Meet the latest food-tech startups to join our programme

Drumroll, please! We are ready to announce the startups comprising our latest cohort at the ProVeg Incubator. Eight amazing startups from around the world have just joined our programme and will be working with us for the next 12 weeks in order to build, grow, and launch their companies.

From Japan to Bulgaria, Estonia to India, this is a truly global cohort. The food-tech startups are not only different in terms of geographic location, but they also work within different alternative-protein categories. 

One thing these innovative startups all have in common, though, is that they are all making their mark in the transformation of the global food system, and reducing the need for meat consumption .

In this cohort, the Incubator’s seventh so far, there is a strong focus on food-tech startups and ingredients for the alt-protein market. Without further ado, let’s meet the eight companies:

Plant-based Japan

Plant-based Japan aims to innovate the alternative protein industry with unique Japanese ingredients. Their first products are egg alternatives and teriyaki meat, all of which will be launched in the Asia-Pacific region. Founded by Hiroto Yamazaki and other 2 members, the startup combines modern technology with Japan’s rich culinary heritage. Plant-based Japan aims to bring locally inspired products to the global stage.

Plant-based Japan’s team

Altein Ingredients

Altein Ingredients is based in India and founded by Tarak Badkas and Dr Shweta Deotale. The team is developing a functional mung-bean protein, with the intention that it will become a nucleus of plant-powered food. Mung beans are a versatile source of protein. Also, they be used in such diverse applications as meat alternatives, protein bars, egg alternatives, baked goods, and pet food. In addition, mung-bean protein has no taste or smell, and is gluten-free and soya-free.

Cultivated Biosciences

Founded by Tomas Turner and based in the Netherlands, Cultivated Biosciences is developing a fat ingredient from oleaginous yeast for use by the alt-dairy industry. The process of microbial fermentation allows for the development of the particular creaminess that is heavily sought after in the plant-based milk market.

Brain Foods

This Bulgarian-based startup is on a mission to nourish the mind and body by making your favorite foods and drinks healthier and tastier. Founded by Plamen Medarov and Mariya Vaselinova, Brain Foods has developed a range of plant-based snacks, including low-sugar milk-chocolate wafers, chocolate bars, wholegrain crackers. Brain Foods is also in there last development stage of presenting snacks and drinks for the brain food category: focus, concentration, relax, mental and emotional health.

Brain Food’s plant-based snacks

Alt Foods

Also from India, Aman Khandelwal, Sweta Khandelwal, and Pavitra Khandelwal, three family members, have founded Alt Foods.  Together, they have developed the world’s first plant-based milk made from sprouted millets and a mixture of different grains, including oat and amaranth. Alt Foods’ mission is to create easy-to-switch-to dairy alternatives that are great tasting, nutritious, and widely available.

Genesea

Based in Israel, Genesea is a food-ingredients company that is focusing on seaweed-protein isolate as its first marketable product. The founders, Alexander Golberg, Ivri Goren, and Alexander Chemodanov, believe in the 3Ps of sustainability: people, plants, and product. Their mission is to provide food ingredients from offshore-grown marine macroalgae.

Meet Future

This Estonian startup, founded by Triin Remmelgas, Andrean Razumovski, Kristen Loomägi, and Anna-Mai Männik, develops meat alternatives from mycoprotein. Their mission is to enable people to make animal-friendly, healthy, and sustainable food choices. Meet Future is creating products that mimic the texture, taste, and aroma of fish and chicken.

Triin Remmelgas, co-founder and CEO of Meet Future

ProProtein

Our last startup, and the second in this cohort from Estonia, is developing dairy proteins using yeast fermentation. Founder Kaisa Orgusaar and her team aim to provide a sustainable protein source for the planet’s growing human population. ProProtein’s precision-fermentation dairy proteins are identical to animal-based dairy proteins and can be used to create animal-free products that have the same flavour, texture, and nutrition as animal-based dairy products. 

We’re happy to welcome these disruptive food-tech startups to our programme. We’ll soon be publishing Q&As with each of the startups from this cohort, so that you can get to know them better. Keep your eyes peeled! 

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