biorenewables received the CHF 6,000 Sustainable Economy Award for developing a process to exploit the hidden value of biomass. From wood waste, Bloom Biorenewables managed to extract soluble lignin. It is then used to replace petrochemical compounds largely present in perfumes, aromas, inks, cosmetics, medicines, adhesives, plastics, and textiles. Often unsuspected, the quantities of CO2 contained in these products are considerable. In this way, Bloom eliminates the utilisation of petroleum by recycling the waste of an industry that is well entrenched in the Canton.

Created in 2019, Bloom Biorenewables SA is a spin-off from the École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL). Bloom has developed the first technology to selectively convert the most abundant biopolymers on Earth – cellulose and lignin – into added-value chemical products. The vision is to efficiently utilise resources and promote the shift towards a green and circular society.

The Sustainable Economy Award was presented by Chantal Robin, Director of the Fribourg Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FCCI), and a member of the panel of judges. The Award is attributed jointly by the FCCI, the Cantonal Service of Energy, and the Fribourg Development Agency (FDA). Learn more about the State of Fribourg's commitent towards agrifood innovation in their latest factsheet.

The other winners are Ascenseurs Menétrey for the Business Award, while GBY received the Start-up Award.

For more information:
Bloom Biorenewables SA
Route de l’ancienne papeterie, 106
Case postale 146
CH-1723 Marly 1 – Switzerland
Email : info@bloombiorenewables.com

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You may now register for the NTN Swiss Food Ecosystem Ideation Campaign by the 4th of June 2021.

The Ideation Campaign on the online innovation platform is a semi-public event with a large community from different NTNs and expertise. People submitting their ideas do so in an attitude of open innovation and are interested in solving the given challenge in collaboration with other community members.

The ideation campaign is open to anyone, who…

• Is prepared to share their idea with a community and embrace the open innovation approach to find radical solutions
• Applications are screened by the Suisse Agro Food Leadinghouse prior to publication on the HYPE platform and made visible to the community
• Participation is free of charge!

What kind of ideas are we looking for?
This overarching question can be subdivided into: 

• How to solve the plastic problem for food packaging? 
• What innovative bio-based and biodegradable materials could be developed and used as packaging material?
• For what type of application would that be suitable – chilled, frozen or room temperature storage?
• Heatable/freezable? Liquid/soft/solid material products?
• Logistic concepts are linked to packaging of food and also to the collection of used packaging material.
• What are innovative logistic & distribution concepts to support the use of biopolymers?  

Evaluation Criteria
All ideas will be rated on:

• Potential of innovation
• Degree of novelty – to Switzerland / to the world
• Desirability, viability and feasibility
• Economic impact
• Sustainability
• Scale-up / follow-up potential

Ideation Campaign Awards

• Top 3 ideas rated by community CHF 500.- and 3h of dedicated support
• Top 5 ideas assessed by the jury CHF 1’000.- and 3h of dedicated support
• Participation voucher to either Workshop or Hackathon

For more information:

Suisse Agro Food Leadinghouse
Passage du Cardinal 11
1700 Fribourg
Email : innoboost@swissfoodecosystems.ch

Or you can also contact them here.

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Zurich-based startup SNAQ developed a patent-pending food analysis app that gives users nutritional information about their meals just by taking its picture.

SNAQ is a machine learning and computer vision startup active in the medical field. It has developed a mobile app solution enabling anyone to take a picture of a prepared meal and immediately receive its nutritional information. The Artificial Intelligence-powered app automatically recognises the food and using 3D models; it calculates the volume, deduces its weight. After comparison with a nutritional value database, the app provides a nutritional value analysis of the food.

Beyond being a lifestyle solution, the app is also being developed to help diabetes patients. Once the startup obtains approval to use the solution as a medical device, the app will be used to calculate the required insulin dosage.

Founders Aurelian Briner and Nico Previtali established SNAQ in 2017 to reveal the impact of food on health. SNAQ’s patent-pending and scientifically verified technology provides users with the most convenient and accurate way to capture nutritional intake and helps to manage the impact of food on health through personalised insights and recommendations.

For more information:

SNAQ AG
Birmensdorferstrasse 94
Zurich, 8003, CH
Email : info@snaq.io

Or you can contact them here.

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Science Stories - WFSC Short Films Premiere

The WFSC Research Programs support new cross-​​disciplinary and solution-​oriented research to address food system challenges. We are excited to show results from several of these projects in the form of short films!

• Date: 25 May 2021, 17:00–18:00 CET

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