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Picture courtesy of Revo Foods/Facebook

EIT Food has unveiled the winners of its Marketed Innovation Prize, created to reward innovative agrifood start-ups that have successfully brought products or services to market and strive to create a healthier, more sustainable and resilient food system.

Austrian alternative protein start-up Revo Foods, which makes a plant-based alternative to seafood using pea proteins, algae extracts and plant oils, won the top Marketed Innovation prize of €10,000.
Revo Foods has successfully brought four products to market in over 20 European countries, including fish-free alternatives to smoked salmon and tuna spread. This is not the first time that the Austrian start-up has participated in one of EIT Food programmes. Previously it took part in the Global Food Venture Programme, designed for entrepreneurial PhD students, and later joined the EIT Food Accelerator Network where it received support shaping its business plan, preparing for investment rounds and making contact with a network of industry experts. Revo Foods have already announced its plans to apply for EIT Food’s RisingFoodStars programme this year. 

Robin Simsa, CEO of Revo Foods, said: “EIT Food has supported the mission of Revo Foods to end overfishing with better alternatives from day one, and is one of the most important startup networks for us in Europe.

“It is truly astonishing what EIT Food have been able to accomplish with entrepreneurs in a short period of time, and we are sure that they will continue to be a driver of innovation for a sustainable food future in Europe and across the world.”

Start-ups that received the €5,000 prizes include Swedish biotech company Norbite and UK-based food waste innovator Mimica. Norbite specialises in biotech research and transforms plastic waste into sustainable goods using an insect-based biorefinery, with applications for food and feed, cosmetics, medicines and fertilisers, whilst Mimica has developed ‘Bump’, a temperature-sensitive indicator for food freshness that helps to reduce food waste by tracking when food and drinks have spoiled, rather than relying on their expiry date.

The other 17 start-ups to receive €5,000 are:

Andy Zynga, CEO of EIT Food, said: “We’re delighted to have this opportunity to recognise and reward startups that have participated in EIT Food programmes and are now creating real impact by bringing their products and services to market. From protein diversification to sustainable agriculture, the winners of the Marketed Innovation Prize are driving transformation across every part of our food system, whether by giving consumers exciting new options on supermarket shelves or offering food producers new techniques to maximise their efficiency.

“We look forward to following and supporting them in the next stages of their journeys and hope other entrepreneurs will be inspired by seeing what is possible.”