Opportunities for start-ups in the agri-food sector
From a technological point of view, there is no reason why Switzerland should lag behind current hotspots such as Singapore or Israel in the field of agri-food tech. Nutrition is above all a question of innovation.
Monday, September 6, 2021
The debate surrounding agricultural and climate initiatives has highlighted the enormous diversity of viewpoints and brought social, political and economic challenges to the fore alongside ecological ones. Current and future challenges such as climate change, food waste, meat consumption, animal welfare, soil fertility, healthy ageing and the burden of healthcare costs are becoming increasingly relevant. Creating a sustainable food system, known as ‘one planetary health’, is one of the most pressing issues in Switzerland and around the world, given that the global population is expected to reach around 9 billion by 2050.
Innovation and competitiveness
Practical solutions require a forward-looking, holistic approach, new production methods and the involvement of everyone – from agriculture, the processing industry, trade, politics and science to consumers. Innovative ideas and solutions in the field of agri- or food tech, such as indoor farming, cell-based protein, 3D-printed food and novel food ingredients, have great potential to solve the problems we face.
Switzerland has been a leader in innovation and competitiveness for years and is ideally placed to establish a stable and successful agri-food tech ecosystem thanks to its universities, companies, start-ups, financial resources, political framework and open-minded and committed consumers.
However, Switzerland could exploit this potential even better and more effectively to move towards more sustainable food production and utilisation.
The innovation ecosystem, with its various innovation networks, platforms and support programmes, plays a central role in this. They help ideas to emerge, act as catalysts and transfer expertise. Together with the excellent research landscape, companies and start-ups, new, innovative solutions can be developed and scaled up successfully on a global level.
From a technological point of view, there is no reason why Switzerland should lag behind current hotspots such as Singapore or Israel in the agri-food tech sector. Challenges exist in the areas of regulation and financing. Issues such as novel foods (Novel Food Regulation), new concepts for promoting ideas and rapid market implementation need to be addressed.
Innovation ecosystem is key
Support for the innovation ecosystem and new ways of promoting start-ups are key issues. Switzerland is still characterised by a broad middle class – how can suitable concepts be used to build the next generation of independent companies in the food sector from the many start-ups? This represents a major opportunity for the economy as a whole, and one that must be seized.
An innovation offensive in the food and nutrition sector is called for. Similar to the Digital Switzerland strategy adopted by the Federal Council in September 2018, the agri-food tech sector, with all its opportunities for greater sustainability and economic success, can also be placed at the centre of political strategies.
Promoting Switzerland as an innovation biotope
The research-based industrial companies Syngenta, Bayer and DSM, in collaboration with the industry association scienceindustries, have been supporting the Start-up Innovation Corner at the ‘Brennpunkt Nahrung’ conference, which was launched by Swiss Food Research, for several years. In doing so, they are making an important contribution to Switzerland's innovation biotope.
This article was written by Daniel M. Böhi, entrepreneur and director of the Founder Institute in Palo Alto, California, Bettina Brinkmann, co-founder of the Zurich think tank Food Visionaries, and Peter Braun, CEO of Swiss Food Research. It was first published in the Neue Zürcher Zeitung on 20 October 2021.
Kindly note:
We, a non-native editorial team value clear and faultless communication. At times we have to prioritize speed over perfection, utilizing tools, that are still learning.
We are deepL sorry for any observed stylistic or spelling errors.
Related articles
‘No genetic engineering’ is simply not an option!
For years, politicians and environmental organisations have been stirring up unnecessary fears about a technology that has been helping to conserve resources and protect the environment for decades, while improving the quality and tolerability of food and cosmetics. It is time to put an end to this consumer deception.
«The protection of cultures is no longer guaranteed»
Swiss agriculture is in a tight spot when it comes to crop protection. At the Swiss-Food Talk on July 1, 2025, three producer representatives described how bans, the lack of alternatives, and lengthy approval procedures are putting pressure on their crops.
Chasing Misinformation Feels Like Herding Cats
Science fiction has a way of masquerading as science fact — until someone like me comes with a bucket of cold, hard evidence. But let’s be real: debunking nonsense takes exponentially more effort than producing it. Jonathan Swift knew it in 1710, and here I am, centuries later, still speaking my truth before the next viral misinformation dumpster fire.
Climate protection must not jeopardise food security
Agriculture is increasingly under pressure to become climate-neutral. But how can this be achieved without jeopardising food security? In the agricultural policy podcast, Hannah von Ballmoos-Hofer, head of the energy division at the Swiss Farmers' Union, emphasises that climate protection is important, but must not come at the expense of food security.