The FoodTech 500, shining a light on the leading global innovators across AgriFoodTech.
It was May 2019, and we were sitting around the table having lunch and discussing the public launch of Beyond Meat on the NASDAQ. The team was buzzing: who would the next big entrants be? Was FoodTech really on the brink of a major push into mainstream, would the space consolidate or fragment?
As we discussed and argued our positions, it really struck me how disjointed and different our views of the landscape were: while there were common themes, our views were completely based on personal conjecture and preferences (also as consumers) and not on data.
It was this moment that sparked our desire to create a set of criteria to unify, rank and score the businesses that would and could define the future of food: The FoodTech 500, the Fortune 500 of Food Tech.
The FoodTech 500 was born to shine a light on the leading global innovators across AgriFoodTech, those who are creating powerful solutions to heal and transform our food system at every step of the supply chain. We are truly thrilled that this third edition of the initiative also marks our first as a proud Global Tech Advocate. We are looking forward to having an even greater impact and reach this year thanks to our 20 international media partnerships.
We are now accepting applications for the 2021 edition of FoodTech 500, and AgriFoodtech companies around the world can apply to be considered for the coveted ranking. We subject applications to a rigorous standardised review that ranks companies based on business size, digital footprint and sustainable practices – a proprietary scoring system we devised to capture the true pioneers within the sector. After screening entries, we process the data from each company’s application using our FoodTech Data Navigator – a proprietary intelligence platform. Its unique algorithms provide us with the business size score and digital footprint score. We then assess each business’ sustainability efforts by using data from their self-assessment, an approach devised in collaboration with sustainability experts from the academic world that takes into account each Sustainable Development Goal the company is working towards.
In addition to the prestige granted from the ranking, FoodTech 500 winners gain access to a global network of industry stakeholders including Fortune 500 F&B companies, corporate, government and private investors as well as international accelerators and incubators.
We are proud to say the 2020 edition of the FoodTech 500 attracted some of the most innovative AgriFoodTech players globally. At the top of the list was Plenty (USA), an innovative hydroponic vertical farm powered by AI, which has raised $500 million in venture funds to date. In 3rd place was Apeel (USA), a plant-derived solution for fruits and vegetables that doubles to triples the shelf life of many produce types. In 7th place was Too Good To Go (UK), a marketplace that eliminates food waste by helping retailers sell their surplus food. To date, Too Good To Go has engaged 6 million people in their food waste efforts. Also in the top 10 was the South American disruptor NotCo(Chile), a business taking the plant-based sector by storm valued at more than $1.5B, as well as Green Monday Group(Hong Kong), which promotes plant-based eating and environmental protection through its multifaceted social venture model.
In 2020 we received over 2,000+ applications from startups & scaleups across the food value chain representing 63 countries – a truly global representation. Through our partners and extensive media coverage we are excited to have had access to a network of outlets with a combined monthly readership on 350M+.
Startups can apply here for their chance to be part of 2021’s FoodTech 500. Applications close the 15th of November 2021 and the full list of winners will be announced in Q1 2022. We have already received over 1K+ applications, so there is no time to wait! Apply now to see your name amongst the top FoodTech companies in the world.
Have more questions? Read our FAQs or reach out to our team who will be delighted to help address your question
We look forward to another fantastic FoodTech 500 lineup. Join the food revolution and help us spread the word to any FoodTech innovator you think should be part of this year’s FoodTech 500!