INNOVATION BOOSTER
FUTURE FOOD FARMING
Engaging from farms to consumers to Co-Create radical innovation that driveS transformation in the Agro Food Sector
THE PrOBLEM
How do we bridge the gap between farmers and citizens to achieve a more resilient and sustainable Swiss agro-food & nutrition system?
We have between 2024-2027 to solve the challenges related to this problem. During this period, the Innovation Booster Future Food Farming powered by Innosuisse can support you in co-creating radical solutions, fostering collaboration through open innovation.
JOIN FOR SOLUTIONS
Our events are the starting points to tackle problems at the roots and develop new solutions together.
Immerse yourself into the challenges, meet perfect matches for co-creation and generate ideas.
Process & funding
Everyone is welcome to participate in an Open Innovation Workshop. It is about:
- understanding the challenges and problems of a given subject
- systemic mapping of the involved actors
- networking with diverse disciplines and finding mates for submitting an idea proposal
- being eligible to submit an idea and participate in the Innovation Booster campaigns, incubation sessions, pitching, and receive funding.
For Idea Proposal Submission
- participation in one of our workshops
- reference to challenges and problems out of the workshop
- idea proposals with the potential to transform and change a status quo
- submission as a team or as an individual prepared to form an innovation team
- possibility for open or confidential submission
- successful participation in incubation sessions
- defined innovation hurdles and research questions pertinent to problem/challenge
- innovation team with one representative from an implementation partner and one from a research partner
IMPORTANT
To receive any funding no private persons or individuals are eligible, each party must be a legal entity. (Company, association, research organization, official body i.e. municipality)
Selected idea proposals must participate in at least 3 incubation sessions (approx. 6 weeks) with the Innovation Booster’s experts and coaches to be eligible to pitch to a jury of experts and to get funded. These sessions will help to:
- Assess the problems & innovation hurdles
- Identify competencies & form a team (at least one implementation partner and one research partner)
- Work out a project proposal addressing the problem, USP, innovative step, research question and business model
- viability: the way your project will operate sustainably (environmentally and economically)
- desirability: check on user experience and assess how and how much your solution is wanted/needed by customers
- feasibility: assess the technical possibilities and available competences or the likelihood of your project to be realized and achieve the wanted impact
…to be worked on after funding.
The incubation sessions will be funded with CHF 5’000 if
- a team with a minimum of one research partner and one implementation partner, each being a legal entity, is formed
- idea was submitted for pitching
- idea was pitched in front of the jury of experts
- funding of CHF 5’000 is independent of the further funding decision of the jury members
Ideas and projects are evaluated according to their
- degree of innovation: how novel the idea is to the market, which innovation hurdle is to be taken, which research question is to be answered
- radicality of idea: what potential does the idea have to transform the status quo by understanding a problem at its roots and solving it in a new way?
- competencies of the innovation team: does the team consist of a research and an implementation partner? Are the right competencies on board?
Find more information on radical innovation in the following video:
What is radical innovation?
Radical vs Disruptive innovation
Project Funding of CHF 39’000,- composed of
- CHF 5’000 incubation phase grant (to be retrieved after pitching, independent of the outcome)
- CHF 4’000* co-funding contribution from the innovation team at a positive pitching decision (*vouchers available for members of Cluster Food & Nutrition and Swiss Food Research)
- CHF 15’000 after positive pitching decision and contract signed
- CHF 15’000 after successfully passing the project mid review session
Support
Following the incubation sessions, the innovation team is further supported by the experts and coaches at project review sessions and per request of the innovation teams. For desirability, viability and feasibility testing, the selected innovation teams have access to the living labs of the support group and the networks of Cluster Food & Nutrition and Swiss Food Research.
Duration
The project should be finalized within 12 months, after funding has been confirmed and, at the latest at the end of December 2027, when the Innovation Booster program will end for the Innovation Booster Future Food Farming.
OuR APPROACH
Designing futureable Agro-Food-System
We understand wicked problems and "jobs to be done" by resources, products, producers, retailers, customers and consumers.
Mitigating risks of radical innovation
Delivering on function, emotional, and social needs through citizens and farmers participation.
Joining forces within the ecosystem
Co-Creation with a multistakeholder approach and a dynamic stakeholders' mapping
Challenging Ideas
Understand the challenges and generate ideas that have radical impact on the ecosystem.
Ideating Projects
Incubate and test your idea with the support of experts and actors from within the system and beyond.
Funding Projects
Receive fast and easy funding of up to CHF 39'000 to test and pilot your radical idea.
Join us
become a part of the future of food farming
Take part in our events and don’t miss the chance to get involved in the community and receive support for a transformative project.
supportGroup
Our support group serves as a dynamic hub where diverse ecosystem actors converge to cultivate innovation through radical ideas. By providing easy access to a range of expertise, innovation teams gain valuable insights, navigate challenges more confidently, and mitigate risks effectively.
Testgrounds and Living Labs from
