Innovation is more essential than ever to meet the current and future challenges facing the food industry. To support and stimulate this process, SIAL Paris has organised SIAL Start-up, forming the show for the second time and in partnership with Startup Sesame.
With 1,500m² of exhibition space, industry players will be brought together to inspire the future of the sector, and to encourage networking between all the players in this booming ecosystem, from distributors to investors as well as representatives from the institutional or industrial sectors.
For 60 years, SIAL Paris has supported the future of the food and beverage industry. Today, start-ups play a crucial role in its ongoing evolution with their constant ability to develop solutions and products tailored to market expectations. After an intense period of growth, 2022 saw a marked slowdown in investment in these young companies, which form the food-tech sector.
The time for recovery is now, observed Ben Costantini, founder and CEO of Startup Sesame, whose company has been a partner of SIAL Paris since 2020. Operating under the Sesamers brand and with a presence in 24 countries, the company promotes a range of events dedicated to tech and distributes inspirational content for all entrepreneurs wishing to take part in the movement: “There is a real and very specific need for funds in this category, with Deep Tech specialists (including specialists of Artificial Intelligence, nanotechnologies, etc) requiring significant long-term investments, alongside new DNVBs (digital native vertical brands) that need the help of partners to accelerate.”
For this second edition, SIAL Start-up aspires to become the largest food-tech gathering in the world, offering a five-day showcase and forum with accelerators, incubators, manufacturers, investors and, of course, companies, all taking part in the event.
The experience of 2022 has enabled Startup Sesame to gain a better understanding of the needs of each stakeholder to attract a wider range of activities. It developed a programme capable of increasing the number of meetings between exhibitors and their
potential customers as well as expand their relationships beyond a traditional collaboration.
“We have made a special effort to attract investors to Villepinte, with the aim of attracting nearly forty funding bodies, representing more than €100bn funds under management,” said Ben Costantini.
The food trends of today and tomorrow
Fromnew approaches to catering, innovative solutions for food delivery and distribution, high-performance tools for developing zero waste in industry, to alternatives to animal proteins or healthier, richer-tasting drinks, the diversity of proposals developed by the budding businesses of SIAL Start-up embodies the #OwntheChange movement initiated by the show.
These companies, most of which are less than five years old, will be able to get to grips with their markets, build their address books and fill their order books. Visitors and traditional players in the market will have the opportunity to capture trends and innovations from around the world, with a practical and business-oriented approach. SIAL Paris establishes a bridge between start-ups and established players who visit the show to identify promising solutions. By exchanging and forming partnerships, both parties can build positive relationships.
For the first time, companies in their early stages will be represented with a new offer dedicated to fresh start-ups. In the past, a five-day presence was impossible due to their limited logistical resources; now, they can join the SIAL Start-up area for just one day and meet several hundred potential leads. This represents an opportunity for companies developing disruptive technologies, based on scientific R&D, such as the development of alternative proteins. These projects are strategic in terms of supporting the entire agri-food industry in its current transition.
From new drinks to revolutionising the sushi, seafood, dried vegetables, meats, waters and confectionery markets, the participating start-ups will showcase their innovation products and solutions. Technology will also be in the spotlight, enhancing the sector’s value chain in the long run with greater control over production, less food waste and better relationships between the various links in the food chain. In a more unusual vein, Divaks and Essento will be demonstrating the credibility of insect-based ingredients.
Content at the heart of SIAL Start-up
The events’ stage is the cornerstone of SIAL Start-up, and for five days it will be creating a real buzz within the space, as well as providing an opportunity to discuss the issues that drive these young companies, whose social commitment is well-known. Food-tech is facing a major need for capital, to enable companies to develop smoothly at every stage of their lifecycle. Investors therefore play a pivotal role in providing support, placing them at the heart of the ecosystem brought together by SIAL Start-up and its partner Startup Sesame. For start-ups, as well as brands in the process of international expansion and growing companies, meeting people who are familiar with the specific challenges of the sector can prove decisive. SIAL Start-up thus becomes the link between investment funds and nearly 150 young companies in the agri-food industry, bringing people together thanks to networking opportunities over the five days of the show.
To keep the discussions flowing smoothly, Startup Sesame has developed a range of content, enabling investors to take the floor and share their expertise on a fast-moving market. Thematic pitch sequences, organised to match the investment funds’ themes, will enable start-ups to showcase their commitments and maximise their opportunities to attract investors.
In order to gain a better understanding of the activities of the many companies present at SIAL Start-up and to appreciate the challenges of a sector that is as complex as it is rich in innovations, SIAL Paris will also dedicate half a day to the themes of Deep Tech and AI. This SIAL Summit will focus on the potential revolutions arising from the new influx of data collected and processed thanks to technological solutions, with repercussions throughout the value chain. These tools also represent a major opportunity to make food more sustainable and environmentally friendly, by drawing on innovations such as precision fermentation or reducing waste.
