Swiss Food & Nutrition Valley

How and why to invest in Foodtech?
2023-02-16 12:00 - 13:00 (Europe/Zurich) | Online event
2023 could be the best year yet to invest in Foodtech.
What are the risks and opportunities when investing in Foodtech startups?
Foodtech attracted nearly CHF 87 million in investments in 2022 according to Top 100 Swiss Startups. Foodtech is a sector of which we have only seen the tip of the iceberg and which will undoubtedly grow strongly in the coming years.
– Why is now the right time to invest in foodtech?
– How does the growth journey and life cycle of a foodtech company look like?
– Why is Switzerland the right place for foodtech startups?
– What are the ecosystem actors that investors need to know?
Learn more about why to invest in Foodtech startups at the webinar with Françoise Birnholz, SICTIC Angel Investor and Dr. Daniel Böhi, Co-Founder and Member of the Supervisory Board at Alphorn Venture Partners, hosted by SICTIC and supported by Swiss Food & Nutrition Valley.

Register now

Meet the Valley
2023-03-09 15:00 - 16:00 | Online event
“Meet The Valley” is a bimonthly virtual meet-up for anyone interested to find out more about Swiss Food & Nutrition Valley and the Swiss food ecosystem. You will get the chance to meet the SFNV team, tell us about your projects and ask us … anything! We recommend you choose to attend once at a time that fits your schedule and drop in by registration!
Swiss Food & Nutrition Valley is a nationwide initiative to develop, strengthen and promote food innovation in Switzerland and beyond. We address major challenges in food, agriculture, and nutrition by leveraging cutting-edge science and technology for a more sustainable future.
Why? You can get to know what the Valley does, why we exist, what we do and how we create value for our members. SFNV is all about collaboration! These sessions are also dedicated to answering YOUR questions. After a brief introduction the floor will be open to the participants for a Q&A, so come prepared!
Who? The sessions will be led by SFNV’s Managing Director – Christina Senn-Jakobsen, who is extremely passionate about food and innovation and is thrilled to meet you all.
When? “Meet the Valley” will be happening bi-monthly, so if you can’t make it in the upcoming months – simply click on the “select a date” button and find the session that fits your schedule best.
Where? Click here: Join Zoom Meeting
Meeting ID: 867 4239 4444
Passcode: [REDACTED]
Got more questions? Join us, meet the team behind the Valley, share ideas and discuss interesting Food Ecosystem related topics. The meet-ups are free.
We are looking forward to meeting you!
Your Swiss Food & Nutrition Valley

SICTIC Investor Day FoodTech
2023-03-09 17:00 - 21:00
Swiss Food & Nutrition Valley have partnered with SICTIC Investor Day – a matchmaking event where tech startups pitch for funding in front of experienced investors and supporters. As part of its 2023 development, SICTIC is expanding into new verticals to offer investors new investment opportunities and flavours! Come join us on March 9th for its first FoodTech event co-organised with the Swiss Food and Nutrition Valley and Alphorn Ventures! We are thrilled to explore this new vertical with SICTIC and as a part of the event, a special apéro around FoodTech will be held afterwards.
Agenda
16:30 – Registration (On-Site Attendees)17:00 – Welcome & Intro17:15 – Keynote Speakers
Overview of FoodTech ecosystem in CHChristina Senn-Jakobsen, Managing Director – Swiss Food Nutrition Valley
Why is now the best time to invest in FoodTech Matteo Parenti, Director – Blue Horizon
17:30 – Panel discussion: The Future of Foodtech. Why Investors should Pay Attention!
Speakers:Dr. Daniel Böhi, Co-Founder and Member of the Supervisory Board at Alphorn Venture Partners;
Emi (Hidemi) Naganuma, Founding General Partner & CEO at Apprecia Capital;
Emilie Dellecker, Co-founder at HackCapital, Head of Marketing & Community at FoodHack and ClimateHack;
Françoise Birnholz, SICTIC Angel Investor
Mark Leinemann, Founder & President crowdfoods – Food Entrepreneur & Startup Association (FESA)
Moderator: Thomas Ackermann, Managing Director at SICTIC
17:50 – 18:00 – Break
18:00 – 5 min Startup Pitching Session + 3 min Q&A19:00 – Instant Matchmaking, closing remarks19:10 – Networking Apero / Livestream ends20:30 – Event ends
The event language is english. Questions from the audience are also taken in French and German (and translated if necessary). Please note that this will be a hybrid event, so you can either choose to join on-site or from the comfort of your home. On-site tickets are limited and available on a first come first serve basis.

Register now

Valley After Hours: Accelerating Corporate and Early Stage Startup Collaborations in the Swiss Food-Tech Industry
2023-03-14 18:00 - 20:30 | Nestlé R+D Accelerator, Rte du Jorat 57, Lausanne, 1000, Switzerland
Valley After Hours is the ultimate networking event hosted by partners for partners in collaboration with Swiss Food Nutrition Valley. This particular After Hours is co-hosted with The Accelerator powered by Nestlé R+D. Expect to meet key partners and stakeholders from the Swiss food tech ecosystem, inspire them, be inspired, and gain knowledge with a deeper understanding of what the host partner does. This is a unique open-door opportunity to evolve professional relationships in an informal setting.
Agenda
18:00 Registration
18:30 Welcome from Swiss Food & Nutrition Valley
Christina Senn-Jakobsen, Managing Director, SFNV
18:40 Welcome from Nestlé R&D
Stefan Palzer, Chief Technology Officer, Nestlé S.A.
18:50 R+D Accelerator Program for Startups
Mar Serra, Nestlé Research Accelerator Lead
Susana Reber, Nestlé Research Startup Program Lead
19:10 Startup pitches

Embion Technologies
Terra Preta
Ubees
Bloom

19:40 Partner exchange & apéro
20:30 End of event
Please note this is a Valley partners & by invitation only event. Registrations list closes 8th March, 17:00. Max. 2 guests per organisation. Email: suki@sfnv.ch for any questions.

Partners' Quarterly Meet Up Q1
2023-03-27 14:00 - 15:00 | Online event
Save the date for SFNV Q1 Partners’ Quarterly online meeting. An event opportunity to advance member collaborations and exchange with SFNV team and partners. We facilitate this session to advance knowledge sharing across the food ecosystem and to spotlight the quarter that we have just had.
What’s Cooking in the Valley?
The answer to that question and more will be covered in Partners’ Quarterly meet ups. During the session, our partners will get to know more about what other ecosystem actors are working on, explore how they can offer support, relevant industry news bulletins and find out what the SFNV core team is planning for the year.
Invitations for the first partners’ quarterly event of the year will be sent out to all partners directly so save the date!
Any questions? Email Maëlle on info@sfnv.ch
More information coming soon!
Your SFNV Team

SFNV Innovation Enablers Roundtable
2023-03-28 10:30 - 12:00 | Kraftwerk, 25 Selnaustrasse, Zurich, 8001
A roundtable for SFNV Innovation enablers to see how we can drive food innovation across Switzerland & beyond with representatives from Businessin, Kickstart Innovation, Mass Challenge, Thought for Food, Founders Institute, Cluster Food & Nutrition, FoodHack, Swiss Food Research.
Followed by an optional lunch. An invitation only event.

Optimizing Resources in Agrifoodtech
2023-03-30 13:30 - 19:00 | Zunfthaus zur Schmiden, 20 Marktgasse, 8001, Zürich, Zürich, 8001
Sustainable food production is a major issue. The aim of this Networking Event Series “Business in Sustainable Foodtech” taking place all over Switzerland for 4 years is to stimulate the innovation of actors along the value chain from food production to consumption, helping them to initiate technology-based innovation projects thanks to connections with R&D centers. Thus optimizing their products, processes and business models, contributing to their development while positively impacting the sustainability of the agri-food ecosystem.
Concrete results with measurable impacts and the creation of a community of interest are the added values ​​that motivates stakeholders to commit to the Innosuisse Innovation Booster “Swiss Food Ecosystems” program co-led by the Cluster Food & Nutrition and Swiss Food Research under the umbrella of the Swiss Agro Food Leadinghouse.
The event “Optimizing Resources in Agrifoodtech” proposes to:
– Ask the right questions about resources optimization to boost sustainability in the agrifoodtech system
– Be inspired by Swiss and international players who have successfully taken the step of innovation
– Connect in a targeted manner to potential innovation partners
– Be challenged and motivated during participatory discussions, workshops, speed-dating and exhibitions, all complemented by a creative cocktail.
PROGRAM
1.15 Optional light lunch
1.30 Welcome coffee and visit of the startup exhibition
2.00-3.15 Plenary
Welcome by Suzanne Hraba-Renevey President & Co-Founder of BusinessIn
The canton of Zurich: an innovation hub in the agrifood sector
Fabian Streiff, Director of the Economic Promotion, Canton Zurich
Innovating in a traditional food producing SME: challenges and opportunities
Catherine Cunin, CEO, Blattmann Schweiz AG
Plant-based meat with improved taste and texture thanks to technologies
Susanne Miescher Schwenninger, Professor & Head Research Group Food Biotechnology, ZHAW
Patrick Rühs, Head of Science, Planted
3.15-4.15 Round table moderated by Roland Wyss-Aerni
Editor-in-Chief foodaktuell.ch
Linda Grieder-Kern, CEO & Founder, RethinkResource GmbH
Martijn Sonnevelt, Executive Director, ETH Zurich World Food System Center
Jérôme Meyer, Country Managing Director, Aldi Suisse AG
Bartosz Jesse, Partner, McKinsey & Company
Bianca Campos, Deputy CEO & Program Manager, swissnex in Brazil
4.15-5:00 Coffee Break, 1:1 Meetings and visit of the startup exhibition
5.00-6.00 Breakouts
1. Achievements and challenges of tech transfer:
Case study by YASAI, fenaco, Agroscope and ZHAW
Mark Zahran, co-Founder and CEO, YASAI
2. International Perspectives
Kathrin Rüegg, Innovation & Technology Advisor, Innosuisse
Florian Berner, Company Advisor Zürich Region Euresearch
Mélusine Perrier, Project Manager Switzerland Global Enterprise
3.Open Exploration on Resource Efficiency at the Innovation Booster “Swiss Food Ecosystems”
Marina Helm-Romaneschi, Marketing and Strategy Manager, Swiss Food Research
Joël Reinhard, Innovation Manager, Cluster Food & Nutrition
6.00-6.30 Plenary:
Optimizing Resources: Walking the Talk
Sandhya Sriram, CEO & Co-Founder Shiok Meats, Singapore
Christoph Mayr, Co-Founder and CEO at MIRAI FOODS, Switzerland
6.30-7.00 Cocktail, networking and visit of the startup exhibition
Swiss Food and Nutrition Valley Insiders get a 15% discount on entry fees with the code SFNVBI2023

SWITZERLAND-SPAIN FOODTECH ECOSYSTEM SESSIONS 2023 - Online
2023-04-27 10:00 - 12:00 | Online event
What’s on
The Foodtech industry in Spain is experiencing a significant transformation towards more sustainable and efficient projects, aided by public and private support at regional and national levels. The Foodtech sector in Spain saw a rise of up to €268M in 2022, representing a 9.38% increase since the previous year. This includes a notable increase from 407 to 412 startups in the past year, alongside over 30,000 companies engaged in food transformation and more than 50 specialized universities and 20 advanced technology centers.
This will be the first edition of our pitching webinar of Spanish startups with key actors from the Swiss Foodtech ecosystem, in cooperation with the Swiss Food & Nutrition Valley (SFNV).
Register here
The six pitching Spanish startups encompass a broad range of the Foodtech industry:

Blue Marine Oil. Premium ingredients for petfood from top-quality fish by-products.
Nucaps Nanotechnology. Encapsulation technology for the industrial development of nanocapsules and biocapsules for bioactives and probiotics.
Néboda Farms. Vertical indoor farming company that produces and trades leafy vegetables and aromatic herbs, Alife aromatic plants, microgreens and mezclum.
TasteLab. Technology company that has designed SENSESBIT, a software that provides support in sensory analysis, adapted to the needs of each sector for companies that want to put the focus on the consumer and manage their own studies autonomously.
Algas La Patrona. Producers of hand-harvested seaweed (kombu, wakame, sea spaghetti, sea lettuce and codium seaweed, both dehydrated and fresh in salt).
Vegasauria. Manufacturer of 100% plant-based cheeses in an artisan way using traditional cheese-making techniques and ferments.

If you’re interested in delving deeper into the current state and challenges of the country’s food sector, download the complete report HERE.

The Swiss food industry is one of the largest and most diversified in Europe, with an estimated market value of CHF 80 billion and 2.6 billion being invested in innovation each year. In the last 5 years, the number of foodtech companies in Switzerland has increased by 70%.
In a nutshell, the Spanish and Swiss foodtech ecosystem are vibrant and driven by quality, innovation, venture capital investment and government support, making both countries attractive places for companies and start-ups, so please join our webinar!

Open Exploration Workshop - Innovation Booster Swiss Food Ecosystems
2023-05-09 13:00 - 18:00 | INNOSpace Bern, Gurtenbrauerei 31, Köniz, 3084, Switzerland
The transformation of the agro food system needs a space to create opportunities, incubate ideas and develop radical solutions. Welcome to the Innovation Booster Swiss Food Ecosystems!
Starting exploring and mapping the problem and opportunity space on resource efficiency within the agro-food system will help to deepen the connection to the problem, by understanding how resources are used today, why we stick to it, and what root cause are at their base laying out the relevant stakeholders and comprehending their relationship to the problem, their bonds and fears.
Based on the thorough exploration of the entire problem landscape of today’s resource spillage a systemic picture of the whole will be possible.
This open and collaborative setting will make you meet people from diverse backgrounds and will make you learn more insights to actively work on the emerging opportunities. Be it designing circular economy on biological and technical loops, nudging consumer behavior, innovating technology and packaging, food waste reduction and as far as re-modeling the system from soil to soil.
Radical ideas that mature during the workshop will be submitted for incubation in a first step. A CHF 5’000,- voucher in cash and curated coaching will allow to spend more thorough thinking on the idea. Desktop, literature and patent search, in-depth interviews with experts, research and implementation partners, project- and team lineup will be checked and supported by coaches on a regular basis.
Ideas that grow into a project proposal with disruptive potential, a committed team from research and implementation partners will be invited for pitching to an expert jury. A grant of up to CHF 40’000.- will allow for more development in bringing it to life.
The workshops are the ticket for idea incubation and project proposal for this Innovation Booster. (Participation to workshop, of at least one member of the submitting team is mandatory for grant reception)
A reservation fee of CHF 100,- per person is asked at registration. This will be refunded after participation.

SFNV @ Hack Summit, Lausanne
2023-05-11 08:00 - 2023-05-12 17:30 | Beaulieu Congress Center, Halle 36, Lausanne, Lausanne, 1004, Switzerland
Come and see us at the Hack summit. Our team will be at Booth F in the Hack Village section at the Hack Summit in Lausanne. Your chance to meet the team and connect in person with the Swiss Food & Nutrition Valley. Find out more about the Hack Summit here. No other ClimateTech event brings together so many impact-driven founders and investors from across Europe, and beyond. If you want to book a meeting or connect with us email events@sfnv.ch.
See you at the Hack!
Your SFNV Team

SFNV Wolfpack @ Hack Summit
2023-05-11 09:00 - 10:00 | Beaulieu Congress Center, Halle 36, Lausanne, Lausanne, 1004, Switzerland
Dear SFNV Valley Partners,
Are you going to the Hack Summit? If yes then join us for a “Wolfpack” power hour at Hack Summit. Meeting point is at the Hack Village, SFNV Booth F. SFNV partners asked to use the opportunity to meet as a group at events like these so that we can walk together as a pack, fast track impactful connections, align with who is on ground, exchange and visit exhibitors as a group. The aim is to maximise our time together and our respective missions during this hour.
Bring your SFNV “Wolfpack” energy & see you soon for a walk in the Valley at Hack Summit.
All SFNV Valley partners are welcome! Let us know if you will be coming and would like to join in.
Thank you,
Your SFNV Team

Meet the Valley
2023-05-23 08:30 - 09:30 | Online event
“Meet The Valley” is a bimonthly virtual meet-up for anyone interested to find out more about Swiss Food & Nutrition Valley and the Swiss food ecosystem. You will get the chance to meet the SFNV team, tell us about your projects and ask us … anything! We recommend you choose to attend once at a time that fits your schedule and drop in by registration!
Swiss Food & Nutrition Valley is a nationwide initiative to develop, strengthen and promote food innovation in Switzerland and beyond. We address major challenges in food, agriculture, and nutrition by leveraging cutting-edge science and technology for a more sustainable future.
Why? You can get to know what the Valley does, why we exist, what we do and how we create value for our members. SFNV is all about collaboration! These sessions are also dedicated to answering YOUR questions. After a brief introduction the floor will be open to the participants for a Q&A, so come prepared!
Who? The sessions will be led by SFNV’s Managing Director – Christina Senn-Jakobsen, who is extremely passionate about food and innovation and is thrilled to meet you all.
When? “Meet the Valley” will be happening bi-monthly, so if you can’t make it in the upcoming months – simply click on the “select a date” button and find the session that fits your schedule best.
Where? Sessions will be held via Zoom and you can tune in from the device of your choice
Got more questions? Join us, meet the team behind the Valley, share ideas and discuss interesting Food Ecosystem related topics. The meet-ups are free.
We are looking forward to meeting you!
Your Swiss Food & Nutrition Valley
