Pre-registration for the Kickstart Switzerland 2021 Program is Now Open

Pre-registration for the Kickstart Switzerland 2021 Program is Now Open

Kickstart Switzerland is an annual innovation program that partners later-stage startups with corporations, foundations, universities and cities to promote deep tech innovation.

Taking place in Zurich from September to November, Kickstart helps Swiss startups collaborate with industry partners on pilot projects, commercial partnerships and other innovation opportunities. Since 2015, it has cultivated more than 170 partnerships and supported over 190 startups to grow in Switzerland and Europe through its program.

To ensure both startups and partners get tailored opportunities, Kickstart operates within the following focus areas:

Typical investment size: $10k.

For interested startups, send your applications here.

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AgroSustain: Using biological fungicides and coatings to reduce food waste and support organic food production

AgroSustain: Using biological fungicides and coatings to reduce food waste and support organic food production

orange fruit tree

AgroSustain is a one-stop-shop solution for biological plant protection. Based at the Agroscope Institute of Changins (State of Vaud), the company aims at reducing food waste while ensuring everyone has access to healthy foods.

As the world focuses even more on sustainable and organic food production, AgroSustain offers to extend the freshness of crops by more than 20 days. This results in a significant drop in food waste, the third-largest producer of greenhouse gases in the world. Its first product, AgroShelf+, prevents mould from attacking crops, post-harvest, without affecting the taste.

The idea first started with co-founder and CEO Olga Dubey when she first learned about anti-fungal compounds. She wanted to offer a natural product to the market that could potentially replace chemical solutions while ensuring the safety of humans and biodiversity.

Meanwhile, AgroSustain’s research team of highly qualified PhDs with expertise in chemistry, plant biochemistry, and molecular and evolutionary biology, are working closely with institutions like the University of Lausanne and Agroscope to develop products for pre-harvest crops.

Find out more:

AgroSustain
Agroscope, Batiment AO, Route de Duillier 50
Nyon, Vaud 1260, CH 

For inquiries, you can contact them here.

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Application for MassChallenge Switzerland 2021 Starts 20th January

Application for MassChallenge Switzerland 2021 Starts 20th January

Accelerate the impact of your business through MassChallenge Switzerland 2021 by sending your applications starting today, January 20.

MassChallenge Switzerland is a leader in helping startups across Europe expand their businesses by partnering them with corporations and renowned mentors in the field. Since 2016, they have promoted about 400 startups from different industries, raised over CHF 196M in funding, and created 157,000 jobs. 

Accelerator Benefits

  • Unrivaled access to 15+ global corporate partners including Nestlé, Bühler, Givaudan, Barry Callebaut, General Mills, and Südzucker – totalling to over CHF 250 billion in revenue
  • World-class mentoring from 550+ experts and a tailored program curriculum provided with no equity taken in return
  • The opportunity to compete for up to CHF 1M in non-dilutive cash prizes and other in-kind awards
  • Switzerland-specific advice on regulations and tax, easy access to the EU market, and strong trade links
  • A proven model that has helped more than 65% of finalists to raise funds during or immediately after the program

Sustainable Food Systems Industry Track

In this core program, select early-stage startups will receive additional specialized support and resources. The goal of this track is to accelerate the impact of startups in production, distribution, packaging, and food disposal through a collaboration of the largest multinational food corporations, world-class mentorship from food experts, and tailored curriculum focused on sustainability, food, and packaging. 

Sustainable Food Systems Challenge

Here, startups or scale-ups are matched with one of MassChallenge’s partners to accelerate innovation in the food sector. They will work directly with key stakeholders within a global food corporation and get access to co-development opportunities, product validation, customer connections, strategic investments, or advisor introductions.

Eligibility Criteria 

  • Early Stage: Startups with no more than $1Mio of capital raised or $2M of Sales 
  • Impactful: Our judges are looking for the startup to define the impact. Successful applicants show how they create value for themselves and society. 
  • Viable: Teams, advisors, and plans are to be assessed to ensure their idea is executed.

 

For interested and eligible startups, apply here.

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Join the upcoming China AgriFood Tech Bootcamp 2021

Join the upcoming China AgriFood Tech Bootcamp 2021

Join the upcoming intense and tailored startup internationalization bootcamp organized by swissnex China and Innosuisse to take a deep dive into the China market, while leveraging the exciting opportunities within the world’s largest and most dynamic sustainable Agri-Food space.

The China Agri-Food-Tech Bootcamp 2021 offers Swiss startups a unique opportunity to take a deep dive into the fast-growing Agri-Food space in China, gain insight into the specific IP / legal frameworks while connecting with potential partners and customers.

Organized by swissnex China and Innosuisse, this program will provide tailored support to participating startups via virtual workshops, exclusive pitch sessions to investors, IP & regulation consulting, as well as market research reporting, connecting them with investors, industry experts and potential partners, while maximizing their exposure to a broad audience in China. This program is offered free of charge to the selected startup attendees.

The participating startups are encouraged to travel to China to further develop and implement
their local market entry as international business travel resumes.

  • Application Deadline: February 20, 2021
  • Virtual Bootcamp: March 22-31, 2021
  • Tailored Individual Support: Upon arrival in China, 2021-2022

China agrifood bootcamp list

General information
• Virtual Bootcamp duration: March 22- 31, 2021
• Detailed bootcamp agenda and logistics details will be announced in early March.
Important: Applying startups need to be in the Innosuisse coaching program.

Camp support
Swissnex China provides tailored, individual guidance to Campers by delivering virtual
workshops, exclusive pitch to investors, IP & regulation consulting, market research report
during the period while international travel is still restricted. When participating startups are able to
travel to China in person within the stipulated Innosuisse China Camp period, swissnex China
can facilitate 2-3 connections with relevant entities for further market validation or market entry.
Startups are expected to follow-up with the contacts and complete camp milestones. 

Travel stipend
All startups are encouraged to travel to China to further develop the market after the Virtual
Bootcamp. Innosuisse and swissnex China will offer travel stipends of CHF 3000 (Market
Validation Campers) or CHF 6000 (Market Entry Campers) to startups who will travel to China in
person during the camp year.

Eligibility
Participating startups are required to be currently active in an Innosuisse Coaching program, or
have recently obtained an Innosuisse Certificate / CTI-Label in the last 3 years.
If you’re not in the Innosuisse Coaching program, apply here. If the timeframe is tight, we advise
you to apply for coaching and camp in parallel. 

CONTACT
Reach out to our program manager to learn more:

Ms. Simin Yang
simin.yang@swissnexchina.org

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NutriMenu: The app that makes canteen lunch tray healthier

NutriMenu: The app that makes canteen lunch tray healthier

Launched in 2016, Swiss based company nutriMenu facilitates the creation of healthy, seasonal and regional menus in canteens.

 

Too fatty, too salty, too much meat or not enough vegetables? Canteens in Lausanne, Zürich and other cities across Switzerland are now equipped to analyze what they put on their menu. Thousands of people, especially children, have been tasting for more nutritious lunch thanks to nutriMenu, an application that measures the nutritional quality of meals.

Developed by the Swiss start-up Myravan Solutions in partnership with the City of Lausanne, the application is used in ten kitchens managed directly by the Cities as well as in private catering sector such as SV Group and university canteens such as EPFL. NutriMenu facilitates the creation of healthy, seasonal and regional menus through its web portal, helping chef balance their choice of ingredients.

Based on Swiss quality standards for collective catering that promote healthy eating (OSAV and SSN), nutriMenu uses a scientific and detailed approach to evaluate and monitor the nutritional quality of menus and allows for a clear communication to consumers through a visual scoring system. The software will also evaluates overall balance of meals throughout the week.

Launched by a team of qualified dieticians with expertise in public health:

At the origin of the project, clinical dietitian’s Maryam Yepes realized the importance of training cooks while teaching at the Ecole Hôtelière de Lausanne and through her Ph.D. research in public health at the University of Lausanne: “Canteens chefs’ impact on public health is enormous: they prepare millions of meals and if you can reduce salt or fat even just a little, you dramatically improve the nutritional quality of a dish.”.

In her experience as a trainer, consultant and independent dietician for catering professionals, Maryam is convinced that technology can help cooks. “There isn’t sufficient training when it comes to nutrition. Chefs do not necessarily have the tools or the time to properly apply the theory they have learned.” 

Today, Maryam’s mission is to improve public health through nutriMenu, a tool to facilitate the preparation of healthy, sustainable and deliciously balanced meals in the catering industry using a digital and innovative approach. 

 

In the case of cafeterias, where customers return several times a week, it is important that weekly menues are balanced and nutritious.

Maryam Yepes Ph.D.

NutriMenu CEO, Doctor in Nutrition

Find out more:

 

Maryam Yepes, Ph.D.
nutriMenu’s CEO

maryam@myravan.ch

www.nutrimenu.ch

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2021: A taste of the future

2021: A taste of the future

Dear Reader,

As we enter a new period and welcome 2021, we’re taking a few minutes to reflect back on an unprecedented first year. As for many others, the Swiss Food & Nutrition Valley expected 2020 to go quite differently. 

Not so long ago, our schedules were filled with in-person events and meetings with many of you across the country and around the globe. These plans quickly changed due to the current pandemic. But innovation never sleeps and instead, we’ve had to pleasure to connect with many of you through video calls, webinars, as well as our first General Assembly which was a first step towards gathering the Swiss food ecosystem under one – albeit virtual – roof.

The pandemic has also been revealing. On the one hand, we’ve accelerated the need to transition to a more resilient food system, locally and across the globe. On the other hand, it’s highlighted consumers’ willingness to change their habits towards healthier and more sustainable practices. These developments further underline the relevance and necessity of initiatives such as the SFNV.

We’d like to thank you for your part in keeping Switzerland’s food innovation ecosystem growing; and to all of our new members who have joined us in our mission to establish Switzerland as a global food and nutrition innovation hub.

Wishing you a very happy new year and look forward to continuing the discussion with many of you in 2021,

Christian Schwab, EPFL
President of the Executive Committee
Swiss Food & Nutrition Valley

Our goals for 2021 :

Key Objectives

To contribute to solving some of the most pressing food-related global issues.

To attract further talent, start-ups and investments, as well as connecting existing actors.

To establish Switzerland as a world reference in sustainable food and nutrition innovation. 

Levels of Action

We Foster Ecosystems

We strengthen and promote the Swiss food innovation ecosystem by uniting key stakeholders, enabling collaboration and attracting talent, startups and investment to Switzerland.

To Advance Innovation

We create content and establish project plans to address major challenges in food, nutrition and agriculture, from a sustainability perspective, using cutting-edge science and technology.

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