FoodTech Junkies

Meet Phnam Bagley, a space architect and industrial designer who is changing how we view space travel, food tech, and environmental sustainability on Earth. But, Phnam's achievements don't end there - she is also an accomplished creative director, adjunct professor of industrial design, co-host, educator, and board advisor. In this episode, we'll learn about her latest project, the Spa...

In this episode, we explored our current food system, the role of technology, policy, and future trends with Sonalie Figueiras. This conversation reminds us that our relationship with food is not just about sustenance but it also encompasses a much wider societal framework. With rapid advancements in technology and increasing awareness around sustainability issues, we are witnessing a massive food...

Food waste is a global challenge that is not going away any time soon, but there are solutions out there that can help us reduce its impact on our communities and the environment. This is where Tessa's work with Olio comes in. By providing locals with an accessible way to share food goods that would otherwise go to waste, Olio is making a tangible impact on the world one share at a time. It&#3...

In a world where traditional production methods dominate the value chain for cocoa, coffee, and tea, alternative start-ups like WNWN are working hard to change the game. Through traditional fermentation techniques and a focus on regenerative farming, they are leading the charge toward a more sustainable future. It was an absolute pleasure to chat with them on the Foodtech Junkies podcast and hear...

In this episode of FoodTech Junkies, we chat with Jeff Binczyk Chief Marketing Officer of precision health startup Inside Tracker. With 25yrs experience in large corporations like Kellogs and an insatiable need for learning, Jeff is currently researching his dissertation on "how to successfully fail in your small food company Product launch". We’ll hear his thoughts on this topic and more about th...

With over 15 years of experience in the food industry and a deep familiarity with the local and global agrifood industry, today Noga Sela Shalev is the CEO of Fesh Start FoodTech Incubator, an early-stage melting pot of technologies collaborating towards some of the most significant challenges of the food value chain. In this episode, we’ll discuss her journey, and discover her views on food tech,...

Today, we travel to the UK to chat with sustainability entrepreneur and advocate Klaus Mitchell. Klaus shares his inspiring journey, including how he lived on a canal boat in London to drastically cut costs and scale up his media platform, Plant Based News, where he serves as Founder and CEO. Klaus dives into his work on environmental documentaries, including his role as script editor for the Netf...

Today we talk to Alon Chen, co-founder, and CEO of Tastewise, the data platform the food & beverage industry uses to innovate faster, market better, and grow sales. Alon started young. He was a Developer at 12yo, a business owner at 15yo, Google's CMO in Israel and Greece, a Founder of Google Partners, and social activist for LGBTQ issues to date, and a global leader for the World Economic For...

Today we talk to Deniz Ficicoglu, a food blogger turned entrepreneur. Today she is co-founder and CEO of Bettaf!sh, a fast-rising, plant-based-tuna startup with a regenerative twist. We’ll talk about how she’s building a whole new industry while saving our oceans by turning seaweed mainstream.  This German-based startup has rapidly grown in 5 countries in a year and is part of an expanding fi...

In this episode, we talk to Carolina Puzo, founder and President of Muze a company that is aiming to transform the country's cocoa value chain through the circular economy and social impact. We will travel to Ecuador and learn more about Carolina's journey and purpose. We'll dive into the nutritional properties of chocolate, its potential circular applications, and the impact on both people a...

In this new episode, we will see what the future of food innovation looks like through the lens of a pioneer of the industry. Nadav has been actively shaping the agrifood tech ecosystem with his vision and through his network for years now. Together with a bit of startup and market talk, we will discuss Nadav's earlier achievements and the experiences and investments that led him to fund one of th...

Today we travel to the windy city to chat with Osa Osarenkhoe, co-founder and CTO of AI restaurant tech platform ClearCogs. This startup has already taken the Chicago startup scene by storm and aims to help restaurants reduce food waste and drive their overall sustainability. Osa is a serial entrepreneur and co-founder of impact-driven Fifth Star Funds Venture Capital, where he still sits on their...

FoodTech Junkies travels to California to speak with food waste hero and upcycling pioneer Daniel Kurzrock. Ten years ago, out of a passion and a hobby, he co-founded Regrained, now Upcycled Food Inc, a company that makes nutritious and delicious upcycled ingredients. To further the movement, Dan co-founded the Upcycled Food Association, a non-profit focused on reducing food waste by growing the u...

What came first, the chicken or the egg? In this conversation, we bring one of the very best minds of the Startup Nation’s protein experts, Tammy Meiron, CTO of Fresh Start, an incubator aiming to impact our food system through innovation, and Jonathan Rathauser, Chief Egg Officer and co-founder of Precision fermentation startup Eggmented Reality. We will dive into the technology and this rising t...

What does the future hold for alternative proteins? Are they going to reach widespread adoption in the next few years?  Many seem to think so. A systemwide transition towards them would indeed benefit people and the planet. However, obstacles still stand in the way of a wider uptake. For animal-free to be successful with consumers, they must deliver on flavor, texture, sustainable sourcing, a...

Factoring people's well-being and overall impact into business choices is no longer a matter of values, but one of survival. There are several approaches to reconciling planetary health with profit. But one thing is for sure: working as a system and sharing knowledge is essential to expedite this process. On this episode of FoodTech Junkies, we dive into exactly this with FoodTech M...

What are the nuances around the latest trends? How do we stop regeneration from becoming the umpteenth green-washing buzzword? How essential are human-centered design and circular design in food system transformation? In this exciting episode of FoodTech Junkies, we interview veteran agrifood consultants and Naked Innovations founders Ryan Edwards and Laurie Tan and dive into s...

Today's guest is Joshua March, co-founder & CEO of Sci-fi foods. This Coldplay-backed startup is on a mission to empower humanity to eat sustainably. Their innovative approach consists of growing cultivated beef cells while combining them with plant-based proteins to achieve a better-tasting burger at a fraction of the cost. In our chat, we touched on the alt protein market, as well as their v...

Eleven years ago, the news of a company building an urban farm using hydroponics on a NY roof circled the globe and made us all wonder. Today with farms across America, that same organization is one of the world's largest and most commercially successful ones in the sector. That company is  Gotham Greens. Today on Foodtech Junkies, we meet with its co-founder & CEO Viraj Puri to learn mor...

Who knew that jackfruit could feed the world? Today we talk to Karana's co-founder Dan Riegler about the hidden potential of this biodiverse ingredient, the way their plant-based meat products are ethically sourced through regenerative agriculture and the importance of creating healthy, nutritious and affordable alternatives for all. About Dan Riegler Dan Riegler is the co-founder of Singapor...

Today, farm animals consume 20% of the world’s protein, in direct competition with human consumption, while fish, water and soil resources are dwindling. Paris-based startup Ÿnsect has the answer: indoor insect farming. A pioneer in the field, this B Corp uses advanced technologies to breed mealworms and process them to produce high-quality proteins for livestock, pet food, and fertilizers. Furthe...

Journalist, editor, speaker, and podcast host Louisa Burwood-Taylor is a force to be reckoned with in the food innovation space. In this episode, we catch up with AgFunder's Head of Media and Research and Senior Editor of AFN to talk about the hits, misses, buzzwords, and promises of the agrifood tech renaissance. Together we discuss how to improve strategies for reaching future food goals faster....

If food waste were a country, it would be the third largest emitter of greenhouse gases in the world. On this episode of FoodTech Junkies we speak with Julia and Jordy Kay. One was an architect and the other a winemaker, and both have become eco-warriors. Their latest project involves diverting food waste from landfills and converting it into an eco-friendly alternative to plastic, and is only the...

Restaurants and commercial kitchens have always faced challenges like staffing, inflation, food waste, and true costing. When the COVID pandemic hit, these and other issues were exacerbated and in many cases, spelled the end for many businesses. As we look to the future, both smaller restaurants and larger chains will need to deliver consistent quantity and quality in order to maintain their...

What happens when you combine a powerful cultivation software with an AI and computer vision platform? No one would know better than the Founder of Artemis and Chief Marketing Officer and Head of Data Products at iUNU Allison Kopf, one of the 2019 Forbes 30 Under 30. She helps us understand how data-driven technology is transforming the agriculture business and paving the way for advance...