FID Challenge 03 Results: Food Systems
The Future Industries Demonstrator’s third innovation challenge shone the spotlight on five London-based SME’s with innovative solutions to foster healthy, affordable, and sustainable food systems in urban areas. Check out the main FID page to find out about future challenges and register your interest.
Challenge Overview
Food is more than just sustenance — it’s an essential force that shapes our health, communities, and environment, leaving a lasting impact on the world around us.
The Future Industries Demonstrator: Food Systems Innovation Challenge sought to champion the efforts of innovative upstarts striving to develop healthy and sustainable food systems for our communities.
The five SME’s selected for the challenge all demonstrated the vision and commitment required to tackle the multi-faceted problems facing urban food systems in the modern day. During the challenge, they were able to showcase groundbreaking holistic solutions that will help form the bedrock of more sustainable food management in the future.
Results
Over the course of the five-month programme, our cohort achieved numerous impressive results that will help contribute to healthier food systems in east London. These included:
1,170kg
Total waste diverted from landfill
1,680kg
Total amount of carbon dioxide emissions reduced or prevented
23
Total number of new partners or clients in east London
14
Total number of individuals trained in Green Skills
The Prize
Throughout the programme, our cohorts gained access to an extensive pool of resources and connections to aid business growth and advance their climate goals. We assembled experts from east London’s flourishing innovation ecosystem to collaborate with teams to build, test, and upscale their solutions at the speed and scope required to tackle the climate crisis.
Venture Creator
(Build it)
Cohorts participated in a scale-up programme tailored to the needs of their business and solution. Over an intense 8-week cycle, they developed early-stage prototypes into validated products.
Testbed Deployment
(Test It)
All SMEs had the opportunity to test, pilot, and scale their solutions over three months in Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park and four east London boroughs.
Ecosystem Exposure
(Show It)
Each SME had the opportunity to showcase their solution at Urban Frontiers, a dedicated showcase space on QEOP.
The SMEs have also received..
£20,000 grant
to supplement scaling plans
£5,000 budget
to support testbed deployment
Access to world-class workspaces
including The Loop, east London’s hub for circular economy bus
Expert support
from specialists at innovation company Plexal, University College London, the Loop, and Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park Innovation District
1:1 coaching
with a circular business specialist
Testbed facilitation
with dedicated support in preparing and delivering an innovation trial, delivered by Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park Innovation District
What is the Future Industries Demonstrator?
The Future Industries Demonstrator (FID) is a mission-led scale-up programme focused on supporting London-based enterprises who are working on innovative solutions to tackle the climate crisis.
It focuses on the real problems that citizens face in east London and the market solutions that, with investment and tailored support, will accelerate our collective transition to Net Zero and fairer economies.
FID provides pioneering SMEs with financial backing, as well as linking them to collaborative networks, workspaces and local knowledge resources that give them the best chance to succeed.
Delivered By
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