Join the FoodBytes! Community

1. Those working on a truly innovative product or technology with an application in food and agriculture. More specifically, those pioneering:
   • Sustainable supply chains
     • Blockchain / traceability, livestock management, animal feed efficiency, meat processing automation, byproduct upcycling, ag marketplaces, commodities processing, shelf-life extension, clean food processing
   • Improved resource management 
     • Carbon sequestration and reduction, precision irrigation, food loss mitigation, sustainable packaging, manufacturing robotics, on-farm automation, ag biotechnology, precision ag & AI, indoor farming
   • Next Frontier of Nutrition
     • Functional ingredients (i.e. aging, mental clarity, performance, immunity), food biotechnology/fermentation, cellular agriculture, plant-based foods, grain & sugar alternatives, meal prep/home cooking simplification, personalized nutrition, consumer wearables & data gathering
2. Those disrupting a large market with a focus on sustainability and / or social impact (people, profit and planet)
3. Those at seed to Series B stage (90% of successful applicants fall into this range)
4. Those that are open to critical feedback, cross-collaboration and partnerships

Hundreds of startups have pitched on the (physical and virtual) FoodBytes! stage. Watch some FoodBytes! alums’ pitch videos (above) and view the rest here.

FoodBytes! is all about making relevant connections between corporates, startups and investors. As the platform has evolved, we’ve grown more global yet targeted in that intent. In 2020, the 45 hailed from 14 countries, and were selected because their products and technologies were relevant to our global set of members. Additionally, the startups demonstrated commercial relevance and a willingness to work directly with our corporate members in the markets in which they operate. Have a look (above) at the 2021 FoodBytes! Pitch members who are part of programming this year.

Note: FoodBytes! programming takes pace on Eastern Time (ET), with several components requiring “live” virtual attendance. That said, we encourage startups in other time zones to apply given their ability to manage participation requirements.

We have a holistic review process that includes Rabobank food and agriculture experts and our FoodBytes! Members. 

In the first round of scoring, 30+ Rabobank sector experts apply the 5 criteria outlined above to review each application and rank each component from 1-5. After discussing these scores and broader knowledge of industry trends, our internal committee selected about 200 startups to move forward to our second round of scoring. 

In this stage, our corporate and investor members are invited to review the vetted applications, applying the same criteria. Through three rounds of Member scoring and discussion (one designated round for each sector – CPG, FoodTech and AgTech), we select 45 total finalists and invite them to join FoodBytes! Pitch. The review process takes place from May through August, and applicants will be notified of our decisions in September.

We select 45 startups from hundreds of applications – 15 food tech startups, 15 agtech startups and 15 CPG startups.

From the 45 selected startups, 15 innovators will advance to the final stage of the program, culminating in a livestreamed public pitch competition. 3 innovators will walk away winners, taking home the FoodTech, AgTech and CPG Awards (selected by the judges). The winners also receive consultations with relevant members in multiple business development areas. All 45 startups get access to our members during the program, as well as lasting connections within the Rabobank network.

Our alumni can say it better than we ever could, and we personally think this video encapsulates the long-lasting value of FoodBytes! perfectly. Selected entrepreneurs gain connections to corporates and investors aligned with your business, stage and goals, resulting in productive conversations that open the door for meaningful long-term outcomes, including:

Investment (from strategic and financial investors) 

• Corporate pilots
• Corporate customer relationships
• Key service provider relationships
• Targeted introductions within corporate organizations
• Feedback on products and technologies — and their commercial viability
• Insight into corporate resources and viewpoints that can refine startups’ approach to collaboration.