FOODTECH INNOVATION AWARD 2024

A CALL FOR INNOVATIVE SOLUTIONS IN FOOD RETAIL

LOOKING FOR RETAIL MEDIA SOLUTIONS

In partnership with Barilla and Lavazza, the FoodTech 2024 is a startup call looking for retail media solutions in the Food & Retail industry. We are scouting for unique B2B and B2B2C startups/scaleups that empower brands and retailers to better understand customer behavior and improve customer experience and interaction across different channels.

Winners will have the opportunity to explore a Proof of Concept with Barilla and Lavazza.
Do you have a solid technology in this arena? If so, we would love to hear from you!

Learn more about the FoodTech 2024 finalists here.

The FoodTech 2024 Timeline

Jun 3

CALL OPENS

Jul 26

CALL CLOSES

Oct 01

FINALISTS ANNOUNCEMENT

Oct 22

PITCH DAY IN ZÜRICH AT ACCENTURE HQ

Partners

What are we looking for?

SCOUTING CATEGORY

RETAIL MEDIA

INNOVATIVE SOLUTIONS FOR ENGAGEMENT & ANALYTICS

Solutions that empower brands and retailers to better understand new customer behavior and improve their omnichannel experience while offering new in-store solutions to increase engagement, resulting in higher conversions and efficient interaction across channels. More specifically, the FoodTech 2024 is scouting for innovative scaleups in the following areas:

  • Retail Media: Enhance collaboration among brands and retailers in crafting new solutions to engage with customers while identifying the best content and touchpoints to interact with the audience both online and offline.
  • In-store Solutions for CX: Utilize technologies to map and craft customer journeys across different channels, enhancing the omnichannel experience with new contents, increasing conversions and enhancing overall engagement.
  • AI-driven Tools for Customer Behavior Analysis & Mapping: Leverage AI solutions that use behavioral / neuroscience data from different sources (e.g., retailers, external databases, interactions) to analyze preferences and facilitate customer behavior understanding.
  • Tools for Omnichannel & Retail Media Efficiency: Allow brands and retailers to implement new solutions to measure the efficiency and monitor the return of retail media operations and marketing activities.

FoodTech 2024 - The Jury

A distinguished committee of leaders and decision-makers from the Food and Retail sector will meticulously assess all submitted applications. Selected finalists will have the opportunity to present their innovative solution in front of executives of Accenture, Barilla, Coop, Gloovo, Lavazza, Selex Group and many more brands and retailers as well as other Lifestyle Tech Competence Center prestigious partners, and a selection of journalists.

Andrea Bello
Innovation and Experience Senior Manager at Lavazza Group

Luca Ravazzoni
E-commerce Senior Manager & NKA at Barilla Group

Guy Keeling
VP, Global eCommerce at Barilla Group

Karen Laesch
Region Marketing Director DACH & Poland at Lavazza Group

Massimo Baggi
Marketing Director at Selex

Gregor Peham
Country Manager Austria & Switzerland at Lavazza Group

Adriana Matiz Chicacausa
Experience Design Manager at Lavazza Group

Michele Raballo
Managing Director, EU Lead for Commerce at Accenture Song

Alberto Dolcetta
Director Quick Commerce at Glovo

Elena Bernini
Consumer insights, Competitors & Market Intelligence Manager at Lavazza Group

Giacomo Galloni
Key Account E-Commerce Brick & Mortar at Barilla Group

Matteo Dolcini
Digital Marketing & Social Media Professional Pavesi, Grancereale e Wasa at Barilla Group

Jelena Tasic
Managing Director at Lifestyle Tech Competence Center

Francesco De Maria
Digital Commerce Managing Director at Accenture Song

Antonio Rossano
IT Partner to Function Marketing & E-commerce at Barilla Group

Dominik Bauer
Brand Manager Austria & Switzerland at Lavazza Group

Eleonora Reggiani 
Digital & Social Manager Pasta & Condiments at Barilla Group

Gian Maria Gentile
Director at Easycoop.com

Filippo Bedini
eCommerce Account Manager – Pure Player at Barilla Group

Christine Hart
Advanced Analytics Innovation and Business Lead at Barilla Group

Emanuele Pizzatti
Advisor at MFO

Jacqueline Ruedin Rüsch
Founding General Partner at Privilège Ventures

Silvia Rebecchi
E-Commerce Professional at Barilla Group

Raffele Cormio
Responsible Selex Lab at Selex Group

Anthony Stam
Partner at New Epoch Capital 

Luca Ambrosini
eCommerce Sales and Partnerships Development Manager at Carrefour

Giulia Greta Pochettino
E-Commerce Category Manager at Carrefour

Francesca Bonini
Ecommerce Commercial Manager at Carrefour

Gabriele Amadò
Head Corporate Clients Sopraceneri at UBS

 

 

Barbara Conforti
Operational Manager at Aliante Suisse

Carlo Terreni
President at Lifestyle Tech Competence Center, Founding Partner at Loomish 

FOODTECH 2024: JOIN US IN SHAPING THE FUTURE OF THE FOOD RETAIL

WHO QUALIFIES?

We encourage applications from mature B2B and B2B2C startups / scaleups that fulfill the following KPIs and criteria:

• Are in revenue

• Have credentials and client track record

Ready-to-be-implemented solutions that can be scaled to a corporate brand

• Have a structured team

• Have a solution that fit the scouting category

 
Early-stage startups do not qualify.

WHY APPLY?

We open doors for international startups / scaleups to be part of the growing innovation landscape in Switzerland.

• Growth opportunities: Finalists will have the chance to pitch in front of top executives, investors, and managers from leading Food and Retail brands, finalists and winners will have a chance to enter into direct contact with them and explore the possibility of a Proof of Concept (PoC).

•  Network: Connect with the leading market players in the FoodTech arena who are actively searching for partnerships with startups. In addition, you will get in touch with the great network of Switzerland Innovation Park and the exclusive community of Dagorà Innovation Hub.

• Visibility: in addition to presenting to an expert jury from the FoodTech arena, the finalists get visibility on multiple social media channels of Loomish and Award partners.

Prizes

Finalists and winners get a set of unique benefits, all designed to have an immediate effect on the solutions’ scaling up:

THE FINALISTS GET:

A) Access to the closed-door – in-person only Pitch Day in Zürich (Accenture HQ), Switzerland on October 22: visibility with potential customers from brands, retailers, investors and media

B) Possibility of one-to-one meetings with jury members and business introductions

C) Free tickets for Dagorà Innovation Hubexclusive event Retail Tech Innovation in Zürich (Google HQ), Switzerland on October 23

D) Involvement in the Dagorà Innovation Hub community, with the possibility of free tickets to exclusive events in Switzerland and beyond

E) Promotional activities and PR

THE WINNERS GET:

E) Opportunity to explore a Proof of Concept with Barilla and Lavazza

F) Free tickets and networking opportunity at the Retail Tech Innovation event in Zürich, where you will find well-known industry brands, investors and more. Winners will be announced during the event

G) Tailored consultancy session on Investment opportunities in Switzerland and Europe (e.g., Innosuisse, Eurostars – Eureka) provided by SUPSI

H) One free stand/booth and 3 tickets at the Lifestyle Innovation Day 2025, where you will find 1000+ attendees from well-known industry brands, investors and more

I) Promotion as FoodTech 2024 winner in European and Swiss media

J) The exclusive FoodTech 2024 trophy 

FOODTECH 2024: PITCH DAY AT ACCENTURE HQ IN ZÜRICH, SWITZERLAND

FoodTech Innovation Award 2024

The Loomish Innovation Awards have been recognised as a great business development platform in Europe: entrepreneurs take part in our challenges in order to do business.
 
As starters, the selected finalist will be invited to pitch in front of a prestigious jury comprised of decision-makers from Barilla and Lavazza, as well as other partners, investors and experts in the Food & Retail arena.
 
To learn more about the past edition of the FoodTech Innovation Award, click here.

Any questions about FoodTech 2024?

Please reach out to michele.crespi@loomish.ch