Amsterdam/Netherlands, August 2022: The 2022 Fi Global Startup Innovation Challenge is now open for applications. These awards give innovative young companies the opportunity to present their groundbreaking concepts, products and ideas to a broad industry audience, including venture capitalists. 

From its inception in 2016, the Startup Innovation Challenge has been a platform for introducing startups and young entrepreneurs to major companies, investors and a global audience to showcase their exciting ingredients and concepts. 

Startups that have been active for no more than five years can submit entries online for one or more of the following categories, all of which reflect current major industry trends:  

• Most Innovative Food & Beverage Ingredient  
• Most Innovative Plant-Based or Alternative Ingredient  
• Most Innovative Processing Technology  
• Most Innovative Service, Technology or Digital Solution Supporting F&B 

Innovation is key in the food & beverage industry, as providing a growing global population with nutritious, tasty and sustainable food and drink is of inestimable importance. Many cutting-edge ideas for healthier, great-tasting and eco-friendly food production come from startups, but they often do not have the funds or network to bring their ideas to market or scale up. 

The awards give finalists and winners much-needed exposure: At Fi Europe 2022 in Paris, they gain access to the Startup Lounge, where they can meet with industry stakeholders and present their solutions on-stage at the Innovation Hub. 

The startup pitches and the award ceremony will also be streamed to a wider global audience through the Fi Europe online platform. 

Winners can choose an exhibition stand at next year’s Fi Europe, a comprehensive online marketing package or an individual mentoring programme that could include coaching, pilot work or access to corporate collaborations and accelerator programmes. 

“It is extremely important to nurture innovative young companies at a very early stage,” says Albrecht Wolfmeyer, jury member and head of ProVeg International Incubator. “The Startup Innovation Challenge is an invaluable opportunity for young entrepreneurs to validate their businesses and extend their networks.”

The prizes we offer are far more than just feedback and recognition: They provide crucial business support, including invaluable specialist mentoring.” 2 Many alumni emphasise the value of winning an award: “It helped us in so many ways,” says Chromologics CEO and Co-Founder Gerit Tolborg, 2017 award winner. 

“It gave us a lot of exposure and industry connections, the confidence to pursue our goal because it validated our innovation, and also helped us to raise additional nondilutive funding.” Entries close on 30 September 2022. The awards ceremony will take place on-site at Fi Europe, which will run from 6 – 8 December at the new location of Porte de Versailles in Paris, and online from 28 November – 8 December 2022. Read more about the Fi Global Startup Innovation Challenge: https://bit.ly/3pw4ikO