The 7 most promising foodtech startups in 2022, according to investors

Foodtech attracted nearly CHF 87 million in investments so far in 2022. The sector also took center stage at this year's TOP 100 Swiss Startup award show, as Planted claimed second place in the ranking. Find out more about the food-focused startups that found the recipe for success, exciting the expert jury and the public to claim a spot among the TOP 100 Swiss Startups of 2022.

The annual ranking of the TOP 100 Swiss Startups has become a benchmark in Switzerland’s startup ecosystem—and beyond. Every year, a panel of 100 leading investors and startup experts chooses the 100 most innovative and promising Swiss startups. Each jury member nominates 10 Swiss startups that are fewer than five years old and show the greatest commercial potential. The first-placed company receives 10 points, the second nine points, and so on. The individual rankings are compiled to generate the final TOP 100 Swiss Startup Award ranking. In parallel, the TOP 100 Public Voting allows everyone with a LinkedIn account to cast one vote and choose the most promising startup per vertical.

Discover the startups that impressed the TOP 100 Jury and the public the most with their innovative foodtech solutions.


Planted Foods, #2
With its plant-based "meat," Planted Foods has caught the spirit of the times and is expanding rapidly. Planted produces delicious meat from alternative proteins, focusing on the perfect bite. Inspired by nature, the company pioneers a novel bio-structuring approach that combines protein structuring and biotechnology. Using various proprietary technologies, Planted designs and structures alternative proteins in any size, shape, and fibrous texture and is convinced that bio-structured proteins will outperform animal meat in the future in terms of taste, sustainability, health, efficiency, and price. Planted is committed to using only clean and natural ingredients and no additives in all its products - making it a healthy and sustainable option for all. Truly better than animal meat. Planted produces all its products under a glass-house production facility in Kemptthal, Switzerland. www.eatplanted.com

AgroSustain, #21
Last July, AgroSustain raised CHF 4.8 million in preparation for its market entry. The University of Lausanne spin-off develops natural protective agents for fruit and vegetables, to reduce losses before harvesting and during transport and storage. The first product – a spray coating for exotic fruit—has been on the market in Switzerland since April. Some fruit, such as apples, bananas, and mangoes, have a natural protective layer. Nevertheless, long transport routes leave their mark, so importers of exotic fruits
choose fast and thus unecological transport routes. Locally stored fruit loses water and cannot be sold. Both these factors increase the environmental footprint massively. AgroSustain co-founder and CEO Olga Dubey want to remedy the situation with a biological coating solution. The fruit is coated with it before transport or storage, allowing it to stay fresh for longer. The product has been on the market in Switzerland since March and is used by two importers. «We wanted to get started in Germany in July,» says Dubey. After CHF 4.8 million in new capital in 2021, the start-up wants to raise another CHF 5 million. Part of this will go into the development of a second crop protection product against fungal attacks that can be used before harvest. www.agrosustain.ch

KITRO, #36
Founded in 2017, KITRO focuses on reducing food waste. It has developed automated waste measurement systems that allow restaurants and hotels to identify, track, and monitor the amount of food that ends up in bins, reducing waste by up to 60%. At the end of 2021, the startup received CHF 1.7 million in additional capital. www.kitro.ch

Cultivated Biosciences, #53
Dairy production causes 4% of global greenhouse gas emissions. Plant-based alternatives, although gaining traction, don't appeal to many consumers, as they lack a creaminess for which the fat component is key. Cultivated Biosciences wants to fix this. The company is developing a fat ingredient from GMO-free yeast which offers the creaminess needed for plant-based dairy. This ingredient has a clean label and a sustainable production process. www.cultivated.bio

Luya, #68
Luya is the flavor-loaded, plant-based alternative to meat that doesn't try to be meat. The company uses organic okara—a by-product of tofu and soy milk production of which more than 14 million tonnes go to waste globally every year—and turn it into ready-to-cook slices, chunks and patties. Using traditional fermentation methods and modern technology, the startup skips additives and highly processed ingredients and offers 100% natural, organic deliciousness, made in Switzerland. www.luya.bio

Swiss Organic Partners, #92
Swiss Organic Partners aim to be the leading, most trusted healthcare company in Europe for evidence-based, naturally derived and high-quality cannabinoid products for pharmaceutical and well-being purposes. The company wants to make it easier for people to benefit from the potential of cannabinoids with trusted products, meaningful innovation, and strong partnerships. www.swopa.ch

The Food Detective, #100
Foodetective enables businesses in the food and beverage industry to integrate and manage their entire tech stack from a single OS and platform. This helps increase online revenues and reduces operational and administrative tasks. www.business.foodetective.co


PUBLIC VOTING: myDropz

myDropz uses the treasures of nature to create flavors from the finest fruits and herbs. Through careful extraction, the startup obtains natural flavors and processes them into the practical dropz, all 100% free of added sugar and made in Switzerland. www.dropz.com