On February 15th 2022 we officially revealed the full-ranked list of this year’s FoodTech 500 in our Barcelona’s FoodTech Innovation Hub – read the full recap of the event below

Check out the pictures of the event here. Feel free to use them and tag us 

The 2021 FoodTech 500

When we first set out to create the FoodTech 500, we wanted to develop a definitive list of the top 500 companies shaping the future of food. Thanks to an overwhelming amount of support, the FoodTech 500 was born with its first edition in 2019. Showcasing innovations from AgriFoodTech companies across the globe, the past editions set the bar incredibly high for this year’s list. 

However, the 2021 FoodTech 500 has gone above and beyond what we had anticipated. With 2052 applicants from over 85 countries, this year has revealed the incredible diversity of those tackling the food crisis. It is our ambition that the FoodTech 500 remains the Fortune 500 of AgriFoodTech, the list of top innovators and disruptors in the industry and also the go-to leaders of this emergent and ever-evolving sector. 

Want access to the full list?

Download ‘The Official 2021 FoodTech 500’, to see the full list, learn more about the FoodTech 500 methodology and get to know this year’s FoodTech heroes via exclusive interviews with the founders of some of the top-ranked companies:

The official unveiling event at Barcelona’s first FoodTech Innovation Hub

On February 15th, 2022, we held the official unveiling event of the 2021 FoodTech500 list, at our FoodTech Innovation Hub, hosting some of founders from the top-ranked companies in Spain. The speakers joined us to share their journey so far, their visions and objectives for the future as well as their insight  the AgriFoodTech landscape.

If you missed the event, you can watch it on our Youtube Channel

The event was opened by Alessio D’Antino, founder & CEO at Forward Fooding, who introduced the FoodTech 500 & unveiled the official ranking of the 2021 edition.  

Alongside showcasing the 2021’s definitive list of the most inspirational businesses in the world of AgriFoodTech, we deep-dived into the amazing entrepreneurial talent behind the Spanish FoodTech ecosystem. Also, we got the chance to introduce some of the top Spanish companies in the ranking through the interventions of their very own founders.

 

The Spanish Ecosystem of the 2021 FoodTech 500

The startups and scaleups of this year’s Spanish ecosystem of the FoodTech 500 are highly promising and influential companies working across the Agtech, Surplus & Waste Management, Next-Gen Food & Drinks and Food Delivery sectors. This map helps you have a better view of what is going on in the Spanish market at the moment.

Scroll below to find the speakers of the amazing evening: great entrepreneurs whose excitement to be part of food system change was highly contagious!

 

The Speakers 

Marc Coloma, CEO, Co-founder and food activist at Heura (#11 of the 2021 FoodTech 500)

Born in Barcelona in 1991, Marc has been involved in social activism since he was just 16 years old. In 2015 he decided to take part in an entrepreneurship program to create solutions to the problems in the current food system. His aim was, and still is, to bring attractive solutions, and thus make livestock obsolete. In 2017, after extensive research, Heura was created and launched into the Spanish market, as the second generation of plant-based meat, proudly born in the Mediterranean. A year later, Marc was awarded the CVC Young Innovator Award and in 2019 he was recognized by Forbes as one of the ‘100 most creative people in business. In 2020 Marc was recognized as the best entrepreneur of the year by the magazine Emprendedores and AIJEC. Just this year, Marc and his Heura co-founder were on the “100 other fortunes” of Forbes for their positive impact on the world.

Check out Heura’s video here.

Alexandre Campos, Business Development Manager at Novameat (#69 of the 2021 FoodTech 500)

Alexandre has an extensive business background. Having started as a professional in Asset Management. He then switched his career path to management consulting where he worked for the past 8 years, most recently leading projects for large clients in strategy, finance and management-related topics. After graduating from his MBA at IESE Business School in Barcelona, he joined Novameat as Business Development Manager.

Alexandre is really into health, nutrition and sports, passions that led him to Novameat and that drive him every day: to make the difference by helping bring to market products that are not only sustainable but also healthy, nutritious and taste good!

 

Lynette Kucsma, Co-founder & CMO at Natural Machines (#168 of the 2021 FoodTech 500)

Lynette Kucsma is Co-Founder & CMO at Natural Machines. Lynette has been in the technology field for a large part of her professional career. Prior to Natural Machines, she was a Senior Marketing/PR Manager for Microsoft. Lynette became aware of the 3D printing concept a few years ago, and then last year she was introduced to and joined Natural Machines – however, only after questioning their original use of 3D food printing and swinging in and around so it actually benefits people from a health perspective. She’s passionate about healthy eating, technology and marketing. Weave that together with her tech and marketing background and it all comes together in her work at Natural Machines.

 

Benoit Vandevivere, Co-founder & CEO at Consentio (#186 of the 2021 FoodTech 500)

Between 2013 and 2015, he was Vice-Chair of Standards and Regulation in the European Crowdfunding Network, the biggest European network of Crowdfunding platforms. He was also Co-Founder of AAA Group, a firm of ‘hard assets’ life cycle management specialized in the Circular Economy ecosystem. He works as a regular advisor in alternative finances and entrepreneurship for different governments and organizations such as the European Union, NYSE-Euronext, Austrian Chamber of Commerce, main European banks (Deutsche Bank, La Caixa, European Banking Federation, Spanish Banking Association) as well as French, American and Asian Ministries of Commerce. He holds a Computer Science degree and several Post-graduate degrees from the Paris-Dauphine University, Aix-En-Provence University, and Harvard University. He also holds a Law and a Business Administration degree.

 

Meritxell Ventura, Founder at Noweat (#202 of the 2021 FoodTech 500)

Meritxell holds a degree in Business Management and Administration from ESADE. She is an entrepreneur by nature with several projects in the market. In her words, what defines her are several successes and some failures. She has dedicated her entire professional career to gastronomy, a sector that she is very passionate about. She spends her life between kitchens, trends and technology and is passionate about imagining new business models where technology is an added value to cuisine. Her motto is Food+Tech+Passion.

We can’t thank enough our FoodTech community

At Forward Fooding, we are incredibly proud to have hosted these incredible speakers at our  FoodTech Innovation Hub in Barcelona. 

A huge thanks to all our speakers for taking the time to share their insights and inspire other entrepreneurs. Also, a special thank you goes to all the participants who joined us to celebrate this amazing pack of entrepreneurs who every day work hard to create a better food system!

If you’ve missed this event, fear not, you can watch the full session here

Also, in case you want to know more about the Spanish FoodTech Ecosystem, check out here our Spanish Report and Ecosystem map.

Congratulations to all FoodTech 500 heroes

We want to thank all the innovators, inventors, founders and all the people that are working hard to tackle the current food crisis and the challenges of the modern world head-on. While sitting at the intersection of food, technology and sustainability, these entrepreneurs are powered by focusing their attention and efforts on a better future. All of the companies that have made it as 2021 FoodTech 500 finalists are, in our opinion, entrepreneurial success stories worth keeping an eye on. That is why we have made it our mission to share them with you.

Forward Fooding is the world’s first collaborative platform for FoodTech Data Intelligence and Corporate Startup Collaboration.