The food sector stands at the crossroads of necessity and opportunity. Beatriz Jacoste, Director of KM ZERO Food Innovation Hub, shares her inspiring journey and vision for transforming global food systems. Here are the key insights from her conversation.

KM ZERO brings together a diverse group of changemakers, from scientists and farmers to entrepreneurs and investors. These “food heroes” are united by a shared mission: creating sustainable, impactful solutions. Beatriz explains, “We need to bring big food into the conversation... We’re obsessed with convincing the unconvinced.” This collaborative approach ensures that stakeholders across the value chain, including large corporations, align toward meaningful change.

While cutting-edge trends like molecular farming grab headlines, Beatriz emphasizes the importance of “less sexy” innovations, such as soil regeneration. Healthy soils not only yield better crops but also help combat climate change. She warns, “We’ve lost 70% of biodiversity and 50% of topsoil, which directly impacts human health.” Reviving these ecosystems can reduce greenhouse gas emissions and create more nutritious food.

KM ZERO’s Gastro Genius program empowers children to tackle food challenges creatively. Through initiatives like designing the hamburger of 2050, younger generations are inspired to think critically about sustainable practices. Beatriz highlights the importance of this work: “If we don’t involve the next generation, we’re just wasting time designing solutions they’ll have to implement without context.”

KM ZERO’s think tanks and summits bring stakeholders together to break bottlenecks and reach consensus on sustainable practices. Their Fooduristic report showcases best practices and inspires companies to replicate them. “We need companies copying each other to accelerate change,” Beatriz urges. These events also provide startups with critical exposure and funding opportunities, bridging the gap between innovation and implementation.

Find Beatriz on:

LinkedIn: Beatriz Jacoste Lozano

Twitter/X: @BeatrizJacoste

Find Ben on:

LinkedIn: Ben Costantini

Twitter/X: @bencostantini

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Food tech is rapidly transforming how we grow, produce, and consume food, and at the forefront of this revolution is PeakBridge Ventures. During the recent podcast with Nadav Berger, founding partner of PeakBridge Ventures, we explored the cutting-edge trends shaping this dynamic sector. Here are the five biggest takeaways from our conversation.

Alternative proteins have been a hot topic in food tech, and Nadav emphasized their importance for sustainability. “The revolution is here, and it has to happen because we don’t have the land and water to grow more animals,” he explained. While the initial hype led to a saturated market, only the strongest companies are scaling effectively. Nadav highlighted that achieving global adoption depends on the scalability and affordability of these innovations.

When it comes to food tech investments, focusing on ingredients often yields the most promising results. Nadav noted, “Most exciting exits in food tech are in the ingredient space.” Startups working in B2B, particularly in scalable technologies like plant-based flavor and texture enhancements, are well-positioned to succeed. This focus on foundational innovations creates opportunities for both investors and big industry players.

Collaboration with established players like Nestlé or Danone is vital for startups aiming to scale. Nadav explained, “In food, it has to do with scale… to serve millions of consumers, you need production, safety, regulation, and distribution.” Startups often lack these resources, which is why partnerships are crucial. PeakBridge Ventures acts as a bridge, connecting startups with the expertise and networks they need.

For Nadav, investing is deeply personal. “At the end of the day, it’s all about the people,” he shared. Understanding the values and motivations of entrepreneurs is essential for long-term collaboration. Nadav even shared a story about how a lunch meeting helped him decide whether to partner with an investor, underscoring the importance of personal connection in professional relationships.

Europe is a hub for groundbreaking food tech research, boasting strong academic institutions and innovative companies. “Europe is amazing because the science and R&D are very deep,” Nadav remarked. With PeakBridge’s focus on seed-stage investments in Europe, the region is poised to lead in areas like alternative proteins, sustainable ingredients, and food system innovation.

Find Nadav on:

LinkedIn: Nadav Berger

Twitter/X: @PeakBridge

Find Ben on:

LinkedIn: Ben Costantini

Twitter/X: @bencostantini

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The environmental impact of traditional protein sources is immense. As Sirli explains, “Producing protein from animals is very environmentally demanding and inefficient.” With global meat consumption on the rise, alternative proteins offer a sustainable way to meet nutritional needs while mitigating climate change. Whether it’s plant-based, fermented, or cultivated, these new protein sources are designed to complement traditional ones, making food production more eco-friendly.

One of the most promising innovations in alternative proteins is mycoprotein, derived from fungal mycelium. Sirli highlights its benefits: “We don’t need any arable lands or depend on climate conditions. It’s a controlled process that can happen anywhere.” This scalability and resilience make fermented proteins an exciting solution for global food security.

Taste remains a significant barrier in the adoption of plant-based proteins. According to Sirli, “Plants have distinctive flavor properties, and no one wants their meat alternative to taste like pea or soy.” Exciting advancements, like gene editing and bioprocessing to remove unwanted flavors, could revolutionize sensory experiences, making plant-based products more appealing to consumers.

Europe’s stringent regulations present hurdles for FoodTech startups. “Everything that hasn’t been consumed before 1997 must go through approval by EFSA,” Sirli shares. Combined with high production costs, especially for technologies like cultured meat, startups face significant challenges. However, partnerships with governments and existing facilities can ease these burdens, fostering innovation.

For startups in the alternative protein space, collaboration is key. Sirli emphasizes, “One of the critical things is intellectual property. Startups need to ensure they retain ownership when working with large corporations or research organizations.” Balancing partnerships with IP protection ensures long-term growth and innovation.

Find Sirli on:

LinkedIn: Sirli Rosenvald

Funki: funki.ee

Find Ben on:

LinkedIn: Ben Costantini

Twitter/X: @bencostantini

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