Innovation Modules:
FoodTech
FoodTech
With a growing population and reduced resources, the global community has called on innovators to find food solutions to an ever-growing world population. Innovators all over the world are coming up with ways to grow these products in labs to answer the need for food security.
Famous for its cross-tech initiatives, Israeli companies are combining technologies from different disciplines such as big data, artificial intelligence, robotics, IoT, engineering and biology to create its own brand of solutions for the global community.
Israel’s food technology (FoodTech) sector includes hundreds of companies creating new technologies and products such as alternative proteins, fermentation and plant-based products, novel ingredients, packaging solutions, healthier products, and cultivated meat and meat substitutes, among others.
(Sources: Ministry of Economy and Trade, The Kitchen Hub, IVC)
Seakura Seaweed Startup
Activity description:
Learn how seaweed farming is conducted on land! The guided tour at Seakura includes presentations about Seakura’s innovation, a tour of the tanks to see how the seaweed grows, and an optional viewing and tasting of seaweed products. You will explore Seakura’s technology and gain a better understanding about the seaweed farming process from harvesting to manufacturing.
Seakura's sustainable technology enables the company to grow organic and nutritious Ulva and Gracilaria seaweeds in land-based pools. The company was founded in 2006 and is offering an innovative method for harvesting seaweed without exposure to pollutants. The seaweed is used in foods, supplements and cosmetics.
Seakura can also be found in the CleanTech innovation category.
Low
Michmoret
Fresh-Start FoodTech Incubator
Activity description:
Learn about the Israeli and Northern region food tech ecosystem at Fresh-Start FoodTech Incubator. A visit includes a presentation about the incubator's activity and unique financing structure, and an introduction to 1-2 portfolio companies in the incubator. Learn how the incubator is making an impact on the future of food, beverage, and nutrition in Israel and in the global community.
Fresh-Start FoodTech Incubator is part of the Israel Innovation Authority (IIA) incubators program, as well as the evolving Agri-FoodTech cluster in the north of Israel. Founded in 2020, it is backed by industrial players and financial partners: Tnuva, Israel's leading dairy and food company; Tempo, a leading beverage company, OurCrowd, equity crowdfunding venture capital fund, and Finistere Ventures, a specialized AgriFood tech VC fund. The incubator’s companies can be found innovating in the fields of alternative proteins, personalized nutrition, novel ingredients, advanced production process, Industry 4.0 (Big Data and AI-based solutions), smart and sustainable packaging, waste reduction, and more.
Modern Agriculture Foundation (MAF)
Activity description:
Interested in learning about who is doing what in the Israeli FoodTech ecosystem? Modern Agriculture Foundation (MAF) is dedicated to increasing the availability of animal-free products. Here, you have a chance to explore the latest FoodTech trends, visit FoodTech labs and learn from scientists and entrepreneurs about their solutions. Experiences include an opportunity to cook and taste alt-proteins, a lecture providing an overview of the latest trends in Israeli FoodTech, a cooking workshop that includes novel raw materials and a full plant-based food tech meal. You can also visit startups working in the FoodTech space for a conversation with the entrepreneurs to get a better idea about their solutions and gain better insight into their startup journey. All ingredients are kosher and gluten free, and are suitable for vegans and vegetarians.
Modern Agriculture Foundation (MAF) is a non-profit initiative working to accelerate the growth of the alternative protein ecosystem, foster high-impact innovation, spark entrepreneurship, and nurture a collaborative community in Israel and beyond. MAF increases the availability of animal-free products through identifying opportunities in the plant-based and cell-cultured products sector, launching food start-ups, and providing strategic support to start-ups and other food companies. They map the current state of the industry in Israel to spread information about companies and progress in the space, and they host events to grow and develop the industry. Additionally, they work to scale up the industry in Israel by directly manufacturing alternative protein products for various companies.
High
Rehovot / Kiryat Shmona
Viva Sarah Press: A Lecture on Current FoodTech Companies in the News
Activity description:
Viva Sarah Press offers fun and inspiring lectures so participants can learn about food tech innovations in an engaging way. Participants will gain a better understanding of how and where Israel is leading in agriculture and food technologies (with many examples) and the impact Israeli FoodTech has on the global community. No two talks are the same because every talk is updated according to what’s in the news.
Innovation in food technology changes quickly to meet climate challenges, regulatory changes, and needs created by population growth. With a finger on the pulse of the latest Israeli innovations, Viva Sarah Press presents a lecture on the latest cutting edge food technologies and solutions in the news. Viva is unaffiliated, meaning her talks do not promote one company over another but rather offer an unprejudiced look at the companies making headlines and how their solutions can and are impacting the global community. Known for her clear grasp of Israeli innovation and amazing storytelling skills, Viva puts the stories of present-day food tech into context. She presents an overview of the local tech ecosystem and the innovative culture in Israel, then focuses on the newest cutting edge food technologies. In addition to her speaking activities, Viva is a published author, a lecturer of journalism at Reichman University and a Senior Delegation Connector at the Peres Center for Peace and Innovation. Viva is a regular speaker with itrek groups.
Viva Sarah Press can also be found in the Agri - Tech, CyberTech, and Health Tech innovation categories.
High
Tel Aviv
MassChallenge Israel
Activity description:
Join MassChallenge Israel for an Accelerator experience like no other. You will gain a better understanding of what it means to be a non-equity accelerator, how startups launch, and the solutions now being designed for the agri-tech sector. The visit to MC offers several experiences. You can engage in a conversation with industry leaders from the startup, accelerator, VC, governmental and nonprofit spaces, and MassChallenge staff. Or, host a panel and spotlight a conversation between MassChallenge Israel and one or more agri-tech startup founders. Want something interactive? Take part in an interactive workshop with topics tailored to meet the needs and goals of group participants (topics can include agri-tech, food tech, and innovation trends in Israel). You can also get a glimpse of the next generation of Israeli startups and meet with early-stage founders.
Since 2016, MassChallenge Israel has been helping 40 - 50 companies accelerate each year, matching entrepreneurs with industry experts and mentors to help them develop their ideas into successful ventures. MC Israel gives visiting groups inside access to the knowledge and expertise of their team, and invites visitors to meet and learn from their growing community of startup innovators. Participating startups in the accelerator hail from around the world, though mainly Israel, and include a diverse selection of innovators seeking to make an impact (Jewish, Christian, Muslim, etc.).
MassChallenge Israel can also be found in the food tech, cleantech, health tech, and fintech innovation categories.
Medium / High
Jerusalem
OurCrowd
Activity description:
Explore OurCrowd to hear about cutting edge companies in the food tech sector. Engage in a conversation about emerging companies such as Beyond Meat, Remilk, Plantish, Tovala and Ripple, are changing what we eat and what we will eat. In-house speakers may include Jon Medved, OurCrowd founder and CEO, Alon Tal, OurCrowd Partner & SVP, Investor Relations, Josh Wolff, OurCrowd COO, Denes Ban, OurCrowd Managing Partner, and Allie Feuerstein, Director of New Business. You can also ask for a lecture by one of Our Crowd’s portfolio startups or arrange a visit to them. A panel with portfolio startups is also possible.
OurCrowd is a global venture investing in emerging companies. OurCrowd food tech invests in companies seeking to tackle the challenge of feeding the world’s fast-growing population while decarbonizing the global economy. Its portfolio also includes companies addressing new trends in culinary preferences, as well as lifestyle pressures and sustainability demands.
OurCrowd can also be found in the cybertech, health tech, and fintech innovation categories.
Medium / High
Jerusalem/ Herzliya
Discover the excitement of Israeli food culture – from Bedouin to Druze, Jewish European to Jewish North African and more – and get a better idea about the fusion of ethnicities that makes Israeli food, well, Israeli. Take a tour of the Asif premises, which includes a visit to the culinary library, an exhibition and the rooftop urban farm. You can add to the tour a standard tasting, an upgraded tasting, and even a full meal. Also available is a lecture on food innovation (food tech) which will be given by Alon Turkaspa, Ag & Food Tech Sector Lead at Start-up Nation Central. At the Asif Culinary Center, participants will see, smell, taste and learn.
Activity description:
Asif Culinary Center
Asif, a non-profit organization, is a pioneering culinary center on a mission to support the cultivation and documentation of local culinary culture by providing a home for research, dialogue, and a wide range of culinary experiences. The center focuses on food – not specifically food tech – but hosts events and speakers on the topic of food innovation.
MassChallenge Israel can also be found in the food tech, cleantech, health tech, and fintech innovation categories.
Low / Medium
Tel Aviv