Techstars, a global investment firm that provides incubators across a range of industries, has unveiled the 11 food-technology startups in this year’s Farm to Fork Accelerator.
The companies chosen for the 2023 Farm to Fork Accelerator, which is based in Minneapolis, leverage artificial intelligence and other tech to address food-industry challenges such as sustainability, labor, supply chain, and human and animal health.
The Farm to Fork Accelerator, which is conducted in partnership with Ecolab, is a three-month, in-person learning program during which startups have access to Techstars mentors and other resources. The program concludes with a “Demo Day” in which the startups pitch their concepts to other potential investors. The Farm to Fork portfolio, which includes cohorts of food companies from 2021 and 2022 Farm to Fork Accelerators, has raised a total of $154 million, according to Techstars.
This year’s finalists are:
• BeChained, an AI-powered energy-tech solution based in Spain that seeks to help industrial consumers save money and reduce energy consumption and carbon dioxide emissions from efficiency in production.
• ConnectedFresh, a provider of “internet of things” (IoT) monitoring solutions that automate tasks and monitor equipment to minimize food safety risks in commercial kitchens.
• Farmshare, an online marketplace that allows consumer to order products from small, independent food producers, including farms, ranches, and fisheries around the country.
• Gentian, which uses AI and remote sensing to monitor biodiversity and track vegetation ecology.
• OrdrSmart, a platform that enables ingredient suppliers to automate and track the process of sending samples to CPG manufacturers.
• Population, an environmental health and safety operating system for the food industry’s last mile.
• Puebla.io, which seeks to provide digital supply chain collaboration solutions for tropical commodities such as coffee.
• Rubilabs Veterinary Services, which provides final-mile delivery for essential vaccines and other animal health products for livestock in Africa.
• Tavolo, an AI-driven restaurant analytics platform that enables business owners to automate marketing.
• Uuvipak, which makes a patent pending, 100 percent home compostable — and edible — material created from upcycled food waste and designed to replace single-use plastic.
• xBlock, an AI assistant for restaurants connecting all data into one system to better communicate with customers, staff, and managers across multiple devices.
“We are thrilled to welcome an incredible group of talented founders to Minnesota this summer for our Farm to Fork Accelerator,” said Sarah Bain, managing director of Techstars Minnesota, in a statement. “This year’s cohort delivers forward-thinking solutions that address the most dire issues across the food space and the ways technological innovation can be implemented for efficiencies.”
Techstars, which has conducted accelerator programs in Minnesota since 2016, provides initial funding and takes an ownership stake in the startups. This year’s Farm to Fork program kicks off on July 10 and runs through Oct. 5.
Related: Pepsico Names Greenhouse Accelerator Finalists; Fancy Food Show Exhibitors Donate More Than 94,000 Pounds of Specialties.