AgTech Garage opens registrations for its 1st FoodTechs Innovation Circuit

Committed to the vision of orchestrating the Ag&FoodTech innovation ecosystem, AgTech Garage — the largest agribusiness innovation hub in Latin America — opens registrations for its 1st FoodTechs Innovation Circuit. The initiative is carried out alongside five hub partners: Bunge, ICL, Nitro, PwC and Ultragaz, who seek innovative solutions in six verticals. They are: packaging; food safety; combating food waste; retail and food marketplace; production linked to sustainability and food of the future. Startups interested in participating in the innovation circuit have from May 31st to July 1st to register through the AgTech Garage website.

“The AgTech Garage is constantly growing, it already has more than 80 partners, and has brought companies from the entire food production chain to the community, from the field to the consumer’s table”, says José Tomé, CEO of the hub. The movement follows the need to expand food production in a sustainable way, in order to meet the demand of a population of 10 billion inhabitants by 2050. “The food sector is extremely relevant for us, as a reference thematic hub in the global agribusiness. And, through this call, we hope to attract frontier solutions to serve our partners and expand the AgTech Garage startup community, which already integrates more than a thousand ag & foodtechs,” he says.

The partners of the 1st FoodTechs Innovation Circuit

Circuit partners, the companies Bunge, ICL, Nitro, PwC and Ultragaz reaffirm their commitment to the agribusiness chain from end to end, understanding the relevance of their actions to generate the best experiences from the field until after the consumer's table. During the FoodTechs Innovation circuit, company executives participate in the startups' evaluation committee in pitch day sessions; They can interact with foodtechs through mentoring and propose doing business, from contracting solutions to co-development with startups. The partner companies also finance the entry of a group of foodtechs into the AgTech Garage Membership startup network, which has exclusive value generation and access to the hub's deliveries.

In the case of ICL, Alfredo Walter, RD&I Manager for Latin America, highlights that the company is strategically connected to all topics on the circuit. “In 2022, inclusive, we declare our absolute commitment to creating responsible solutions to humanity’s sustainability challenges in the global markets for food, agriculture and industrial products,” says Walter. A global leader in special minerals, ICL has a food additive development arm, ICL Food Specialties, a supplier of ingredients that provide texture and stability to different foods and beverages and also have functional characteristics.

At Nitro, Fernando Ferreira, R&D Manager for Chemical Specialties and Innovation Management, sees a series of synergies with the circuit. “We operate in two stages of the food chain: before the gate, with products for plant, animal and biodefensive nutrition, and providing inputs for food packaging. We are excited about the Agtech Garage FoodTech Innovation Circuit, which will allow us to get in touch with different foodtechs and accelerate new technologies and business models”, says Ferreira. The priority is sustainable packaging solutions, circular economy and new packaging technologies. “In addition, themes such as sustainable production and digitalization of the food chain can bring ESG and digital transformation solutions adaptable to our needs”, he adds.

Maurício Moraes, partner and Agribusiness Leader at PwC Brazil, expects interesting businesses to emerge in the “future of food” vertical, something that draws attention both due to the need for more sustainable production and consumer demands. “The themes are diverse and all have their relevance, from production linked to sustainability, through processing, marketplace and the future of food”, he adds. For PwC, as a consulting and auditing firm, the opportunity to participate in the circuit is strategic and aligned with its purpose of building trust in society and solving important problems. “Our team of solvers comes together to help solve challenges and generate sustainable results,” says Moraes. “Changes in consumer habits affect traditional operating and commercialization models with great opportunities in the market, and we are ready to support customers on all fronts.”

Present in more than 11 million Brazilian homes and around 58 thousand corporate businesses, Ultragaz wants to connect with foodtechs with objectives and ideas that can generate a difference in the development of sustainable businesses for its customers, especially foodservice, based on themes of retail and food marketplace. The foodservice area is one of the company's main segments, serving restaurants, bars, steakhouses, pizzerias, industrial kitchens, fast-food chains, among others. “The company's strategy is to develop solutions that meet the needs and demands of each of these foodservice segments, always based on safety, innovation, technology and sustainability”, highlights Ana Eliza Vairo, Solutions Development Manager from Ultragaz.

Below, check out in detail the themes of the 1st FoodTechs Innovation Circuit promoted by AgTech Garage:

Packaging

- packaging materials;
- intelligent packaging;
- sustainable packaging;
- new alternative packaging recycling methods.

Food Safety

- increase in shelf-life (useful life of the product);
- traceability;
- new temperature control technologies;
- pathogen detection technologies;
- technologies that guarantee safe food handling.

food waste

- technologies to reduce food waste;
- technologies in food waste management and food waste;
- new technologies that help reduce food waste during harvest and post-harvest, in the manufacturing process and in dining establishments.

Retail and Food Marketplace

- technologies in digital processes in the Food sector;
- technologies for customer experience;
- technologies for delivery logistics;
- restaurant and food establishment management technologies.

Production linked to sustainability

- technologies that allow “upcycling” (reusing objects);

- carbon reduction in industry;

- technologies that enable cleaner and more sustainable processes;

- technologies for “clean label” food production;

-> Foods of the future:

- new ingredient technologies for food and beverages;

- alternative protein production.