FoodTech

Innovation Lab

1871’s FoodTech Innovation Lab connects growth and late-stage startups with corporate businesses, investors, and experts to solve the biggest challenges in the food sector for future industry transformation.

2024 program in progress!

Current partners: Levy, EX3, and World Business Chicago.

Supported by

2024 Lab Focus Areas

Innovative Ingredients

AgTech

Manufacturing & Packaging Innovation

2024 Lab Focus Areas

Smart Manufacturing

Automation, digitization, flexibility, and scalability

Supply Chain Responsibility

Sustainability by design, circular supply chain, scope 3 transparency, and n-tier visibility

Global Resiliency

Decentralization, agility, reconfigurable networks, and solving for supply chain disruption

AI in Supply Chain

Smart decision making and augmented insights

Visibility and Planning

Control tower and digital twin

“It’s been an awesome experience, we’ve been able to…

Connect with corporate partners, investors, and other founders in this ecosystem to share ideas and collaborate.”

1871’s C1 Supply Chain Innovation Lab participant gives program review.

“It’s been an awesome experience, we’ve been able to…

1871’s C1 Supply Chain Innovation Lab participant gives program review.

FoodTech Innovation Lab 2024

Key details

4 months | Immersive | Hybrid

Runs: 8.12.24 - 11.08.24

What's included for participants

•Unique benefits per business stages

• Inclusion on 1871 press release

• Immersive programming by experts

• Community of peers

• Growth stage gets 3 months of 1871 membership after program + during

• Featured at Foodtech Innovation Summit

•Unique benefits per business stages

• Inclusion on 1871 press release

• Immersive programming by experts

• Community of peers

• Featured at 2024 FoodTech Innovation Summit

Who's in the Lab>>

Growth-stage startups

Late-stage Lab partners

Corporate Lab partners

Growth stage startups

Late stage lab partners

Corporate lab partners

Built with industry experts

Entrepreneur-In-Residence

Nate Cooper

Founder & Managing Partner @ Barrel Ventures

Nate has partnered with some of the brightest entrepreneurs building companies in this world, investing in companies such as Olipop, Jumbotail, Grabango, Helaina, Great Wrap & others. He founded L3 Hospitality Group and Wise Apple.

Barrel Ventures is an early stage fund investing in the future of food from pre-farm to post-fork and everything in-between.

Join the Lab

Growth-stage startups

For a FoodTech company with a demonstrated
product market fit & poised to grow.

Exclusive benefits

Share their product with corporate partners, strategic investors, and other growth and late-stage companies
Iterate faster and level up their product & business strategy
Tap into advice from industry experts
Gain a deeper understanding of industry trends and positioning
Create a network of peers in their industry
Amplify your brand at the 2024 FoodTech Summit

Late-stage Lab partner

For a FoodTech company interested in becoming an industry expert and influencing major industry outcomes.

Exclusive benefits

Emerge as a showcased thought leader
Network with peers and leaders in your industry
Mentor future industry leaders
Connect with industry leaders and up-and-coming companies disrupting your industry
Explore curated connections between potential partners across maturity curve (growth to corporate)
Amplify your brand at the 2024 FoodTech Summit

Corporate
lab partners

For corporations looking to innovate and accelerate FoodTech solutions.

Exclusive benefits

Ability to shape Lab focus areas and programming tied to your business and broader industry needs
Connect & network with top tier growth and late-stage startups
Curated introductions related to your business needs and objectives
Mentor future industry leaders
Amplify your company as thought leaders through workshops and panels
Gain peer-to-peer access and insights from industry leaders at other partner companies
Seat on 1871’s FoodTech Council with like-minded industry experts