Future Food-Tech and Puratos Innovation Challenge Connects the Art of Bread with the Science of Gut Health

Start-ups have until August 5 to apply for the chance to pitch live at the Future Food-Tech Innovation Challenge in London this September

Future Food-Tech has announced its partnership with bakery and patisserie ingredients expert Puratos to run an exclusive Innovation Challenge for start-ups at the London summit this September 22-23.

THE PURATOS INNOVATION CHALLENGE: Technology-Enabled Solutions to Enhance Gut Health.

Puratos is a global leader in innovative food solutions for bakery, patisserie, and chocolate professionals that promote health and wellbeing. It believes food has extraordinary power in our lives: the power to feed, nourish, comfort, and bring families together.

Puratos has joined forces with Future Food-Tech to search for early to mid-stage food-tech innovators developing solutions to modulate the gut microbiome and its link to both physical health and mental wellbeing. The goal? To connect the art of bread with the science of gut health.

Commenting on the challenge set, Paul Baisier, Group Chief R&D Officer at Puratos said: “Imagine if we could turn the daily bread into the everyday source of nourishment our gut needs. This would be food innovation for good. Through this Innovation Challenge, Puratos pursues its commitment to strongly invest in the discovery of solutions that improve human health and nutrition”.

Regional and international food-tech start-ups are invited to enter before August 5.

• Prebiotics
• Postbiotics
• Non-spore forming food stable probiotics
• New plant fibres
• Upcycled ingredients
• Fermented ingredients
• Technologies or services that have the potential to improve the gut microbiome and/or to measure its impact on consumer health.

The prize? The winner will unlock fantastic growth opportunities including the chance to pitch for Sparkalis (Puratos’ own Food-Tech Venture Fund), senior leadership coaching during a minimum two-day internship at Puratos, and being showcased through Puratos’ media and communications.

The winner will also have access to:
Puratos’ R&D capabilities, such as the Innovation Centre at its Headquarters in Belgium Global bakery, patisserie, and chocolate application resources.

Additionally, all finalists will enjoy PR visibility to Future Food-Tech's global network, culminating in a live pitch on stage in London in front of the summit’s high-profile audience of investors, corporates, and food brands, with two days of networking and insights.

WEBINAR: Puratos will share detailed information about its Innovation Challenge in a free and interactive webinar on Wednesday, July 20 at 4pm BST. The Future Food-Tech team will chat with Paul Baisier, Group Chief R&D Officer, to learn more about why Puratos chose this focus for the Innovation Challenge, what he looks out for when working with start-ups, and further tips for start-ups to get noticed. Everyone is welcome to join, sign up here

Three finalists will be announced on September 1. They will then pitch to the Puratos judges and a global summit audience of food brands, corporates, and investors at the Future Food-Tech summit on September 22-23, when the winning start-up will be revealed by Puratos live on stage.

Full details of the Future Food-Tech summit in London including programme and delegate registration are available here or contact the event organiser for details using the green "Request Information" button below.