On April 9th-11th 2024, we were delighted to once again support our friends at Sweden FoodTech to bring to life another edition of the Big Meet Summit, which got even bigger this year, for the first time in partnership with Food Service Fair GastroNord. The Big Meet has been a prominent gathering for over seven years. It brings together the Nordics FoodTech Ecosystem and a vibrant mix of influential AgriFoodTech entrepreneurs, investors, but also scientists, artists, and chefs from around the world, to discuss the future of food.

 

 

Kick-Off Side Event: Mingle & Matchmaking & FoodTech 500 Unveiling

We teamed up with Sweden FoodTech to host an engaging ‘Mingle & Matchmaking’ event at the inaugural evening of the Big Meet x Gastronord. It was an excellent way to conclude the first day and set the tone for the event’s energy and excitement by offering a vibrant glimpse into the dynamic Nordic FoodTech ecosystem.

During the mingling session, we took that opportunity to unveil the list of the top Nordic companies that have achieved a place of honour in the 2023 FoodTech 500 ranking via a Q&A session between Sweden FoodTech Co-Founder Johan Jorgensen & Forward Fooding’s Max Leveau.

Max was on stage during Day 2 to deep dive further into the state of the Global AgriFoodTech sector and shared key insights on the Nordics AgriFoodTech ecosystem, which is particularly resilient in light of the current investment crisis the sector is going through, as shown by CAGR investment numbers and the growing weight of the Nordics when it comes to attracting investments:

 

The ‘FoodTech 500 Lab’ at this year’s Big Meet 

Following the success of last year’s Big Meet where we built a ‘FoodTech 500 Lab’ area featuring 10 finalist companies from the 2022 edition, this year we did it again with a more focused approach, by selecting mostly companies working in the alternative ingredients space, and whose products are relevant for the Food Service sector and the Gastronord fair.

Among other companies that exhibited in this year’s Big Meet, this year’s FoodTech 500 Lab featured 7 FoodTech 500 alumni companies:

• Rebread is an impact-driven startup on a mission to solve the bread waste problem by providing the food industry with a solution to upcycle excess bread into value-added food and beverage products.
• Poseidona is developing protein ingredients from algal waste and invasive biomass.
• Arbiom is delivering high-quality, sustainable protein ingredients by tapping into nature-based solutions.
• SuperGround is upcycling fish and poultry by-products into tasty human food.
• Alberts has developed a vending robot that produces healthy personalized blends (soups, smoothies & shakes) on the spot, 24/7, and with zero waste.
• Agrain is upcycling spent grains and producing ingredients for the food industry
• Tebrito upscales the production of insects to transform organic residuals for the plant, animal, and human nutrition segments.

Last but not least, Mario Ubiali, CEO & Founder of 2023 FoodTech 500 company Thimus was also on stage to present their mindblowing technology allowing us to measure our cognitive and emotional reactions to food. Thimus was recently in the spotlight by being featured in the ‘You Are What You Eat’ Netflix documentary.

 

The ‘Test Kitchen’: A Fusion of Culinary Expertise and FoodTech Innovations

The key highlight of the Big Meet is, without a doubt, its ‘Test Kitchen’ where talented chefs from around the globe skillfully craft extraordinary dishes using innovative products from the participating FoodTech companies.

The most intriguing aspect of the Test Kitchen Lab was the interactions between the world of food producers and the culinary masters. The chefs were presented with novel and cutting-edge food products, challenging their creativity and culinary skills. This fusion of the two worlds served as a powerful demonstration that the future of food can be not only environmentally sustainable but also a delightful gastronomic experience.

 

The Big Meet X Gastronord Conference: three days packed with industry insight, key learnings, and food(tech) tastings

The event takes a uniquely immersive approach to showcase the latest AgriFoodTech trends & technologies: an exhibition of cutting-edge companies’ products and technologies, a bustling kitchen laboratory where talented chefs transform these products into delightful dishes. On top of this, the conference features an engaging stage hosting a range of captivating talks, pitches, and more from various key players in the Nordic AgriFoodTech ecosystem and beyond, making this event a remarkable platform where entrepreneurs, investors, corporates, and thought leaders converge to discuss and explore the future of our Food System. 

 

Collaborate to elevate!

Once again, the partnership with Sweden FoodTech has proven that collaboration is key to achieving remarkable outcomes. 

Thank you to the Sweden FoodTech team for choosing us as a strategic partner to bring more international AgriFoodTech entrepreneurs to the Nordics and for creating such an impactful event for the Nordic ecosystem.

 

Want to learn more about the FoodTech 500 and participate in the FoodTech 500 Lab?

Apply to be featured in the next edition of the FoodTech 500 HERE 

 

To learn more visit: forwardfooding.com/foodTech500 and don’t forget to download the 2023 White Paper here.

 

Forward Fooding is the world’s first collaborative platform for the Food & Beverage industry fostering innovation via FoodTech Data Intelligence and Corporate Startup Collaboration.

Photo credit: Cathy Xiao Chen