Startups
future of food
future of food
The rapid adoption of GLP-1 medications is doing more than managing weight; it is beginning to rewire consumer behavior and investment priorities across the entire food system. PeakBridge, a leading agrifood venture capital firm and F&A Next organizing partner, is at the forefront of analyzing these shifts to identify where the strongest commercial moats are […]
The convergence of artificial intelligence and gene editing is fundamentally reshaping how crop innovation happens. As an F&A Next Catalyst Partner, Corteva Agriscience is actively advancing this shift by combining computational prediction with precision biology to accelerate breeding outcomes. In this piece, Mat Muller explores how these capabilities are coming together to move innovation from […]
Approximately 90% of startups fail, with most falling into the so-called “valley of death.” This critical scaling-up phase – the transition from founder-led experimentation to process-driven operations – remains the most significant hurdle for agrifood innovation. On 20–21 May, F&A Next returns to Wageningen to address this scaling crisis. For over a decade, the summit […]
Plant Science director at Wageningen University & Research, Dr Richard Harrison, reflects on a future where we can combine a diversity of farming systems and explores where the role of biotechnology will fit. Harrison explains how the current combination of increasing knowledge, AI and more accessible techniques is democratising science and speeding up biotechnology. Harrison […]
At F&A Next 2026, ten high-potential startups will take the stage as this year’s Next Heroes, representing the next generation of innovators in the agrifood sector. Selected by Rabobank and Anterra Capital, co-organising partners of F&A Next, this group reflects the most relevant innovation trends shaping the industry today. All selected companies will also be […]
Navigating the European regulatory landscape remains a significant hurdle for AgriFoodTech startups. To support founders and investors, the Novel Food Framework, a joint initiative by Invest-NL, GFI Europe, and Forward Food Law, has been expanded. Following high market demand, this practical guide to accelerating market entry and managing regulatory pathways is now available in newly […]
Another edition of F&A Next goes into the books! On May 21 and 22, we welcomed over 800 attendees for the 10th edition of our summit, hosted in the Omnia building on Wageningen University & Research (WUR) campus. The participants brought energy and good vibes, contributing to the discussion we care the most about: the […]
They are based in the same location–the Plus Ultra II building on the Wageningen University campus–and share a passion for accelerating technology and innovation in creating a sustainable food system. Each brings a different perspective, knowledge, and network to the F&A Next table. We are talking about StartLife, Foodvalley, and the Wageningen University & Research […]
One of the secrets behind F&A Next’s success is the team of organizing partners. Five institutions, each bringing a different perspective and skillset to the table, but with a common interest in the future of food and agriculture. In this two-episode series, we sat down with them to reflect on their journey as part of […]
A disrupting idea, a talented and motivated team of people, and hundreds of hours of work. That’s the story that many startups that passed through F&A Next have in common. Two such examples are our former Next Heroes in Food & Agtech Orbisk and Jord BioScience, thriving scaleups that recently raised millions of funding to […]
In 36 years of serving in the British army, Lieutenant General Richard Nugee experienced many conflict situations. In Kosovo, Iraq, and Afghanistan, to name a few. The last part of his military career was devoted to one special operation: reviewing the UK Defense’s climate change and sustainability approach. Thanks to his work, he gained international […]
In the heart of the urban landscape, where the buzz of innovation meets the green of nature, Tupu stands as a beacon of sustainable agriculture. As one of last year’s ‘Next Heroes in Food and Agtech‘ at F&A Next, Tupu has not only set a new precedent for urban farming but has also paved the […]
The 9th edition of F&A Next is on its way! On 22 & 23 May 2024 we will welcome 800+ startups, scaleups, investors and corporates from all over the world in Wageningen, Netherlands. Soon ticket sales will open. Today, we call on startups to apply for the Next Heroes in Food & Agtech. HEROES ASSEMBLE Is […]
On paper, things look pretty bleak for venture capital. Investments are down 60% compared to the market peak in late 2021, and agrifood tech is no exception. But on the ground, things look more positive than the cold numbers indicate. Participants at the F&A conference – attended by 700 start-ups, investors, etc., and sold out […]
Harm Edens of BNR radio interviews experts on why a bank is aiming to build a better world. This week, he speaks to Adam Anders, Managing Partner at Anterra Capital, about the role venture capitalism is playing to shape the future of food security. Adam Anders of Anterra Capital talks impact investing Listen to the […]
Impact investing – funding companies or organizations that can make a real difference to society – is creating a buzz in equity circles, but is it all that different from traditional venture capital? Three food and agtech investors explain. Impact investors on funding the future of food More than a quarter of all money under […]