FoodTech Startup Forum, to be held as part of F4F – Expo FoodTech from 13 to 15 May at the BEC in Bilbao, will showcase the most disruptive technological projects that are transforming the food industry
More than 200 startups from all over the world will participate in the forum to drive the future of the food and beverage industry with innovation and technology
The food industry is undergoing a profound transformation process that is changing the way food is produced and consumed. In this context, startups have become a very important part of driving this transformation, thanks to their innovative approach and digital mindset. From technological solutions that optimise traceability and reduce waste, to new product proposals that respond to the most cutting-edge market trends, startups are rewriting the rules of the game and helping established companies to evolve.
With the aim of highlighting entrepreneurial talent, F4F – Expo FoodTech 2025, the major food innovation trade fair to be held from 13 to 15 May at the BEC in Bilbao simultaneously with Pick&Pack for Food Industry, will once again feature the Expo FoodTech Startup Forum. This forum will bring together business leaders, investors, entrepreneurs and potential partners to promote disruptive solutions, generate synergies and foster collaboration. More than 200 startups from all over the world will present projects based on applied technologies such as automation and robotics, industry 4.0, refrigeration and air conditioning, logistics, environment and energy, agrotechnology, food processing, food packaging, food science and food safety, in front of technology clusters, companies, associations, universities and technology and innovation centres.
Open innovation processes will undoubtedly once again be one of the main topics at the Expo FoodTech Startup Forum, where some of the collaboration models between large corporations and startups that are accelerating joint growth will be analysed. Through case studies and the experience of companies such as Pascual, ICEX Invest and AECOC, the advantages of integrating entrepreneurial agility with corporate resources will be discussed, generating strategic alliances that boost the foodtech ecosystem and open new development and investment opportunities.
The event will also focus on the investment potential of the agrifood sector, with a special focus on the role of synthetic biology as a catalyst for change in agrifoodtech. Investment funds and industry experts will analyse emerging trends, strategic funding criteria and the factors that condition the scalability of startups. In this context, companies such as NASERTIC, BrandSmith and Beta Capital will offer their vision on how to build a competitive and sustainable ecosystem from a regional and global perspective.
Led by Asier Alea, Director of Global Development at the Basque Culinary Center, attendees will be able to learn first-hand about the GOe (Gastronomy Open Ecosystem), an initiative that will contribute from gastronomy to build a more delicious, healthy and sustainable future. As an example, products such as Chocoffee (with recycled coffee grounds), No-cheese Almond Cream (vegan alternative to cheese) or fermented drinks with probiotic and antioxidant properties, all with a clean label and circular economy approach, will be on display.
On the other hand, experts from Venture Capital, Seed Capital and AINIA will analyse in depth the profitability and investment attractiveness of the food sector. They will share their strategies for identifying opportunities with high return potential, unpacking profitability metrics and trends that set the investment agenda in key segments such as food and beverage processing.
During the morning of 15 May, Expo FoodTech 2025 will become the meeting point for more than 200 startups from all over the world in the fields of agritechnology, industry 4.0, automation, refrigeration and air conditioning, food processing, food packaging and food science. In this space, they will present their most disruptive projects in front of more than 40 international investment funds, global technology clusters and the food sector, with the aim of establishing synergies and contributing to the future and evolution of the sector.
Germany’s foodtech ecosystem as guest country
Germany will be the guest country at F4F – Expo FoodTech 2025, with a prominent institutional and business representation headed by the Honorary Consul in Bilbao, Michael John Voss. This participation reinforces Germany’s role as a benchmark in food innovation and seeks to strengthen the ties of cooperation with the Spanish agrifood ecosystem, in a firm commitment to the exchange of knowledge and the promotion of international collaboration.
