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 is giving a voice to young talents of the food industry through SIAL Start-up, which is at the heart of the show for the second time, in partnership with Startup Sesame.
With 1,500 m² of exhibition space, over 150 companies from around twenty countries and a rich programme of pitches and conferences, all the ingredients 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.
Sial Start-up
For 60 years, SIAL Paris has been much more than a trade show – it’s been an incubator for those who are shaping the food of the future. Today, start-ups play a crucial role in this ongoing evolution, thanks to their constant ability to develop solutions and products tailored to market expectations. After an intense period, 2022 saw a marked slowdown in investment in these young companies, which form the nascent sector known as ‘FoodTech’.
Now is the time for recovery, observes Ben Costantini, Founder and CEO of Startup Sesame, whose company has been a partner of SIAL Paris since 2020: “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.” Operating under the Sesamers brand and with a presence in 24 countries, the company promotes a wide range of events dedicated to ‘Tech’ and distributes inspirational content for all entrepreneurs wishing to take part in the movement.
For this second edition, SIAL Start-up is taking a gamble and setting out with a strong ambition: to become the largest FoodTech gathering in the world, offering an unprecedented five-day showcase and forum for a valuable ecosystem 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 then 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 €100 billion funds under management,” says Ben Costantini.
SIAL PITCH
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. FoodTech is facing a major need for capital, to enable companies to develop smoothly at every stage of their lifecycle. Investors therefore play a key 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 rich 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.
