Futures of Food: The hottest tech for resilient agriculture and circular food systems
Futures of Food returns for its second edition as an official Slush 2025 side event, bringing a high-energy Demo Day with 19 agrifood startups from the EIT Food Accelerator Network (FAN) and Rising Food Stars
In just one afternoon, you’ll get front-row access to the most promising innovations in climate-resilient agriculture and circular food systems – two themes shaping the future of how we produce and consume food.
This is an official Slush side event – but no Slush ticket is required. Simply register here.
Why attend?
For investors
19 carefully selected startups from across Europe, ready to scale and raise. A rare opportunity to discover your next portfolio gem.
Meet not only startups – but also other investors. Connect with leading funds, angels, and co-investors active in agrifood and agtech. Team up on deals, share insights, and expand your network.
For corporates & partners:
Gain direct access to solutions addressing your strategic challenges – from
regenerative farming
and AI-powered precision agriculture
to bioprocess optimisation
and upcycling.
For innovators & ecosystem builders:
Experience the latest trends in foodtech firsthand and engage with founders,
researchers,
and industry leaders shaping the sector.
What to expect?
Agenda
-
16:30 – 16:40Guest arrival & Check-in
Welcome to Futures of Food, seats are limited – arrive early!
-
16:40 – 16:46Opening remarks
Welcome by EIT Food and Univeristy of Helsinki team & introduction to the EIT Food Accelerator Network (FAN).
-
16:46-16:54Key note
by Johan Jörgensen, food tech and food system transformation thought leader.
-
16:54 – 17:20Startup Pitches – Warsaw Hub Cohort
Intro to the Warsaw Hub, followed by six live pitches from agritech startups working on climate-resilient agriculture: APOLO Biotech, BioArmix, CdotBio, Seedrise, HarvestR, Smart Farm Robotix
-
17:20 – 17:38Panel
Navigating the Funding Landscape for Circular Food Systems and Climate-Resilient Agriculture:
-
17:40 – 18:04
Startup Pitches – Helsinki Hub Cohort
Intro to Helsinki hub and first 6 startups innovating in circular food technologies: Aquanzo, CHoNova, Decameal, Endless Food Co., Kyomei, NPHarvest
-
18:04 – 18:19
Fireside Chat: Circular Food Systems
Conversation on waste valorisation, upcycling, and bioprocessing
-
18:19-18:44Continuation of the Helsinki Hub pitches: 5 startups innovating in circular food technologies — Proteine Resources, ReBread, Seaqure Labs, SilviBio, and Tetis Biotech — followed by a short address from the EIT FAN Manager on the future of the programme.
-
18:44-18:52
2 Pitches form EIT Food Rising Food Stars
-
18:52 – 19:00Closing Remarks
Key takeaways & what's next in agrifood innovation
-
18:50-19:30Networking
This is your chance to meet startup founders, connect with investors, and exchange ideas with industry leaders in an informal setting.
Key note: Johan Jörgensen
Johan is a co-founder of Sweden Foodtech and a leading voice in food system transformation and foodtech investing. He advises cities, corporations, and entrepreneurs on strategy, ecosystem building, and scaling, and is widely known as “Mr. Foodtech” for convening the global community at the Sweden Foodtech Big Meet. Earlier a tech and VC entrepreneur, he now focuses on leveraging data, design and innovation to accelerate sustainable, circular food systems and public-sector meal innovation.
Helsinki Hub
Stefanie Lobnig, CEO and co-founder
Aquanzo
Farms zooplankton on land using agricultural waste to produce sustainable marine proteins for aquaculture and human nutrition.
🔗 LinkedIn
Frederique Delahaye, CEO
Chonova AG
Develops biotech solutions to optimise product quality in food production – starting with chocolate moulding and structure monitoring.
🔗 LinkedIn
Leander Hessner, CEO and co-founder
Decameal
Upcycles invasive shore crabs into high-protein feed ingredients for aquaculture, livestock, and pets, restoring marine ecosystems in the process.
🔗 LinkedIn
Maximillian Bogenmann, CEO and co-founder
Endless Food Co.
Uses upcycling tech to turn overlooked food resources into premium ingredients – starting with a chocolate alternative called THIC™.
🔗 LinkedIn
Meir Wachs, CEO and co-founder
Kyomei
Produces rare, functional food ingredients from plant leaves using molecular biology and clean-label biotechnology.
🔗 LinkedIn
Sara Ikonen, COO
NPHarvest
Turns wastewater into high-value fertilisers by capturing nitrogen and phosphorus with efficient nutrient recovery systems.
🔗 LinkedIn
Bartłomiej Roszkowski, co-CEO and co-founder
Proteine Resources
Creates hypoallergenic, sustainable insect-based pet protein from upcycled food-grade waste streams.
🔗 LinkedIn
Bartłomiej Rak, CEO and founder
Rebread
Transforms surplus bakery products into new functional food and beverage products, promoting circular food use.
🔗 LinkedIn
Albin Frick, COO and co-founder
Seaqure Labs
Develops mycelium-based animal feed using solid-state fermentation on agrifood side streams.
🔗 LinkedIn
Alicja Dzieciol, CEO and founder
SilviBio
Creates peat-free growing media for professional horticulture using locally sourced sustainable inputs.
🔗 LinkedIn
Emre Yemisken, CEO and founder
Tetis Biotech
Upcycles marine by-products into high-value, functional ingredients for the food and biotech sectors.
🔗 LinkedIn
Warsaw Hub
Matias Badano, CEO and co-founder
APOLO Biotech
Develops RNA-based, GMO-free technologies that act like vaccines for plants – protecting crops from pathogens while preserving biodiversity.
🔗 LinkedIn
Tzvi Zvirin, CEO and co-founder
BioArmix
Harnesses natural bacterial predators to fight crop diseases, offering a sustainable, chemical-free alternative to plant protection.
🔗 LinkedIn
Teodoro Garcia Millan, CEO and co-founder
CdotBio
Applies advanced molecular biology to build biotech tools for agriculture, including diagnostics and genetic optimisation.
🔗 LinkedIn
Johannes Musiol, CEO and founder
Seedrise
Uses biochar as a delivery system for nutrients and biologicals directly at the seed, improving germination and early plant resilience.
🔗 LinkedIn
Gal Admati, CEO and founder
HarvestR
Provides precision agriculture tools and analytics that help farmers optimise inputs, increase yields, and reduce environmental impact.
🔗 LinkedIn
Rossen Kolev, CEO and founder
Smart Farm Robotix
Builds cost-effective, autonomous AI-powered weeding robots to support precision and regenerative farming.
🔗 LinkedIn
Panel: Navigating the Funding Landscape for Circular Food Systems and Climate-Resilient Agriculture
Our speakers will share insights from both the venture capital and impact investment perspectives, highlighting what drives investment decisions today, where the biggest gaps lie in the financing ecosystem, and how startups, scale-ups, and organisations can position themselves to access funding that aligns with environmental and social impact goals.
Louise Heiberg , Partner, Nordic Foodtech VC
For Louise food is everything: climate, nature, culture, health, justice, security and joy. It’s how we connect, care, and shaping the future of food fixing our planet
Jussi Nykänen, Director, Impact Investments, S-Bank Plc
Jussi has more than 20 years’ extensive experience in managing and supervising operations in various fields of environmental and social businesses, especially in finance. Throughout his career the main drivers have been the three i’s: innovation, implementation and impact.
Fredrik Blomquist, Co-founder & Partner, Fundforward
Fredrik is an impact investor and expert in circular economy financing with over 25 years of experience as an entrepreneur, VC founder, board member, and innovation advisor.
Sagar Tandon, Partner, Beyond Impact VC
Sagar is a Partner at Beyond Impact VC, investing in humane, decarbonising, and regenerative B2B solutions globally. He also advises the Society for Cell Agriculture APAC and supports several climate initiatives. A 2X Global Forum member, he promotes gender and climate-smart impact investing.
Moderator: Laura Forsman, Manager, VFDF, University of Helsinki
Laura leads the Viikki Food Design Factory (VFDF) at the University of Helsinki – an innovation ecosystem for science-based solutions driving the transition into sustainable food systems. She is a (food) systems thinker and doer, a co-creation facilitator, and a seasoned business developer with experience from the food industry, customer insight consultancy, and RDI management in the university setting.
FAQ
Do I need a Slush ticket to attend?
No! This is an official Slush side event, but you don’t need a Slush pass to participate. The event is free and open to everyone, as long as you register.
Is the event free?
Yes. Attendance is completely free of charge, thanks to support from EIT Food and its partners.
Do I need to register even if I have a Slush pass?
Yes – we kindly ask all attendees to register, regardless of whether you hold a Slush ticket.
This helps us tailor the programme to your interests and manage limited seating.
Can I just show up without registering?
Walk-ins may be allowed, but only if space permits, and you still would need to register. To secure your place, we recommend registering in advance.
First-come, first-served.
What’s the format of the event?
This is a live Demo Day with:
- 2 expert fireside chats
- 20 startup pitches from the EIT Food Accelerator Network
- A chance to network with founders, investors and industry leaders
Who should attend?
This event is ideal for:
- Investors and venture capitalists
- Corporate innovation teams
- Agrifood entrepreneurs and startups
- Researchers and policymakers
- Anyone passionate about food systems innovation
Will there be food or drinks?
Yes! Light refreshments will be provided during the networking session.
Is the event in English?
Yes. All sessions and materials will be in English.
How do I get to the venue?
Messukeskus, Room 6 and 7
Messuaukio 1, 00520 Helsinki, Finland
By train
Take any commuter or long-distance train to Pasila station – just 5 minutes from Helsinki Central Station.
Messukeskus is directly connected to the station via a short covered walkway.
By tram
Tram lines 7 and 9 stop right in front of the venue (Messukeskus stop).
By bus
Many local and regional buses stop at Pasila or Messukeskus.
On foot
From Pasila station, it’s a 3-minute walk to the main entrance.
By car
Paid parking is available at the Messukeskus parking garages (P1–P4). Use address “Messuaukio 1” in your GPS.
More info: messukeskus.com/en
Join Futures of Food: The hottest tech for resilient agriculture and circular food systems
Key moments and insights from the Futures of Food 2024
The first edition of Futures of Food brought together startups, investors, corporates and researchers to spotlight breakthrough agrifood innovations. The event highlighted the latest trends in biotechnology and bioprocessing – setting the stage for an even bigger 2025 edition.
You can find more information about the event’s Terms & Conditions and our GDPR Policy here:
Registration
Application deadline: Wednesday, 19th November, at 23:59.
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