FoodTech Startup Competition is a program of Maistra Hospitality Group in collaboration with Infobip, Kaufland and Pepermint Agency to advance startups working on products/ services that want to solve sustainibility and digitalization challenges in Food and Hospitality Industry.
A new addition to the second FoodTech StartUp competition is the announcement of an extra winner this year due to the significant interest from small and regional innovators. The winner in the new retail category is Ruralina, a startup based in Split. Their digital solution facilitates seamless interaction among individuals, producers, and organizations, empowering small suppliers to grow through their platform...
We are looking for startups in the category of Food and Hospitality Ecosystem with companies addressing innovation across the entire food value chain; whether it's producing, delivering, purchasing, enjoying, or disposing of food by leveraging technology to create efficiency and sustainability throughout.
Some categories of the above could fall into the following categories:
Products & solutions that improve farming quality and output using technology
Food products that reflect consumer health needs, ingredient transparency, and Food environmental concerns
Helping customers have a better view on what is “good for me”
Reinventing how Hotels, Restaurants and Cafe businesses are managed including innovation in customer facing processes
Creating new shopping experiences, digitization of the supply chain in Food Retail (next gen vending)
New ways of addressing delivery challenges and demand in the food industry
Novel ways of decreasing food waste in the different areas of the food and hospitality industry
A special category of the competition in which all submitted works are viewed according to the standards mentioned above - but must be closely related to retail. Food producers or specially developed technologies (connected to retail) are considered
The Best Of The Best In Retail: overall winner of this category/competition will get marketing support worth 30,000 euros through Kaufland's online channels
The Best Local Food Producers: Up to 5 best local food producers who apply, and meet all the criteria, will get the opportunity to be listed in Kaufland's offer. It is necessary that they be in some way innovative, have everything technically and legally well arranged and checked around the product, barcode and shelf ready packaging.
Applicants must meet the following requirements:
Seed and Pre-Seed stage, with an established company
With a committed multidisciplinary team and the company established
Focused on hospitality and gastronomy 360º and foodtech, developing technologies to promote the future of gastronomy and/or hospitality
With a product or service proposal that fosters the transformation of the agents of its entire value chain: chefs, waiters, managers, producers, distributors, diners, guests
Focus on regional and European startups, global are also welcome
With market metrics and validation with real clients
The winner of the competition will get:
20k EUR credits for Infobip services
A voucher for accommodation in Rovinj's Hotel Lone for 3 days for up to 3 team members.
Access to a startup community, investment opportunities, assistance landing in the local gastronomic and hospitality ecosystem
To present the product @ Weekend Food Festival to gain visibility and network
Assistance landing in the local ecosystem and corporate network
Admission fee for Weekend Food Festival and Weekend Media Festival in 2026
To participate in “Mentoring Bootcamp” with our Expert Team to be held online and/or on site in Croatia. The Mentoring Bootcamp will focus on development of skills and support in the area needed for the winner to kick of the proposed business model or bring it on the next level. The area of focus for the mentoring could be: retail base know-how, hospitality management, customer engagement and omnichannel communications.
Calls for the competition will be published between 11. - 13.4.2025. @ Weekend Food Festival
The registration period will be open from 14.4.2025 until 16.10.2025.
The finalist project will be selected to participate @ Weekend Food Festival and present the product/services
The date of the Mentoring Bootcamp will be defined by 1.4.2026.
For more information, please send an email to foodtech@maistra.hr
