First launched in San Francisco in 2015 as part of Rabobank’s Banking for Food (B4F) strategy, FoodBytes! provides a platform for entrepreneurs to access mentorship and connections to grow their businesses. The B4F strategy is part of the bank’s ‘Growing a Better World Together’ mission, which aims to feed the world sustainably by 2050 by addressing global food waste and loss, sustainable agriculture and stability of the food chain and nutrition. Since its inception, FoodBytes! has attracted over 3,500 attendees and received over 1,400 applications from 35 countries. More than 210 companies make up the FoodBytes! alumni community, including Europe-based startups Impact Vision, Koupe and Novolyze.

The two-day event begins with a mentorship workshop on Wednesday 12 September for selected startups led by experts on fundraising, PR, branding, consumer trends, legal and go-to-market strategy.