Project news Food Pioneers Accelerator is live
Monday, Nov. 4, the kick-off of Food Pioneers Accelerator took place at Bodec at the Food Tech Brainport in Helmond. Making the food chain more sustainable by supporting food innovations in the scale-up phase is a hot-topic. The more than 50 visitors immediately sought each other out upon entering to get acquainted and during the presentations came up with very concrete questions about the opportunities offered by Food Pioneers Accelerator. We look back on a very successful event.
Marjan Welvaarts of lead partner BOM opened the afternoon by presenting the project:
"Research has shown that it is sometimes difficult for entrepreneurs to move beyond the lab and pilot phase to technical scale-up. With this project, we are boosting the development of innovative food solutions. Making the food chain more sustainable can be achieved by using different ingredients, dealing differently with energy or using residual streams as raw materials and we are open to your innovative ideas for sustainability."
Marieke Sopers of Flanders' FOOD took the floor with an explanation of the process:
"Food Pioneers Accelerator can subsidize up to 50% of up to €250K making a good match a win-win situation for both the startup and the manufacturing partner. The condition is that it is a cross-border cooperation so that the cooperation also contributes to the development of the border region as a food hub."
Next came the guest speakers:
- Host Frank de Boeff of Bodec; a flexible scale-up partner with extensive experience in setting up and crystallizing first volume productions.
- Thomas van der Kamp of LIVEKINDLY Collective; they offer a very wide-ranging menu of meat substitutes.
- Frank Nouwens of BeefyGreen closed the presentations with their success story:
"I advise everyone to take advantage of available support, big or small. For us, a similar project has made a big difference."
After the presentations, it was time for personal introductions and networking. Accompanied by the project partners, the visitors interacted in alternating small groups. The vast majority of the group also gratefully took the opportunity to visit a Bodec production hall. At the end there was the opportunity to continue networking while enjoying a drink and delicious snacks.
About the project
Food Pioneers Accelerator enhances and accelerates scale-up opportunities for companies developing innovative food solutions.
We do this by finding a demo or production partner across the border for SMEs in the Southern Netherlands and SMEs in Flanders with a technical scaling-up issue. Then they can get to work together.
During the implementation we offer guidance and subsidies to find a faster way to the market. In this way, we make our food chain more efficient, sustainable and healthy and strengthen the competitive position of the border region.
www.interregvlaned.eu/food-pioneers-accelerator
