The FoodTech Startup Competition is a program of the 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.
"By modifying the eating habits of consumers, we took a small step towards big and necessary changes and returned people back to nature,” emphasized Tino Prosenik, the founder and CEO of the startup Gruntek – the winner of the FoodTech StartUp Competition which was launched with the aim of finding new talent and creative ideas and supporting potential success stories in the food and hospitality industry. Maistra Hospitality Group, Infobip and Pepermint are behind this commendable project, and the key focus is on finding long-term solutions to contemporary challenges in the global gastronomic community...
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
Applicants must meet the following requirements:
Seed and Pre-Seed stage, with a 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:
20k EUR credits for Infobip services
Voucher for accommodation in Rovinj Hotel Lone for 3 days for up to 3 team members.
Access to startup community, investment opportunities, assistance landing in the local gastronomic and hospitality ecosystem
Present the product @ Weekend Media Festival to gain visibility and network
Assistance landing in local ecosystem and corporate network
Admission fee for Weekend Food Festival and Weekend Media Festival in 2024
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 13. - 16.4.2023 @ Weekend Food Festival
The registration period will be open from 17.4.2023 to 31.7.2023
The finalist project will be selected to participate @ Weekend Media Festival and present the product/services
The date of the Mentoring Bootcamp will be defined by 15.9.2023
For more information, please send an email to foodtech@maistra.hr
