FoodTech Startup Competition#5

Powered by Maistra Hospitality Group, Infobip, Kaufland, and Weekend Food Festival
The FoodTech Startup Competition is where innovation meets opportunity — and visibility meets growth. We’re here to discover and accelerate startups that are transforming the food, retail, and hospitality industries with sustainable, tech-driven solutions. Winning isn’t just about recognition — it’s about getting your product out into the world, supported by retail placement, hospitality integration, mentorship, and strong promotional visibility through our partner network.

Foodwaste Croatia and Morning Lab are the winners of the 4th FoodTech Startup Competition.

For the fourth consecutive year, the FoodTech Startup Competition has confirmed its position as one of the most important platforms for the development of food innovation in the region. This year's edition attracted more than 50 projects from Croatia and abroad, with the ten best teams presenting their solutions at the Pitch Day final, held on 4 February 2026 at Hotel Zonar Zagreb.

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What are we looking for

We’re looking for bold startups shaping the future of food — across the entire value chain: from farm and factory to restaurant and home kitchen.

Your idea should contribute to a smarter, more sustainable, and more connected food system that supports both the consumer and the planet.

Some categories of the above could fall into the following categories:

Agriculture Tech

Products & solutions that improve farming quality and output using technology

Food Science

Food products that reflect consumer health needs, ingredient transparency, and Food environmental concerns

Food Product and Health Coaching

Helping customers have a better view on what is “good for me”

Food & Hospitality Services

Reinventing how Hotels, Restaurants and Cafe businesses are managed including innovation in customer facing processes

Food Supply Chain & Retail

Creating new shopping experiences, digitization of the supply chain in Food Retail (next gen vending)

Food Delivery

New ways of addressing delivery challenges and demand in the food industry

Food Waste

Novel ways of decreasing food waste in the different areas of the food and hospitality industry

Special CategoryRetail – „From Startup to Retail Shelf Space in Kaufland

In collaboration with Kaufland, this category is dedicated to turning innovation into shelf-ready success.

🏆 Best of the Best in Retail: Receives €30,000 in marketing support through Kaufland’s digital and physical retail channels — giving your product immediate visibility and a boost in brand awareness.

🥇 Best Local Food Producers (up to 5 winners): Gain direct product placement in Kaufland’s product range, provided innovation and technical standards (barcode, packaging, shelf readiness) are met.

We help turn your innovation into a marketable, stocked, and promoted product — connecting you directly with retail decision-makers, marketing experts, and consumers.

Who can apply

We’re looking for startups that are:

In Seed or Pre-Seed stage (legally registered)

Driven by a multidisciplinary and committed team

Focused on foodtech, retail, or hospitality innovation

Offering validated solutions that can scale across the food and hospitality ecosystem

Based in Europe (international projects welcome)

What You’ll Get — and How We Promote the Winners

Winning the FoodTech Startup Competition means joining an active ecosystem that will accelerate your growth, refine your product, and connect you with industry partners who can make a real impact.

Winners receive:

€20,000 product credits

Scale communication, customer engagement, and growth with €20,000 in Infobip service credits.

Enter the Kaufland Retail Network

Gain the opportunity to enter Kaufland’s retail network through product evaluation, promotion and potential shelf placement.

Investors, Media & Final Pitch

Pitch your innovation before an expert jury, network with investors and industry leaders, gain media exposure and benefit from promotion through Kaufland’s and Weekend Food Festival’s communication channels.

Mentoring

Product development consulting from chefs, F&B managers, and industry experts to help refine recipes, packaging, and usability for the hospitality sector.

Real-world testing

Hospitality integration support from Maistra Hospitality Group — with opportunities to test and showcase products within hotels, restaurants, and event catering.

Festival Access & Accommodation

Entry to Weekend Media Festival 2027, ensuring high visibility among business and media professionals.
Hotel Lone accommodation voucher for up to 3 team members (Rovinj).

This is more than an award — it’s a full-cycle growth and promotion program. Your innovation gets access to real distribution, professional refinement, and meaningful visibility in both retail and hospitality channels.

Meet our jury

Tina Turk Lupieri
Human Resources Director, Maistra Hospitality Group
Jeffrey Vella
Corporate Food and Beverage Director, Maistra Hospitality Group
Darko Ivančević
Director of Weekend Food Festival
Lucija Reić
Startup Ecosystem Lead, Infobip
Daniel Šturm
Board member, Kaufland

Get a Glimpse of the Experience - This Could Be You

Timeline & Process

📝 Applications Open: 30.6.2026. until 31.12.2026.

🎤 Final Pitches Live at Zonar Zagreb, before the jury, with investors in attendance.

📧 For more information, please send an email to foodtech@maistra.hr

📣 Promotion Phase: Continuous — winners’ products are featured year-round through retail, hospitality, and media collaborations. The FoodTech Startup Competition is more than just a contest — it’s a launchpad connecting innovators with real business opportunities. Because innovation deserves to be seen, shared, and served

🎥 Curious to know more? Watch our contestants' video stories and discover their journeys.

What are you waiting for? Apply now!

Submit Your Application