Prof. Dr. Thomas Bayer, head of the StartupSÜD project, opened the event together with Ralph Beranek, managing director of Seeberger GmbH, which awarded the newcomer prize in the "Future Food" category. The evening was moderated by Markus Hummel, known as food blogger "Backbube".
Newcomers and established start-ups presented their creative ideas
The newcomer start-ups "ROKO Farming", "Hooliroots" and "Viva la Faba" kicked off the first pitch round. Philip Rose, co-founder of the biotechnology start-up "ROKO Farming", explained how innovative vertical farming concepts using the latest technology such as AI, robotics and LED light will enable efficient, high-yield and more sustainable crop production in the future.
"Hooliroots" co-founder Paola Verela showed the audience the potential of her start-up: Holiroots produces healthy crackers from rescued vegetables that farmers discard due to overproduction or aesthetic reasons. In this way, the start-up not only helps to promote sustainable nutrition and protect the environment, but also supports regional agriculture.
The third pitch in the round of newcomers was the start-up "Viva la Faba", whose team specialises in developing vegan cheese based on Faba beans. Their goal is to promote a more sustainable and healthier diet through plant-based alternatives to meat products.
Catch-Your-Bug" presented itself as an already established start-up in the industry. Its founder Marco Schebesta and his team have developed an innovative technology to optimise insect breeding for food production and thus make a sustainable contribution to protein supply.
Finally, Ralph Beranek offered insights into how Seeberger GmbH, a leading producer of dried fruits and nuts, is driving new product innovations as a medium-sized company.
Discussing and tasting: a colourful programme brought food trends closer to the audience
After the pitches, the audience had the opportunity to vote live for the Triangle Newcomer Award in the Future Food category and the best pitch.
The highlight of the evening: the co-founders of the start-up "Viva la Faba", Jan Haberzettel and Ariana Alva Ferrari, received the Seeberger Newcomer Award worth €500 at the award ceremony. With their innovative idea and commitment, they convinced the audience and thus prevailed in the "Future Food" category. The audience's favourite was awarded to the start-ups "Holiroots" and "Catch-Your-Bug".
Finally, the founders discussed the topics of vegan nutrition, sustainability and industry-specific influencer marketing in a talk round on "Food Trends" moderated by food blogger Markus Hummel. Between the pitches, the audience had the opportunity to try out new food trends for themselves: insects from "Catch-Your-Bug", vegan cheese from "Viva la Faba", vegetable crackers from "Holiroots" and snack creations from "Seeberger" could be tasted. The participants experienced surprising "aha" moments and had the opportunity to talk intensively with the start-ups and other people interested in founding a company.
"I was pleased to see how much commitment and passion young start-ups put into advancing their ideas," Markus Hummel summed up the evening. "It's great that everyone meets at eye level at the Triangle". Ralph Beranek also drew an enthusiastic conclusion: "An inspiring evening where we could get to know the young entrepreneurs and their commitment to better solutions in the food industry. Thank you for the cool event, it was fun. We are happy to support with the Seeberger Newcomer Award."
Contact person at HNU
Prof. Dr. Thomas Bayer
