Applications will reopen in September 2025. 

Any questions? switzerland@masschallenge.org

ABOUT THE CHALLENGE

THE STARTUPS WE'RE LOOKING FOR

Our partners: Bühler Group, Givaudan, Omya, Südzucker, dsm-firmenich, Louis Dreyfus Company, and SIG are looking for startups or scaleups, with proven solutions or technologies in the areas of:

• Sustainable Food & Feed Solutions
  • Disruptive proteins/ fats/ Ingredients;
  • Human health & nutrition;
  • Animal feed and pet health & nutrition;
  • Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG).
    
• AgTech
  • Regenerative agriculture;
  • Precision farming.
• Sustainable Supply Chain & Manufacturing 
  • Supply Chain optimization;
  • Decarbonisation of Manufacturing;
  • Circular economy;
  • Traceability/ food safety/ preservation technologies.
• Sustainable Packaging & Materials 
  
  • Bio-based Chemicals;
  • New materials and molecules;
  • Sustainable Materials.
• Side-streams valorization
  • Side-streams: wheat, soy, corn, potato, etc. For a detailed list of areas please see application form. 
  • Upcycled to the ag-tech & food industry, packaging, construction, personal care, and perfumery.

BENEFITS FOR THE SELECTED STARTUPS

Startups and Corporate Partners engage together to drive change toward a sustainable world and lead global impact. This Challenge allows them to work together, create a joint pitch, and scale up innovative solutions, faster than they could alone.

All startups participating in the Challenge will get:

1. A direct pathway to multi-national corporations:If shortlisted by our partners, MassChallenge will introduce you to representatives of the partners, including senior R&D, open innovation managers, sustainability executives, and business unit heads. You will talk to the right stakeholders in these organizations, you will have their full attention from the start, and will explore ways to collaborate with them.
2. The ability to scale your technology with them: After the initial meeting we foresee a detailed sharing of information, most likely covered by a Non-Disclosure Agreement, and then the creation of a joint pilot to evaluate the scaling potential of the product. Startups could then become suppliers to the corporation, partners in some form of venture, or receive investment. Every step is totally at the corporation and startup's discretion, and there is no obligation to proceed unless the startup and corporation wish.
3. Publicity and more connections: each corporate partner will invite one of the startups that they shortlisted to our flagship event, the MassChallenge Sustainable Food Solutions Challenge Day, in May 2025. There, the startup combined with their corporate partner will present their joint solution on how to feed the planet sustainably to all of our corporate partners, resulting in more connections and the potential to work with other corporates. This event will be subject to press releases from MassChallenge and some of our corporate partners, providing visibility to the startups. Selected startups will receive 1,000CHF to contribute towards travel to the event.

ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA

We are looking for startups and scaleups that:

1. Have a product or idea at the prototype stage or with a working proof of concept backed by data (ie Technical Readiness Level 5, where the technology has been validated in a relevant environment).
   
   
2. Are a strategic fit with our partners. In the application form, startups can note which specific partner(s) are a strategic fit for their solution.  When discussing with a partner what’s important is an openness to collaborate and scale your idea.
   
   
3. Are from seed to series C+. What’s important is that your product is at least at the prototype stage or with a working proof of concept backed by data. You may already have some sales & traction. This enables us to validate that there is a need for your product and that you’re ready to work with our corporate partners. The next step is to work with the corporate partner to scale your technology.
   
   
4. Have Impactful, Viable, and Scalable ideas:
   • Impactful: to massively benefit society by extracting value whilst reducing the CO2 footprint and emissions of the entire food value chain;
   • Viable: be able to demonstrate traction amongst consumers; manufacturers, and their supply base (including farmers);
   • Scalable: be able to scale at the agricultural, manufacture, distribution, or disposal stage of food production.
     
     
5. Are from any geography. However, note that our partner corporations are headquartered in Europe, so physical collaboration would be mostly in Europe. Startups should ensure they are able to travel to Europe for discussions. The selection process will be carried out online.

HOW THE CHALLENGE WORKS

• Relevant applicants will be presented to partner corporations;
• Selected startups will be invited to meet with R&D, open innovation, sustainability executives, and business unit heads for further discussion and to evaluate the potential for collaboration;
• We expect that this will result in proof of concepts, partnerships, and investments for several of the startups;
• In addition to the above, each partner will select one start-up to pitch their joint collaboration idea at the MassChallenge Sustainable Food Solutions Challenge Day in May 2025 where all of our corporate partners will attend. This will be a physical event in Switzerland;
• It is anticipated that partners and startups will then work together to scale the startups' ideas through the partners’ businesses.

MASSCHALLENGE SUCCESS STORIES

NoPalm and Bühler The partnership between NoPalm Ingredients and Bühler is a testament to the power of collaboration and innovation to drive positive change.

Floré and dsm-firmenich Floré by Sun Genomics, accelerated their collaboration process with dsm-firmenich following the Sustainable Food Solutions Challenge.

INNOVATION BLOG

MassChallenge Startups Leading the Way in Tackling Climate Change

As climate change and sustainability top the world’s concerns, more and more startups are addressing them directly with innovative solutions. Many MassChallenge Switzerland alumni, for instance, are making a significant impact in their fields, demonstrating how targeted support and mentorship can help early-stage ventures succeed. 👇

The future of animal feed: Improving animal health while driving sustainability and mitigating climate change

Animal feed, responsible for 50-80% of environmental emissions in farmed seafood, meat, milk, and eggs, is undergoing a deep transformation. Dive into the article, by clicking the picture below, to explore how innovation is reshaping the future of food sustainability. 👇

SUSTAINABLE FOOD LECTURE

Can Alternative Proteins Save the World?

Alternative proteins and FoodTech have an impact role on sustainability and our society. This conversation on alternative proteins will provide insights into one of the most prolific sectors in FoodTech.

Watch the lecture here

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