EIT Food is working with a consortium of global partners as a co-host of the Food Systems Pavilion at COP27 in Sharm El Sheikh (Egypt) to discuss the opportunities that sustainable food systems provide in the fight against climate change.
We guide and accelerate food innovation to transform the food system. We focus on inclusive systems innovation, which enables all people and places to participate and benefit.
We are attracting, developing and empowering bright minds to lead the transformation of the food system into an innovative sector that produces healthy and sustainable food, and is trusted by society.
Startups play a fundamental role in transforming the food system. EIT Food supports innovative impactful agrifood entrepreneurs and startups to deliver new food innovations and businesses across Europe.
We believe that we are all responsible for, and connected to, the food that we eat, so we all need to work together to improve it. Our activities are designed to engage with people so that they can become agents of change in the food…
EIT Food is a network of organisations that are complementary, demonstrate excellence in their domain and show commitment to the objectives of EIT Food.
Rethinking food packaging for regenerating resources
Objectives
Would you like to tackle a real-world sustainability challenge in the Food Industry?
When you join our Food Solutions programme you will benefit from entrepreneurship and product development education to produce an innovative, tangible food solution. Throughout the programme, you will be working within a multi-disciplinary team and be supported and mentored by experts from industry, research and science.
In this Food Solution, Reuse2Repack, you will rethink food packaging to regenerate resources through: new packaging solutions using waste streams, recycling and reuse strategies, or methods to replace or eliminate food packaging.
At the end of the programme, you will be able to:
Analyse the food system and identify a problem that can be addressed by a sustainable solution
Collaborate with a multi-disciplinary team and mobilise resources to develop a solution to a food system problem
Evaluate a target market and competitors in order to assess the commercial potential for a product innovation
Critically assess alternative product concepts to craft and communicate a sustainable value proposition
Iteratively design a prototype using MVP (minimum viable product) principles
Adopt technologies and techniques to deliver an innovative product and viable business case
Bachelor and master students at the participating universities (Aarhus University, University of Turin and University of Hohenheim)
Open to all disciplines, including Food science, Engineering, Chemistry , Biotechnology, Marketing, Business, Economics and other natural science disciplines.
Other disciplines are invited based on your knowledge and interests.
Advantages
By following this programme you will:
You will be a part of an international network of like-minded students, actors of the food industry and the EIT Food network
You will extend your knowledge in the fields of packaging technology, food science, data management, business modelling, circular economy, entrepreneurship and more.
You will be able to explore the value of the food side streams.
You can boost your creativity by facing real, up-to-date food industry challenges and develop your own sustainable solutions.
Great team building opportunity.
You can get experience and adventure for a lifetime of your personal and professional life.
Career Opportunities
Connections with food industry experts in Europe
Co-creation and collaboration competencies (including problem solving and critical thinking)
Leadership, networking and communication skills
International teamwork
Entrepreneurial innovation skills
Extending knowledge in relevant topics, such as packaging technology, food science, circular economy, data management and more.
Duration & Dates
The programme lasts 8 months with regular mentoring meetings. Expected effort is a few hours per week. It starts on 31th March until 20th November 2022.
Audience & Eligibility
Students from B.Sc, M.Sc and PhD from a participating University
Level
Beginner/advanced
Price
Free
Language
English
Registration Open & Seats
Open
Location
Online
Course soon available
Keep me informed
Structure & Modules
Programme Content:
The climate and pollution crisis, on one hand, and the resource depletion and scarcity on the other hand, call for new ways of thinking and designing packaging, new ways of producing packaging material and new ways of reusing and recycling packaging material.
Take part in this transition and join the Food Solution - Reuse2Repack.
Together with a team of other students, you will work on one of below approaches to rethinking food packaging.
Design biobased packaging solutions by incorporating food waste streams
Design alternatives strategies to recycle and reuse food-packaging material
Design strategies to replace or eliminate food packaging.
Throughout the programme, the teams will be supported by their University mentor(s) and the industry partners. In addition, you will benefit from elite innovation and entrepreneurship training through the Entrepreneurship Spine learning blocks.
Programme Structure:
The programme takes place over 8 months and will require you a few hours a week on average.
Four joint specific Reuse2Repack events are planned:
Kick-off event: around March 2022
Introduction of the teams, mentors and challenges.
Check-in event: May-June 2022
The teams present their initial ideas to the university mentors and industry partners.
Intermediate meeting: September- October 2022
The teams present their advanced product concepts and the early version of their business plan.
Final event: November-December 2022
The teams present their product concept to the international jury.
Before the final event, each team has to submit their annotated slides and further required information on their product concept. The templates, requirements will be shared in advance.
Four live Entrepreneurship Spine workshops will take place on the first Wednesday of May, June, July and September at 17:00 CET.
An international jury will judge the final product concepts and submissions, and the best solutions will be awarded prizes by EIT Food Education.
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