A recent report from The World Economic Forum advocates for the transformation of our global food system by focusing on human and planetary health. The report calls for urgent actions from cross-sector stakeholders to reshape food systems and policies to achieve a more equitable and sustainable food landscape. As the global population reaches eight billion and continues to grow, the pressure on traditional food systems to provide nutritious food choices that align with global sustainability goals is increasing.
Belgian support for sustainable agritech
While the challenges may seem overwhelming, a growing number of sustainable agritech startups are taking root, thanks to support from specialist institutes, accelerators, and investment funds. The Belgian sustainable agritech ecosystem is thriving, with organizations such as Flanders’ Institute for Agricultural, Fishery & Food Research (ILVO), innovation clusters like flanders.bio and venture capital funds and incubators, such as V-Bio Ventures and biotope by VIB, among many others, creating a rich environment for success.
Based in Nevele, Belgium, biotope is an incubator designed exclusively for sustainable biotech, agritech, and agrifood startups aiming to grow their innovations into an investment-ready businesses.
“We are really looking at what kind of biotechnology innovations can be part of the solution in tackling some of these challenges,” explains Annick Verween, head of biotope. “For sure, we need more food. But it needs to be healthier, and we also need to ensure that Earth, our world, stays healthy. This is what biotope focuses on.”
When environmental sustainability meets economic sustainability
Sustainability is a core ethos of the diverse agritech innovators supported by biotope. Each startup in biotope’s portfolio presents potential solutions for transforming our food system, including innovative, sustainable alternatives to animal-derived food products, to synthetic pesticides, and to plastic food packaging, among others.
These ‘positive for the planet’ innovations also align with a changing industry mindset where companies lacking data-backed sustainability credentials may ultimately fail on their startup journey. “I would challenge the success of survival for companies who launch something which, these days, does not contribute to sustainability,” explains Verween. But this also needs to align with the economic sustainability of a startup to have any tangible impact. “If a company is not economically sustainable, their innovation will make no difference… You can have amazing goodwill as a person, as an entrepreneur, or as a business, but you need to have somebody who’s willing to pay for your solution.”
Biotope helps entrepreneurs navigate these challenges in their initial startup journey by providing guidance from industry professionals, access to a global network of experts, and crucial investment funds to encourage growth in the right direction while providing feedback on ideas that might need a rethink.
“I would challenge the success of survival for companies who launch something which, these days, does not contribute to sustainability.” – Annick Verween
The proof is in the protein
One of the start-ups benefiting from the support of biotope is PFx Biotech. They produce bioactive human milk proteins through a process called precision fermentation to improve nutrition for a broad range of people while avoiding the use of animals and excessive amounts of natural resources. “Precision fermentation is a great technology because you can replicate certain proteins that exist in nature at a fraction of the environmental cost,” highlights Ali Osman, founder and CEO of PFx Biotech.
The technology boasts impressive sustainability credentials as the proteins PFx Biotech produces with precision fermentation result in 97% less greenhouse gas emissions, 99% less water consumption, and 60% less non-renewable energy use compared to animal sources of protein. Thanks to early investment and support from biotope, Osman and colleagues improved the yield of one of their target proteins four times during a pilot study, a crucial step in attracting further investment. The partnership is a prime example of how biotechnology can positively impact both people and the planet when supported by early-stage investors like biotope.
A rigorous process for smart, sustainable investments
The past few years were difficult for startups due to a lack of funding, resulting in a relatively slimmed-down startup landscape alongside an increased hesitancy of investors to invest. But, this also presents opportunities for investors and founders to reassess, focus on the data available, and hopefully avoid the hype cycle that plagued previous sustainable agritech investments, where companies promised the world but failed to deliver.
“I think it will result in less early-stage startups in the future, but with much more concrete data to build a business case on,” explains Verween. Osman agrees that early-stage companies must have more than a groundbreaking vision to succeed. “To be successful, it’s not just the vision that counts. You need to have data. You need proof that the concept works.”
Biotope is backed by VIB, one of the premier life science research institutes in Belgium and Europe, providing a sharp scientific and business focus that benefits all stakeholders. This is reflected in the hands-on process biotope takes when selecting successful applicant companies from around the globe.
A Belgian basecamp for sustainable businesses
The scientific and business experts at biotope first assess the scientific and intellectual property potential of applicants. Once companies are selected, they enjoy a close relationship with biotope from start to finish. They are initially invited to a three-week intensive ‘basecamp’ where external and internal experts like Verween take a deep dive into understanding the founders, their business cases, and, importantly, their science. “At the basecamp, we really get to know the founders. Are they open to feedback? Are they willing to pivot? How strong is their science really?” For founders, it’s essential to be open and transparent about the current state of their technology and the hurdles that must be overcome to reach the next stage. “Founders need to be very clear about what they can and cannot do at the moment,” says Verween.
“To be successful, it’s not just the vision that counts. You need to have data. You need to have proof that the concept is working.” – Ali Osman
Upon selection by the investment committee, the startups enter an 18-month tailored support program that focuses on their unique challenges. Osman agrees that the biotope program was foundational in helping PFx Biotech navigate their startup journey. “I think the opportunity to talk to the different stakeholders of biotope adds a lot of value. It opens up new avenues and increases your awareness of things you might not have considered before,” emphasizes Osman.
The location of biotope in Belgium allows agritech startups to benefit from a very strong local and worldwide network. Europe is home to a huge number of multinational agrifood and agritech companies, an enviable asset compared to other regions, that enables a mutually beneficial network of research, development, support, and innovation. Combined with academic institutes, innovation clusters, and accelerators, these assets may form one part of the food system sustainability tool kit, with Belgium at the forefront.
Ultimately, increasing sustainability across all aspects of our food system through planet-first agritech innovations will help us to collectively achieve a more equal and nature-first food landscape that benefits us and the planet we live on.
