Spotting the Rising Stars in food tech with Igeho Brand Director Benjamin Eulau

As a leading international trade fair for Switzerland’s hotel, catering, take-away and care industries, the Igeho offers a unique platform for exhibitors and visitors to engage in dialogue and promote innovation. 

In 2023, Igeho launched the Igeho Rising Star Award to support founders and startups in the hospitality sector. For this year’s edition of this award, food tech startups can submit their applications by January 31, 2025, to present their innovations to industry experts at the event. Swiss Food & Nutrition Valley (SFNV) is proud to support the Awards.

We spoke with Benjamin Eulau, Brand Director at Igeho, to find out more, explore why food tech is so important for the food service sector, and to discover what attendees can expect from this year’s event.

What makes the Igeho such a unique event?

The Igeho aims to create an inspiring environment that meets the needs of both exhibitors and visitors. It is important to us to provide exhibitors with the right tools and platforms to present their products and services in a way that resonates with current trends and propels the industry forward.  This shared commitment – between the team, exhibitors and experts – makes the Igeho an indispensable meeting point and a driving force for the entire industry.

What motivated you to create the Igeho Rising Star Award in 2023, and what opportunities does the Award provide for food tech startups?

As the largest hospitality industry platform in Switzerland, we feel responsible for promoting innovation, as it will have a lasting impact on the sector. We offer 15 startups a free booth at the Igeho in November 2025, where they can showcase their innovations to the food service sector, a key entry point for launching F&B products. These startups will also benefit from the Award’s media exposure. On site, five startups selected by the community will have the chance to present their services and products in the final and compete for prize money and the Award.

What can attendees expect from this year’s edition of the Igeho Rising Star Award?

This year, The Igeho Rising Star Award will focus on the topic of food tech – a sector that addresses many of the key challenges of our time while also directly impacting the hospitality industry. Food tech innovations are particularly well-suited for showcasing on a stage: the audience can see and hear about the products, smell, touch, and, most importantly, taste them.

How does the Igeho Rising Star Award contribute to Switzerland’s broader food tech ecosystem?

Food innovations have an impact not only on the food service industry but also on the general public. It would be great if we could use the Award to support startups that provide added value to the entire ecosystem. The Igeho’s strengths lie in food service and hospitality. This is why our partnership with SFNV is so important. It allows us to complement and enhance our skills and strengths in the best way possible.

The 2023 edition was a great success. Can you share more about the impact winning had on the last Award’s finalists, like EggField?

EggField Founder Silvan Leibacher was a guest on our podcast, Hosting the Hosts, where he discussed the Rising Star Award 2023 and EggField’s presence at the Igeho. He highlighted how pitching at the Rising Star Award opened many doors, allowing them to make new contacts and win notable clients.

And finally, what excites you most about the startups you anticipate seeing in this year’s competition?

This year, we’ll focus on three key criteria: innovation and use of technology; sustainability and environmental impact; and business model and scalability. Whether startups address health burdens, reduce the industry’s environmental impact, improve efficiency or tackle food waste by transforming industry by-products, we are genuinely looking forward to reviewing the applicants’ submissions. Personally, taste is what matters most to me. I’m excited to see which sustainable alternatives and new innovations we’ll have the chance to try out.

Apply to the Igeho Rising Star Award 2025

The Igeho Rising Star Award 2025 is now open for applications, inviting FoodTech startups to showcase their innovations on Switzerland’s largest hospitality platform. Applications are free and close on January 31, 2025. Don’t miss the chance to follow in EggField’s footsteps and take your startup to the next level.

Click here to apply and learn more.

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