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Wageningen University & Research joins international Foodshot Global network
This spring, Wageningen University & Research joined Foodshot Global, an international network of funding bodies, banks, businesses and knowledge institutions that provides credit to start-ups and other new businesses in the field of innovative food systems. Foodshot Global also organises competitions whereby it hands out cash prizes to nominated individuals with a proven track record.
Researchers and start-ups that operate under the flag of Wageningen University & Research can benefit much from the Foodshot Global network. It offers them an opportunity to obtain funding for innovative concepts or to establish a new company. In the coming year, for example, $10 million has been made available for start-ups involved in innovative food systems.
Ecosystem approach
Foodshot Global functions as an ecosystem of world-class venture capital funds, banks, companies and knowledge institutions. Together they are looking for answers and solutions to achieve a sustainable food system that is healthier, more resilient and fairer than the current system. The organisation focuses on scientifically proven and scalable concepts with a potentially major global impact and supports the selected projects with cash and access to its network to facilitate further development and practical application of the concept.
Foodshot Global is an important strategic opportunity for Wageningen University & Research to bridge the gaps between science, valorisation, start-ups and early funding opportunities for scale-ups. Current and future research projects at the University can also greatly benefit from access to the knowledge generated by the ecosystem. Wageningen University & Research is Foodshot Global’s leading knowledge partner in Europe, with much the same role as co-founder UC Davis has for the network in the US.
Competitions
Researchers who have been nominated by their institution can participate in annual competitions known as Foodshot Challenges. The theme of the latest edition is ‘Precision Protein’, for which outstanding individual researchers in this field can receive a GroundBreaker Prize of up to $500,000. More information about the competition is available at www.foodshot.org.
In 2019, Wageningen soil biologist Gerlinde de Deyn won the first edition of the GroundBreaker Prize.