European Powerhouses in the 2024 FoodTech 500 Rankings
European startups continue to dominate the global AgriFoodTech landscape, representing a significant portion of the total finalists in Forward Fooding’s 2024 FoodTech 500 rankings. This article explores the thriving European AgriFoodTech ecosystem, highlighting key trends, funding developments, and the impressive companies that have earned their place on this prestigious list.
The FoodTech 500: A Global Benchmark
Now in its sixth edition, the FoodTech 500 has established itself as the definitive list of the world’s most groundbreaking AgriFoodTech startups and scaleups. The 2024 edition saw 1,420 applications from 80+ countries. Among the finalists, 252 companies from Europe made this year’s list, accounting for 50.4% of the total.
European AgriFoodTech in Numbers
According to the FoodTech Data Navigator, Europe recorded a total of €5.3B in investments in 2024, representing a -14.5% change from 2023’s € 6.2 B. While it is crucial to acknowledge the difficult investment climate that has impacted the global AgriFoodTech industry, Europe has shown to be ‘slightly’ more resilient. European investment fell 62% from 2021 to 2024, while the global Ecosystem saw a steeper decline of 73%. Europe’s share of global AgriFoodTech funding has also grown from 22% in 2021 to 32% in 2024.
Leading European AgriFoodTech Hubs
When examining the funding landscape of European AgriFoodTech in 2024, several countries stand out for their exceptional ability to attract investment capital. The following table highlights the five European nations that have secured the most substantial funding, demonstrating their magnetic appeal to investors eager to back the future of food and agriculture.
Government Support and Policy Initiatives
Europe has continued to nurture its AgriFoodTech ecosystem through various government initiatives recently, and just to name a few examples:
- The European Investment Bank granted Lantmännen €50M to build a pea protein isolate factory in Sweden.
- Meanwhile, a new report found that the UK government has invested £75M in developing sustainable new foods since 2021.
- The UK’s Food Standards Agency also established a regulatory sandbox to speed up the approval process for cultivated meat.
- The Netherlands invested €25M in two open-access facilities to scale up planet-friendly food production using cellular agriculture.
- The European Food Safety Authority updated its guidance documents for novel food applications, closing some critical grey areas in the previous edition.
- The UK’s Department of Science, Innovation and Technology invested £1.4M in a cutting-edge innovation hub, which will empower the Food Standards Agency to expand its expertise in groundbreaking food technologies, including precision fermentation.
These examples of policy measures create an enabling environment for AgriFoodTech startups to innovate and scale.
Meet the European FoodTech 500 Finalists
The following European companies have earned their place in the 2024 FoodTech 500 rankings, demonstrating exceptional innovation, growth, and impact in the AgriFoodTech space:
United Kingdom (32 companies)
Winnow (#8 in the 2024 FoodTech 500) | Food Waste Tech & Food sharing platforms | Develops AI tools to help chefs run more profitable, sustainable kitchens by cutting food waste in half.
THIS (#14 in the 2024 FoodTech 500) | Plant-based | Makes ridiculously delicious and nutritious plant-based food with a vision for a world where animals aren’t food and the environment is protected.
Vertical Future (#33 in the 2024 FoodTech 500) | Vertical & Indoor farming | Develops, manufactures, fabricates, and deploys end-to-end autonomous vertical farming systems, supported by almost a decade of plant science, operations, and research and development.
AGRIVI (#78 in the 2024 FoodTech 500) | Farm management & Precision farming | Supports the entire agrifood value chain to change the way food is produced by providing powerful digital agriculture solutions.
Olio (#86 in the 2024 FoodTech 500) | Food Waste Tech & Food sharing platforms | Operates the world’s largest food-sharing app, enabling individuals and businesses to easily redistribute surplus food with their local communities – delivering financial, social, and environmental benefits.
BX Technologies (#102 in the 2024 FoodTech 500) | Ag marketplace | Enables farmers to communicate, improve and monetise their environmentals through carbon credits.
JULIENNE BRUNO (#110 in the 2024 FoodTech 500) | Plant-based | Creates award-winning naturally plant-based, dairy-free products with a focus on taste, quality and innovation.
Better Nature (#64 in the 2024 FoodTech 500) | Plant-based | Develops and sells tempeh-based food products.
CCm Technologies (#119 in the 2024 FoodTech 500) | Ag Biotech | Manufactures ultra-low Carbon fertilisers using CO2 and other waste-streams to decarbonise agriculture and reduce Scope 3 Carbon emissions for the food industry.
Mimica (#182 in the 2024 FoodTech 500) | Food safety & Quality | Sells labels and other packing that indicates true food shelf life to help producers print longer expiry dates and reduce food waste in store and in the home.
Brite (#187 in the 2024 FoodTech 500) | Functional foods & drinks | Produces natural mental performance drinks.
Authenticate (#189 in the 2024 FoodTech 500) | Supply chain monitoring & traceability | Provides scalable software solutions, making supply chain transparency a reality for food businesses around the world.
Multus (#196 in the 2024 FoodTech 500) | Cellular agriculture | Optimizes feedstock formulations for biomanufacturing that perform better and cost less.
Clean Food Group (#173 in the 2024 FoodTech 500) | Biotech/Synthetisation | Delivers sustainable oils and fats solutions to food and cosmetics manufacturers, with the mission to deliver scalable, healthier, competitively priced ingredients that have a positive impact on the economic, environmental, and social health of the planet.
Hoxton Farms (#179 in the 2024 FoodTech 500) | Cellular agriculture | Grows real animal fat – without the animals – to make meat alternatives that look, cook and taste like the real thing.
Gardin (#267 in the 2024 FoodTech 500) | Farm management & Precision farming | Provides phenotyping solutions that allow growers and breeders in controlled environment agriculture to increase crop yield, reduce resource usage, decrease crop variation and improve forecasting.
Collectiv Food (#271 in the 2024 FoodTech 500) | B2B marketplaces | Helps professional kitchens simplify operations, cut CO2 emissions and reduce food waste as a next-generation food and drinks supplier.
Adamo Foods (#282 in the 2024 FoodTech 500) | Protein fermentation | Develops innovative alternatives to meat whole-cuts using fungal fermentation.
BNS (#284 in the 2024 FoodTech 500) | Food safety & Quality | Transforms organic waste into inputs for the preservation of fresh fruit.
Sustainable Planet (#351 in the 2024 FoodTech 500) | Plant-based | Revolutionizes protein production by cultivating high-protein water lentils on non-arable land.
AgrigateOne (#353 in the 2024 FoodTech 500) | Supply chain monitoring & traceability | Provides a platform for maximising returns, collaborating and streamlining supply chain workflows to gain a sustainable edge through unmatched aggregated data and transparency.
Fermtech (#356 in the 2024 FoodTech 500) | Plant-based | Produces delicious, nutritious, zero carbon protein with a unique fermentation system that uses food industry side streams.
Ivy Farm Technologies (#206 in the 2024 FoodTech 500) | Cellular agriculture | Uses novel technology created at the University of Oxford to grow real meat free from antibiotics.
MicroLub (#211 in the 2024 FoodTech 500) | Biotech/Synthetisation | Improves human and planetary health by developing ingredients technologies which replace fat and oil with water, using advanced protein science.
Extracellular (#212 in the 2024 FoodTech 500) | Biotech/Synthetisation | Operates as a contract research and manufacturing organisation for the non-health biotech sector.
Fotenix (#213 in the 2024 FoodTech 500) | Farm management & Precision farming | Functions as the Fitbit of Farming.
OSY Group (#375 in the 2024 FoodTech 500) | Food safety & Quality | Reduces food waste through the extension of food shelf-life via the application of coating to packaging.
ClubZero (#376 in the 2024 FoodTech 500) | Sustainable packaging & Plastic alternatives | Provides a fully circular returnable packaging platform as a sustainable, cost-effective alternative to single use packaging.
New Wave Biotech (#227 in the 2024 FoodTech 500) | Biotech/Synthetisation | Accelerates alt proteins from lab to market with AI Bioprocess Simulation.
BlakBear (#369 in the 2024 FoodTech 500) | Food safety & Quality | Replaces use-by dates on food with an electric label that measures freshness.
FreshCheck (#371 in the 2024 FoodTech 500) | Food safety & Quality | Provides simple, accessible and affordable tools to record, report and improve hygiene.
Nukoko (#314 in the 2024 FoodTech 500) | Novel processing techniques & Equipment | Creates cocoa-free chocolate from Fava Beans.
Innovation Agritech (#299 in the 2024 FoodTech 500) | Builds aeroponic vertical farming systems that allow growers to achieve exceptional crop yields, locally and sustainably, and academics to further their research and train the next generation of agri leaders.
Download the full 2024 FoodTech 500 list here
Germany (25 companies)
Planet A Foods (#13 in the 2024 FoodTech 500) | Protein fermentation | Makes chocolate more sustainable by using proprietary technology to ferment plant-based ingredients as a replacement for cocoa.
Air up (#19 in the 2024 FoodTech 500) | Retail tech | Created the world’s first scent-based drinking system, which flavors water using only scent.
MicroHarvest (#70 in the 2024 FoodTech 500) | Protein fermentation | Developed the fastest protein production technology in the world to deliver better protein ingredients.
Project Eaden (#82 in the 2024 FoodTech 500) | Plant-based | Uses proprietary fiber technology to create hyperrealistic plant-based meats that taste and feel like real meat.
Protein Distillery (#116 in the 2024 FoodTech 500) | Upcycled ingredients, Food surplus & Waste efficiency | Upcycles fermented biomass industrial side streams to produce a multi-functional protein for alternative food applications.
Nosh.bio (#112 in the 2024 FoodTech 500) | Protein fermentation | Harnesses non-GMO fungi to create nutritionally superior, clean-label solutions with high protein and fiber through a proprietary process.
Neggst Foods (#185 in the 2024 FoodTech 500) | Plant-based | Develops the “neggst generation” of plant-based egg alternatives that can do everything eggs can do.
Hexafarms (#186 in the 2024 FoodTech 500) | Vertical & Indoor farming | Provides automated yield forecasts for growers globally powered by computer vision and AI.
Pumpkin Organics (#345 in the 2024 FoodTech 500) | Functional foods & drinks | Revolutionizes the baby food market with more veggies and less sugar to establish a foundation for lifelong healthy eating habits.
Livello (#495 in the 2024 FoodTech 500) | Catering/Office services & Vending machines | Develops smart refrigerator systems that revolutionize the autonomous management and sale of goods through IoT, sensor fusion, and machine learning.
InPlanet (#139 in the 2024 FoodTech 500) | Ag Biotech | Performs carbon removal with the natural process of Enhanced Rock Weathering, locking away CO2 for 1000+ years while remineralising degraded soils.
Bioweg (#193 in the 2024 FoodTech 500) | Sustainable packaging & Plastic alternatives | Utilizes microbial innovation and green chemistry to create sustainable, bio-based ingredients that replace petroleum-based chemicals.
Happy Ocean Foods (#289 in the 2024 FoodTech 500) | Plant-based | Develops clean-label plant-based alternatives to fish and seafood that deliver a similar taste and nutritional profile.
Spacenus (#295 in the 2024 FoodTech 500) | Farm management & Precision farming | Enables regenerative agriculture with scalable tech.
Torg (#331 in the 2024 FoodTech 500) | Ag marketplace | Connects retail & wholesale buyers with 100,000+ verified food & beverage suppliers in Europe.
E-TERRY (#418 in the 2024 FoodTech 500) | Farm robotics & Machinery | Builds multifunctional farming robots designed to advance sustainable agriculture at scale through automation and AI.
eversyn (#427 in the 2024 FoodTech 500) | Biotech/Synthetisation | Makes high-value glycans mainstream.
Global Sustainable Transformation (#154 in the 2024 FoodTech 500) | Biotech/Synthetisation | Provides its property yeast butter as a sustainable equivalent to cocoa butter.
Esencia Foods (#464 in the 2024 FoodTech 500) | Protein fermentation | Uses mycelium solid state fermentation to create 3-dimensional biomass for complex fish and meat alternatives with clean labels.
BettaF!sh (#379 in the 2024 FoodTech 500) | Plant-based | Develops scalable, sustainable food products and ingredients from European seaweed for both B2B and B2C markets.
The Raging Pig Company (#381 in the 2024 FoodTech 500) | Plant-based | Specializes in the development of authentic pork alternatives using side streams from the alt-protein industry and mycelium.
BLUU (#382 in the 2024 FoodTech 500) | Cellular agriculture | Grows real fish cells in a fermenter and produces fish fingers from them.
Computomics (#339 in the 2024 FoodTech 500) | Ag Biotech | Applies AI to bioinformatics data to enable rapid understanding of genomics and drive advanced agriculture solutions.
Circus Group (#134 in the 2024 FoodTech 500) | Commercial robotics & Hardware | Developed the world’s first commercially viable food production robot.
Greenhub Solutions (#487 in the 2024 FoodTech 500) | Vertical & Indoor farming | Transforms vertical farms into self-sustaining experts using AI and digital twin technology.
France (21 companies)
GOURMEY (#22 in the 2024 FoodTech 500) | Cellular agriculture | Operates as a frontrunner in premium cultivated meat, accelerating the world’s transition toward ethical, sustainable, and healthy meat.
Algama (#30 in the 2024 FoodTech 500) | Functional foods & drinks | Unlocks Microalgae potential to generate the Next Generation of alternative food ingredients.
Koolboks (#43 in the 2024 FoodTech 500) | Food safety & Quality | Provides affordable, off-grid solar-powered refrigeration solutions designed for African small businesses using innovative ice thermal storage and Pay-As-You-Go technology.
Connecting Food (#59 in the 2024 FoodTech 500) | Supply chain monitoring & traceability | Creates digital supply chain auditing platforms using precise data to assess and monitor product safety, quality and impact.
Arbiom (#72 in the 2024 FoodTech 500) | Protein fermentation | Produces high-quality, sustainable proteins at impressive yields through a unique fermentation method.
Les Nouveaux Affineurs (#137 in the 2024 FoodTech 500) | Plant-based | Provides technology and industrial expertise in plant-based cheese.
Nutropy (#170 in the 2024 FoodTech 500) | Protein fermentation | Produces milk ingredients, caseins and fatty acids through precision fermentation for the next generation of cheese.
Nūmi (#177 in the 2024 FoodTech 500) | Cellular agriculture | Develops breakthrough cell culture technology to produce human breast milk ex vivo for ideal infant nutrition.
The VERY Food Co (#210 in the 2024 FoodTech 500) | Plant-based | Works to decarbonize the agri-food sector by replacing milk and eggs with functional plant-based proteins.
Jow (#184 in the 2024 FoodTech 500) | Food Discovery/Recipe apps & Experiences | Creates weekly meal planning and grocery apps that recommend personalized recipes and connect with local grocery stores.
Comerso (#125 in the 2024 FoodTech 500) | Food Waste Tech & Food sharing platforms | Turns unsold products from businesses into social, environmental, and economic opportunities.
Vitirover (#300 in the 2024 FoodTech 500) | Farm robotics & Machinery | Manages vegetation in agriculture & industry with fleets of autonomous professional robots.
Tellspec (#303 in the 2024 FoodTech 500) | Food safety & Quality | Harnesses rapid sensors, mobile apps, AI models, and cloud platforms for optimal, authentic, and nutritious food.
OLALA! (#306 in the 2024 FoodTech 500) | Plant-based | Develops next-generation plant-based seafood. (Update: announced closure in March 2025)
Moderato (#450 in the 2024 FoodTech 500) | Functional foods & drinks | Produces dealcoholised wines.
Ida (#313 in the 2024 FoodTech 500) | Food Waste Tech & Food sharing platforms | Optimizes replenishment of grocers, wholesellers and distribution centers for fresh produce.
The Mediterranean Food Lab (#317 in the 2024 FoodTech 500) | Protein fermentation | Creates SHO, a range of delicious concentrated stocks made with fermented natural ingredients for chefs.
Stokelp (#329 in the 2024 FoodTech 500) | Food Waste Tech & Food sharing platforms | Provides the leading solution for responsible sourcing and anti-waste procurement of raw materials for the food industry.
Phagos (#144 in the 2024 FoodTech 500) | Animal health & Nutrition | Offers sustainable alternatives to antibiotics for animal farming.
Green Spot Technologies (#85 in the 2024 FoodTech 500) | Upcycled ingredients, Food surplus & Waste efficiency | Produces high-value ingredients for the food industry using upcycling and solid-state fermentation.
Dry4Good (#377 in the 2024 FoodTech 500) | Novel processing techniques & Equipment | Offers a new generation of ingredients that bring out the best of nature for healthy and sustainable nutrition.
Spain (16 companies)
Heura Foods (#5 in the 2024 FoodTech 500) | Plant-based | Builds a net positive food system while accelerating the protein transition with plant-based, nutritious and sustainable products.
ZoomAgri (#62 in the 2024 FoodTech 500) | Food safety & Quality | Transforms the Testing, Inspection and Certification of Agri Commodities & Food.
Consentio (#74 in the 2024 FoodTech 500) | B2B marketplaces | Digitizes, tracks, and provides visibility end-to-end to B2B commercial relationships in the Fruits and Vegetables supply chain.
Novameat (#130 in the 2024 FoodTech 500) | Plant-based | Designs, manufactures, and sells plant-based meat alternatives with patented technology.
CLCircular (#157 in the 2024 FoodTech 500) | Supply chain monitoring & traceability | Rents IoT devices to monitor cargo affordably, especially fresh food, to reduce losses and digitalize supply chains.
Ingredalia (#330 in the 2024 FoodTech 500) | Upcycled ingredients, Food surplus & Waste efficiency | Improves people’s health using circular economy and foodtech, recovering healthy upcycled ingredients from by-products.
Genbioma Aplicaciones (#334 in the 2024 FoodTech 500) | Meal replacements & Supplements | Focuses on innovation in healthcare through a new generation of Probiotics and Postbiotics for microbiome science-based products.
Nucaps (#362 in the 2024 FoodTech 500) | Biotech/Synthetisation | Produces functional ingredients through protein microencapsulated bioactives and probiotics with improved functionalities.
Innomy Biotech (#242 in the 2024 FoodTech 500) | Protein fermentation | Develops mycelium protein.
Pink Albatross (#388 in the 2024 FoodTech 500) | Plant-based | Creates clean label and sustainable ice cream that’s indistinguishable from dairy-based.
ODS Protein (#385 in the 2024 FoodTech 500) | Protein fermentation | Produces innovative, sustainable proteins through the fermentation of filamentous fungi for B2B applications.
Poseidona (#201 in the 2024 FoodTech 500) | Upcycled ingredients, Food surplus & Waste efficiency | Researches and develops algae-based protein ingredients as soy and pea substitutes for human food manufacturers.
Libre Foods (#414 in the 2024 FoodTech 500) | Protein fermentation | Sells functional, fungi-based ingredients derived from biomass fermentation.
Bread Free (#474 in the 2024 FoodTech 500) | Functional foods & drinks | Crafts the first gluten-free flour made from wheat, barley, and rye.
Groots (#214 in the 2024 FoodTech 500) | Vertical & Indoor farming | Transforms the agro industry using Vertical Farming technology.
Kibus Petcare (#219 in the 2024 FoodTech 500) | Appliances | Created the first device that cooks healthy pet food automatically.
Netherlands (14 companies)
Doktar (#46 in the 2024 FoodTech 500) | Farm management & Precision farming | Leverages advanced technology and AI to transform the agricultural value chain.
Orbisk (#132 in the 2024 FoodTech 500) | Food Waste Tech & Food sharing platforms | Offers AI computer vision-powered food waste tracking solutions to help restaurants reduce waste and increase sustainability.
NoPalm Ingredients (#133 in the 2024 FoodTech 500) | Protein fermentation | Produces sustainable, local, and circular palm oil alternatives by fermenting upcycled agri-food sidestreams.
Proeon (#138 in the 2024 FoodTech 500) | Plant-based | Creates novel plant protein ingredients with superior nutrition, sensory and functionality profiles.
Revyve (#142 in the 2024 FoodTech 500) | Protein fermentation | Transforms the food industry by harnessing yeast to create sustainable texturising ingredients that mimic eggs.
PeelPioneers (#238 in the 2024 FoodTech 500) | Upcycled ingredients, Food surplus & Waste efficiency | Upcycles orange peels into circular ingredients for the food and cosmetics industry.
CE-Line (#308 in the 2024 FoodTech 500) | Vertical & Indoor farming | Develops and produces inline, real-time and fully automated nutrient measurement sensors.
Rival Foods (#236 in the 2024 FoodTech 500) | Plant-based | Produces the next generation of plant-based meat alternatives.
Time-travelling Milkman (#237 in the 2024 FoodTech 500) | Plant-based | Provides plant creaminess that future-proofs products by making them creamier, healthier and more sustainable.
Veridi Technologies (#424 in the 2024 FoodTech 500) | Farm management & Precision farming | Measures soil biodiversity and plant diseases on an industrial scale with AI & automated microscopy.
1-2-Taste (#430 in the 2024 FoodTech 500) | B2B marketplaces | Enables food manufacturers to find, choose and order ingredients online.
Desolenator (#311 in the 2024 FoodTech 500) | Novel processing techniques & Equipment | Recovers water for irrigation, provides cooling for controlled environment agriculture, and offers custom re-mineralisation for quality produce.
The Banana Factory (#407 in the 2024 FoodTech 500) | Upcycled ingredients, Food surplus & Waste efficiency | Saves bananas from being discarded after arrival at European ports and turns them into circular raw materials for the food industry.
Bionomic (#408 in the 2024 FoodTech 500) | Ag Biotech | Develops molecular solutions for the agricultural sector.
Switzerland (11 companies)
xFarm Technologies (#21 in the 2024 FoodTech 500) | Farm management & Precision farming | Focuses on digitizing the agri-food sector with innovative tools for farmers and stakeholders.
Farmy (#56 in the 2024 FoodTech 500) | eGrocers | Operates an online market that delivers local food to homes – up to 5 days fresher than supermarkets.
Yeastup (#94 in the 2024 FoodTech 500) | Upcycled ingredients, Food surplus & Waste efficiency | Extracts high-quality proteins and fibers from Brewer’s Spent Yeast for consumer health and sustainability.
UMAMI (#99 in the 2024 FoodTech 500) | Vertical & Indoor farming | Grows premium quality food using 90% less water and space, without fertilizers or pesticides.
KITRO (#114 in the 2024 FoodTech 500) | Food Waste Tech & Food sharing platforms | Provides a fully automated food waste management solution for hospitality to optimize resource efficiency.
Authena AG (#123 in the 2024 FoodTech 500) | Supply chain monitoring & traceability | Empowers brands with real-time, unit-level traceability using advanced IoT and blockchain technology.
Agrinorm (#296 in the 2024 FoodTech 500) | Food safety & Quality | Creates innovative models for supplying fresh produce.
Planetary (#249 in the 2024 FoodTech 500) | Protein fermentation | Builds infrastructure and IP for the fermentation-based bioeconomy as a CDMO for precision fermentation.
Cosaic/ Cultivated Biosciences (#332 in the 2024 FoodTech 500) | Protein fermentation | Produces creamy functional ingredient to improve alternative dairy.
Brain Ritual/ Migraket (#387 in the 2024 FoodTech 500) | Meal replacements & Supplements | Operates as a brain expert brand and created MigraKet®, the world’s first medical food for migraine management.
AgroSustain (#263 in the 2024 FoodTech 500) | Ag Biotech | Helps keep fruits, vegetables and flowers fresh longer with edible and organic pre- and post-harvest solutions.
Sweden (11 companies)
SweGreen (#83 in the 2024 FoodTech 500) | Vertical & Indoor farming | Offers integrated farming units in a subscription model (Farming as a Service) to retail chains, supermarkets, restaurants, and property owners for growing greens on site.
Ljusgårda (#117 in the 2024 FoodTech 500) | Vertical & Indoor farming | Democratizes sustainable food production through large-scale production and competitive consumer pricing in controlled agricultural environments.
Melt&Marble (#167 in the 2024 FoodTech 500) | Protein fermentation | Creates designer fats via precision fermentation.
OlsAro (#335 in the 2024 FoodTech 500) | Ag Biotech | Specializes in climate adaptation of crops.
Hooked Foods (#410 in the 2024 FoodTech 500) | Plant-based | Transforms proteins to be healthy, sustainable and affordable.
Green-On (#489 in the 2024 FoodTech 500) | Protein fermentation | Makes ultrasustainable fats and oils without agriculture by using only electricity, water and CO2 as raw materials.
Cirkulär (#499 in the 2024 FoodTech 500) | Protein fermentation | Produces sustainable, bio-based ingredients from low-value feedstock.
Saveggy (#493 in the 2024 FoodTech 500) | Food Waste Tech & Food sharing platforms | Develops plant-based, edible protection that keeps fruits & vegetables fresh longer.
Cerve (#264 in the 2024 FoodTech 500) | Supply chain monitoring & traceability | Provides strategic data integrations to transform communications and data exchange across the Global Food System.
Millow (#228 in the 2024 FoodTech 500) | Plant-based | Offers patented, sustainable and cost-efficient production technology that saves water, energy, and CO2 while producing plant-mycelium based clean-label food.
Improvin’ (#258 in the 2024 FoodTech 500) | Supply chain monitoring & traceability | Provides a Sustainability Operating System for mills, processors and food manufacturers to collect farm-level data and drive sustainable change.
Italy (10 companies)
Dreamfarm (#106 in the 2024 FoodTech 500) | Plant-based | Creates plant-based iconic Italian cheese that is healthy and delicious.
Soul-k (#127 in the 2024 FoodTech 500) | B2B marketplaces | Redefines the future of food by connecting technology and process sustainability to nourish the world efficiently.
Xnext (#420 in the 2024 FoodTech 500) | Food safety & Quality | Provides the best food inspection technology for safety and quality controls.
Yeastime (#496 in the 2024 FoodTech 500) | Novel processing techniques & Equipment | Offers retrofit ultrasound solutions to reduce fermentation process duration and improve yields by up to 30%.
Foreverland (#245 in the 2024 FoodTech 500) | Plant-based | Develops innovative, sustainable chocolate alternatives for the B2B market.
Ocean Twist Biotechnology/ Ittinsect (#389 in the 2024 FoodTech 500) | Insects farming & Aquaculture | Creates sustainable, high-performance feed ingredients through biotechnological extraction of proteins, agricultural by-products, and insects.
Kinsect (#269 in the 2024 FoodTech 500) | Insects farming & Aquaculture | Addresses challenges of scalability in soldier fly breeding with patented technology for efficient large-scale production.
Heallo (#478 in the 2024 FoodTech 500) | Biotech/Synthetisation | Produces value-added ingredients based on innovative upcycled wheat arabinoxylans for low GI next-generation food and beverages.
The Circle (#200 in the 2024 FoodTech 500) | Vertical & Indoor farming | Produces high-quality food in less space with innovative aquaponic technology that allows for 90% water savings.
Elaisian (#372 in the 2024 FoodTech 500) | Farm management & Precision farming | Specializes in precision farming.
Belgium (7 companies)
Biotalys (#32 in the 2024 FoodTech 500) | Ag Biotech | Develops protein-based biocontrol solutions to protect produce from fungal diseases and harmful insects.
Inbiose NV (#148 in the 2024 FoodTech 500) | Biotech/Synthetisation | Produces specialty carbohydrates that bring health benefits to the agro-food sector.
Paleo (#190 in the 2024 FoodTech 500) | Protein fermentation | Produces animal-free, GMO-free heme proteins through precision fermentation for plant-based meat and fish manufacturers.
Alberts (#215 in the 2024 FoodTech 500) | Catering/Office services & Vending machines | Creates plant-based beverages blended at point-of-sales with automated robotics technology.
Urban Crop Solutions (#140 in the 2024 FoodTech 500) | Vertical & Indoor farming | Provides turnkey custom-made indoor farming solutions for sustainable year-round crop production.
Bar.on (#315 in the 2024 FoodTech 500) | Appliances | Building the “Spotify for fermented drinks.”
Bolder Foods (#471 in the 2024 FoodTech 500) | Protein fermentation | Develops ingredients to help dairy companies make animal-free products using biomass fermentation.
Denmark (5 companies)
MATR Foods (#45 in the 2024 FoodTech 500) | Protein fermentation | Applies innovative fungi fermentation technology to produce natural alternatives to meat with deep umami flavor.
Agrain (#285 in the 2024 FoodTech 500) | Upcycled ingredients, Food surplus & Waste efficiency | Up-cycles side streams from the food industry to produce new food ingredients.
Aliga Microalgae (#342 in the 2024 FoodTech 500) | Insects farming & Aquaculture | Specializes in precision fermentation to produce high-quality microalgae ingredients for global markets.
Swan Neck Bio (#483 in the 2024 FoodTech 500) | Biotech/Synthetisation | Provides fermentation solutions to help food and biotech companies scale and commercialize microorganisms.
Nutrumami (#466 in the 2024 FoodTech 500) | Biotech/Synthetisation | Creates multi-functional plant proteins for better taste, texture, and nutrition using wild synergistic cross-fermentations.
Finland (5 companies)
Volare (#131 in the 2024 FoodTech 500) | Upcycled ingredients, Food surplus & Waste efficiency | Creates sustainable protein and oil ingredients for aquaculture, pet food, and biofuels.
SuperGround (#470 in the 2024 FoodTech 500) | Upcycled ingredients, Food surplus & Waste efficiency | Uses patented technology to create affordable protein from industrial side streams of fish and poultry.
Manna Insect (#349 in the 2024 FoodTech 500) | Insects farming & Aquaculture | Offers knowledge and solutions to profitably upcycle organic waste into high-protein animal feed using black soldier flies.
Acoustic Extra Freezing Oy (#442 in the 2024 FoodTech 500) | Novel processing techniques & Equipment | Creates frozen food that tastes fresh.
Mö Foods (#333 in the 2024 FoodTech 500) | Plant-based | Masters the art of oat cheese making as the sole producer in this niche.
Norway (4 companies)
Desert Control (#15 in the 2024 FoodTech 500) | Farm management & Precision farming | Transforms arid lands into fertile soil using patented Liquid Natural Clay technology to enhance water retention.
GroGro (#307 in the 2024 FoodTech 500) | Functional foods & drinks | Produces delicious and nutritious food for kids.
Sensonomic (#247 in the 2024 FoodTech 500) | Farm management & Precision farming | Provides sustainable, adaptive and predictive profit maximizing solutions for tree fruits and vineyards.
Soil Steam (#243 in the 2024 FoodTech 500) | Ag Biotech | Restores and recycles contaminated soil.
Poland (3 companies)
Fresh Inset (#172 in the 2024 FoodTech 500) | Food Waste Tech & Food sharing platforms | Fights food waste with revolutionary solutions for fresh produce that extends freshness and improves profits.
Foodsi (#255 in the 2024 FoodTech 500) | Food Waste Tech & Food sharing platforms | Fights food waste while helping local businesses sell their surplus.
Insignes Labs (#440 in the 2024 FoodTech 500) | Ag Biotech | Develops mineral-based biostimulants and fertilizers that fortify crops against stress and pathogens.
Austria (3 companies)
Fermify (#51 in the 2024 FoodTech 500) | Protein fermentation | Provides a holistic, scalable, and AI-driven B2B platform for casein production.
Kern Tec (#175 in the 2024 FoodTech 500) | Upcycled ingredients, Food surplus & Waste efficiency | Uses unique technologies to turn previously unused fruit seeds into food ingredients for the first time.
Cultzyme (#436 in the 2024 FoodTech 500) | Novel processing techniques & Equipment | Creates an integral platform based on hardware and software for intelligent bioprocessing.
Portugal (2 companies)
AgroGrIN Tech (#310 in the 2024 FoodTech 500) | Upcycled ingredients, Food surplus & Waste efficiency | Produces clean-label food ingredients from fruit and vegetable upcycling.
PFx Biotech (#367 in the 2024 FoodTech 500) | Protein fermentation | Harnesses biology to produce highly bioactive human milk proteins via scalable precision fermentation.
Czech Republic (2 companies)
Mewery (#180 in the 2024 FoodTech 500) | Cellular agriculture | Develops platforms for cell-cultivated meat products using a proprietary method of co-culturing animal and microalgae cells.
Bene Meat Technologies (#416 in the 2024 FoodTech 500) | Cellular agriculture | Develops technology for cultivated meat production without animal slaughter or environmental damage.
Estonia (2 companies)
ÄIO (#198 in the 2024 FoodTech 500) | Upcycled ingredients, Food surplus & Waste efficiency | Uses industrial side streams to produce high-quality fats and oils using natural and precision fermentation.
Agrovisio OÜ (#230 in the 2024 FoodTech 500) | Farm management & Precision farming | Delivers satellite-based agricultural intelligence and analytics through AI-driven digital solutions.
Bulgaria (2 companies)
Smart Farm Robotix (#252 in the 2024 FoodTech 500) | Farm robotics & Machinery | Develops autonomous, solar-powered weeding robots that use AI for plant recognition.
ONDO Solutions (#324 in the 2024 FoodTech 500) | Farm management & Precision farming | Provides next-generation automation solutions for precise irrigation, fertigation and climate control.
Hungary (1 company)
Scoutlabs (#165 in the 2024 FoodTech 500) | Farm management & Precision farming | Built the most affordable and scalable digital trap that transforms manual trap networks using artificial intelligence.
Cyprus (1 company)
EMBIO Diagnostics (#124 in the 2024 FoodTech 500) | Food safety & Quality | Brings laboratory detection capabilities to the field.
Luxembourg (1 company)
Moolec Science (#287 in the 2024 FoodTech 500) | Ag Biotech | Creates science-based ingredient solutions using Molecular Farming technology for food and dietary supplementation markets.
Greece (1 company)
Wikifarmer (#352 in the 2024 FoodTech 500) | Ag marketplace | Empowers farmers through education and direct access to commercial markets for fair pricing.
Iceland (1 company)
Atmonia (#340 in the 2024 FoodTech 500) | Ag Biotech | Reinvents the nitrogen economy.
Ireland (1 company)
CarbonSpace (#241 in the 2024 FoodTech 500) | Farm management & Precision farming | Provides transformative digital monitoring, reporting, and verification services to food and beverage companies.
Looking Ahead
With strong government support, increasing investment interest, and a robust innovation ecosystem, European AgriFoodTech startups are well-positioned to address some of the most pressing challenges in our food systems while creating sustainable value.
The companies featured in this year’s FoodTech 500 represent Europe’s significant contribution to transforming global food systems for a more sustainable future.
Ready to make your mark on the future of food? The Forward Fooding FoodTech 500 2025 is calling for applications from groundbreaking companies. Don’t miss your chance to be recognized, APPLY NOW.
Forward Fooding is the world’s first collaborative platform for the Food & Beverage industry via FoodTech Data Intelligence and Corporate-Startup Collaboration – Learn more about our Consultancy and Scouting Services and our Startup Network.
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