In the latest addition to its global innovation ecosystem, Givaudan has expanded the Protein Hub at its flagship Zurich Innovation Centre in Kemptthal, Switzerland to support the growth of dairy alternatives. 

The expanded Hub offers specialised expertise, state-of-the-art digital technologies, and an integrated portfolio of solutions designed specifically for dairy alternatives to accelerate new product development and co-create exciting new food experiences in collaboration with customers.

Co-creating alongside ecosystem actors

“At Givaudan, we have a unique approach to co-creation where we work side-by-side with our customers, partners, start-ups, chefs, academics and many others as a driving force for innovation,” said Doruk Ongan, President Europe Taste & Wellbeing. “We’re excited to open the doors of the Protein Hub to customers in the alternative dairy space, so we can shape the future of this dynamic category together.”

Fabio Campanile, Global Head of Science and Technology, Taste & Wellbeing, commented: “At Givaudan, our experts in science and technology focus on satisfying today’s consumer needs, while exploring the taste and functionality of various protein sources–from plants to precision fermentation–and leading new innovations for the future. In addition to our in-house knowledge, technology and research programmes, we have created a global innovation ecosystem to support our customers in markets around the world with facilities such as the Protein Innovation Center in Singapore, the MISTA Center in San Francisco and the Tropical Innovation Lab in Brazil.”

Accelerating new product development

Customers visiting the Protein Hub in Zurich have direct access to leading experts in science and technology, consumer sensory insights, alternative dairy applications including milk, yogurt and cheese, and culinary. With vast expertise in protein selection, these experts can help create a product base with the preferred taste and functionality.

Ecosystem actors can also optimise their new product development with Givaudan’s proprietary tools such as TasteSolutions® mouthfeel technologies, as well as masking, sugar reduction, solutions that mimic dairy notes, natural colours and clean-label health and nutritional solutions. These solutions help provide the authenticity and indulgence of traditional dairy products to create delicious and memorable dairy alternatives experiences.

To accelerate co-creation efforts, the Protein Hub incorporates the latest digital tools and AI solutions for rapid concepts, prototyping and testing with consumers. For example, Givaudan’s unique ATOM technology uses the power of AI to enhance the taste and aromas of alternative dairy products, and the company’s patented VAS technology, which can be used to test and co-create aromas directly with consumers in real time. The facility also incorporates a state-of-the-art show kitchen, and laboratories with capabilities in chemistry, biotechnology, fermentation, flavour delivery technology, sensory, applications and food science.

A glimpse into the future

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In this second article in our series on scaling in Switzerland, we met with Charlotte Ducrot, Innovaud’s Key Account Manager for Scale-ups & Growth, to better understand how the innovation ecosystems can address the unique challenges that scaleups face.

Charlotte Ducrot didn’t set out to work with entrepreneurs. But each country she lived in exposed her to diverse and innovative ecosystems – and the creative minds that worked within them. From helping French businesses set up in Morocco and empowering  entrepreneur stories in Colombia, to working alongside incubators and accelerators in Peru, Charlotte found herself being drawn to help founders and their teams at a critical stage in their growth. 

“I was always inspired by founders’ energy and passion for what they do,” reflects Charlotte. “There are lots of programmes targeted at startups. Once they’ve proven that they have a  product/market fit and a model that can be replicated at scale, they’re ready for a different type of support.” 

Charlotte saw again and again that this critical development phase was challenging. “Companies suddenly have to deal with key questions around growing their team, putting in place some processes and maintaining their culture. When you’re scaling you need to hire fast. It’s a big transformation from a small group of people where everyone works with everyone, to a much larger and sometimes geographically spread team. It naturally starts to change the way you communicate”.

Easing the transition from startup to scaleup

It was this realisation, coupled with a desire to reconnect with her local ecosystem, that led Charlotte to her current position at Innovaud, an innovation and investment promotion agency for the canton of Vaud. In this role, she oversees two programmes that provide promising companies with the support they need to grow.   

“ScaleupVaud is a community that brings c-level members of scaling companies together so that they can share their challenges and solutions and learn from one another. We currently have “circles” for CEOs, CTOs, CFOs and HR leads which are complemented by monthly networking sessions and annual conferences on key scaling topics.” 

While this peer-to-peer support is incredibly valuable, Charlotte and her team also recognised that they could do more, especially for companies that are one step shy from qualifying as a scale-up. So they teamed up with IMD to develop the LeadiNNg to Scale-up Programme, designed specifically for CEOs who have just closed their Series A funding round. 

“We’ve had two cohorts so far and the feedback we’ve got is really positive. The programme is made up of ten sessions on scaling topics, including organisational design, leadership and strategic scaling. The small cohort  of founders meet up regularly so they get to know each other very well. They are from a variety of sectors but they’re all at the same stage in their development, so they also learn a lot from each other. It’s a way of creating a community.” 

Starting with Vaud-based businesses in 2022, the LeadiNNg to Scale-up Programme was then opened up to Swiss-wide businesses this year and will now be opened up to international companies. Participants can attend in person or virtually and use the opportunity to assess if the Swiss ecosystem is the right fit for their businesses. 

Success stories 

The Scale-up Vaud Community has had several companies from the Swiss AgTech and FoodTech sector. “Ecorobotix is a really interesting startup to work alongside because they were ahead of their time right from the beginning. They’ve developed an AI-powered spraying robot for targeted application of herbicides, fungicides, insecticides and fertiliser. At the time, farmers weren’t yet ready to have a robot in the fields, so Ecorobotix adapted their solution. Now they’ve raised 52 million to expand into the United States and Latin American markets.” 

Charlotte also believes that people are a critical element of success. “Ecorobotix’s CFO and co-founder, Aurélien Demaurex, has also become an Innovaud Board Member and a Member of Parliament and is increasingly involved in shaping a positive legislative environment for entrepreneurs. This is a great way for him to share his knowledge to benefit other entrepreneurs.”

Connecting scaleups to new markets is another key part of Charlotte’s role in supporting their scaling process. “Earlier this year, we took CleanGreens’ CEO to Singapore. The company has already set up their unique aeroponic solution in Switzerland, France, and Kuwait, but they’re ready for further expansion and made some really good connections on the trip.”

Charlotte has seen hundreds of businesses complete the transformation from startup to scaleup. So what, in her opinion, is the recipe for scaleup success? “Obviously it varies from business to business, but I think there are three key points. The ability to make fast decisions while remaining focused is a really important one. Developing a company culture that will support them on their growth journey is also critical, as is making the right connections. It’s hard to scale on your own, so the right partnerships are critical.” 

Scaling up in Switzerland

Charlotte has worked in 8 different innovation ecosystems over the course of her career so far, but she believes that Switzerland has something unique to offer. “When I moved back to Switzerland, the thing that really stood out for me was the level of research behind the Swiss startups. These companies have serious technology! In other countries I recently lived in, companies often focus on digital solutions for consumers which may mean they can test faster. In Switzerland, the technology might take more time to develop, but the results are very strong and if you find the right market, you can build a very solid company that will have a significant impact.” 

Switzerland also has the right infrastructure to support scaleup growth. “There are some really strong verticals in HealthTech, FoodTech, and CleanTech with sector-specific initiatives that drive ecosystems in these spaces. Public grants and research funding and a strong political will also help drive entrepreneurship and innovation.”

The best is yet to come

Charlotte’s journey with entrepreneurs is a constant source of inspiration. “This is what gets me up in the morning. I love listening to what scaleups need and connecting them with the right tools. Innovation and technology provide impactful solutions to some of our world’s most pressing problems.”

So what’s next for her and her team? “This year we’re focusing on developing new programmes and services. We want to give Swiss scaleups more visibility on the international stage and address a few other gaps in our existing programmes. There’s so much demand for support in this area, so we’re definitely not done yet!” 

Connect with Charlotte or find out more and apply for the 2024 edition of the LeadiNNg to Scale-up Programme here. 

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Prof. Jeremy Luterbacher from EPFL’s Laboratory of Sustainable and Catalytic Processing has developed a way to turn plant by-products into materials that could serve as an alternative to some types of plastic.

Researchers at EPFL found that some types of sugar are particularly well-suited to functionalization reactions. One sugar – xylose – is ideal, and plant residue contains a lot of it – up to 20–30%. This means that by using functionalization reactions, they can produce 300 grams of bioplastic out of one kilogram of corn cobs.

“It must be because I’m a chemist, but I find functionalization reactions fascinating. They involve adding a functional group to a chemical compound in order to give it additional properties, but without changing its base structure. These reactions are fairly easy to perform and consume little energy and other resources. You don’t have to break down complicated chains.”, commented Jeremy Luterbacher from EPFL’s Laboratory of Sustainable and Catalytic Processing.

A wide range of applications

The process for producing bioplastic from xylose is simple to carry out and it employs materials that are readily available. It doesn’t alter the base xylose molecules, meaning that as the bioplastic degrades, it simply releases the sugar – which is harmless to the environment.

The resulting material is both tough and heat-resistant and could be used in a variety of application. It can be manufactured as a film, as thread for making fabric or fishing nets, or rolled up in spools for use with 3D printers. It can also make polyesters and polyamides such as nylon with excellent properties, sometimes even better than those made from petroleum-based products. Food packaging could be another application, but the material still needs to go through various certification processes.

Bringing the bioplastic to market

To bring the bioplastic to market, EPFL need to be able to manufacture it at a competitive cost. This would mean around half the price of existing bioplastics and on par with petroleum-based plastics. But their estimates show that this is possible. 

“The leaf I’m showing here illustrates the vast potential for our bioplastic. You can see that it allows for extreme precision for producing objects of all kinds. We’re right at the beginning of our journey and we still have a lot of work ahead of us, both in the research lab and with Bloom Biorenewables, a startup we founded to market the technology coming out of our lab. But that just makes our work all the more exciting!” concluded Jeremy.

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