CSM Ingredients’ innovation hub Generate has launched a global open call for food-tech start-ups, including those involved in creating new bakery solutions, to join its accelerator programme.
The initiative aims to identify and select businesses with breakthrough ingredient innovations to enable the “evolution of the whole food ecosystem”. Generate is offering 12-18-month programmes that are tailored to the needs of entrepreneurs, including access to cutting-edge facilities, technical expertise, and commercial support from the five companies that comprise the CSM Collective: CSM Ingredients, HiFood, Vitalfood by Italcanditi, Comprital, and Rubicone. This will enable the startups to scale their innovations and bring them to the market, it noted.
Generate said it was seeking disruptive ideas, especially in relation to added-value proteins and technical ingredients, in areas such as clean label gelling agents and emulsifiers, natural origin preservatives, upcycled plant-based proteins and fibres, novel sensory and nutritional solutions for plant-based products, and liquid oil stabilisation. Other transformative innovations that align with its purpose are also welcome, it added.
Start-ups with a Technology Readiness Level (TRL) of three or higher, as well as scalable solutions and high-impact teams are encouraged to apply by submitting their investor presentation or company deck via email to: openinnovation@csmingredients.com. Among the selection criteria is the relevance of the innovation for applications in the ingredient-tech platform’s most relevant categories, including bakery & fine pastry, ice cream & gelato, dairy & non-dairy, and plant-based & gluten-free.
The deadline for submissions is 15 January 2025, with shortlisted candidates to be interviewed between February and March 2025. This stage will be held in collaboration with Urika Partners, which partnered with CSM Ingredients back in 2022 to create a new open innovation hub in Tel Aviv, Israel.
Three examples of startups that have already joined the Generate programme are all involved in plant-based protein production – Ingrediome grows animal protein in algae, PoLoPo creates egg protein from potatoes, and DairyX makes milk protein from yeast.
More information on Generate’s open call is available on its dedicated webpage here.
The CSM Collection has a collective workforce of over 2,000 employees, with 22 offices, 13 manufacturing sites, 13 product development centers, four innovation centers and a global open innovation hub. James Dedman, general manager for CSM Ingredients’ UK & Ireland business, previously dicussed innovation as one of the four pillars of strength for the company with British Baker.
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