Growth Alliance startup programs grow innovation in German agriculture

Written

01. February, 2024

Author

Maja Sen-Gupta

This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Partners Landwirtschaftliche Rentenbank and TechQuartier look back on a successful 2023 and present 2024 growth opportunities for startups

Frankfurt am Main, February 1, 2024 – The Growth Alliance, a startup initiative by Landwirtschaftliche Rentenbank and TechQuartier on behalf of the Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture (BMEL), reflects on a fruitful 2023 and unveils ambitious plans for the current year. For six years, the AgriFood startups have found a strong ally in their quest for growth and innovation—an essential contribution to tackling current agricultural challenges and securing food for future generations.

The Growth Alliance's events provide AgriFood industry pioneers with opportunities to refine business models, forge partnerships, and collaborate with seasoned business mentors. The program facilitates founder interactions with experts, potential investors, and customers, creating a mutually beneficial environment for the AgriFood ecosystem.

2023: A Year of Innovation and Achievement

In 2023, the Growth Alliance celebrated notable successes, including remarkable accomplishments by startups like Seedalive, Nunos, and Ordinary Seafood, alongside other alumni such as Reverion, constellr, and Nature Robots. Founder initiatives spanned from employing space satellites to revolutionize water usage in agriculture to introducing vegan fish product alternatives into supermarkets.

The Growth Alliance orchestrated four startup programs, ranging from ideation to acceleration, supported over 80 startups, and partnered with enterprises like Agravis, Claas, Maschinenringe, KWS, and BayWa. In the face of challenging times, participants garnered numerous awards, partnerships, and investments with the Growth Alliance's backing.

Additionally, in 2023, the Growth Alliance team unveiled a new website and brand, hosted the Idea Camp at Ruhr University Bochum, and inaugurated the Growth Alliance Networking Summit #GANS23, attracting over 200 guests and speakers.

We're proud to have supported nearly 90 startups through our programs and are thrilled by the success stories we've contributed to. In 2024, we aim to continue this trajectory, tailoring our services even more precisely to startups' needs and broadening our partnerships to enhance collaboration within the AgriFood ecosystem.

Looking Ahead to 2024

The Growth Alliance has much in store for 2024, with four complimentary programs for startups and aspiring entrepreneurs:

Idea Camp (April 24-26, Gründungsfabrik Rheingau): A hackathon designed for future founders with a passion for innovation in the agriculture and food sectors (https://growthalliance.de/idea-camp).

Startup Bootcamp (June 17-19, TechQuartier Frankfurt): A development program for early stage AgriFood startups (https://growthalliance.de/startup-bootcamp).

Growth Alliance Networking Summit - GANS24 (June 20, Frankfurt am Main): Annual networking event for the startup ecosystem in the German and international AgriFood industries (https://growthalliance.de/growth-alliance-networking-summit-2024).

Accelerator Program (October 22, 2024 - January 15, 2025, TechQuartier Frankfurt): A program targeting AgriFood startups in the growth stage (https://growthalliance.de/accelerator-program).

New Faces, Ambitious Objectives

In the coming years, the AgriFood sector will confront significant challenges due to evolving environmental conditions, regulatory frameworks, competitive forces, and labor market dynamics. It's increasingly important to be receptive to integrating innovative ideas, provided there are practical technologies at hand. The Growth Alliance is poised to make significant contributions. Through our programs, we offer innovators the space, expertise, and network to realize their ideas, presenting the agricultural and food industries with viable, practical solutions.

For further details about the AgriFood Growth Alliance ecosystem, please visit growthalliance.de and follow us on Instagram and LinkedIn.