MassChallenge

Freshspire, headquartered in Raleigh, North Carolina, operates a digital platform designed to promote sustainable and transparent local food systems. The company's technology streamlines order processes, facilitates communication, and provides data services to enhance relationships between food buyers and suppliers, empowering communities to manage their local food systems more efficiently.

Nile Agro Value Chain is an agribusiness startup in agriculture that identifies the set of actors and activities that bring a basic agricultural product from production in the field to final consumption, where at each stage value is added to the product. Nile Agro value Chain achieves this through vertical linking or a network between various independent business organizations and by involving them into food processing, packaging, storage, transport and distribution. The startup also engage in traditional agricultural value chains by generally through spot market transactions involving a large number of small retailers and producers. The venture also characterize agriculture value chain by vertical coordination, consolidation of the supply base, agro-industrial processing and use of standards throughout the chain. The venture achieves its mission in agriculture value chain through agricultural mechanization, traditional farming, farm portfolio investments, interstate trade of agricultural commodities, online trade of food produce through its online marketplace, aggregating farmers into a multipurpose cooperative society, linking farmers to off-takers, contract farming, food processing, providing extension services and collaborating with different stakeholders in the agriculture value chain in Uganda,Africa and beyond. We are currently working with over 1,200 farmers in Ibanda District aggregated or organized under our farmers groups and cooperative society.

Femly is a Maryland-based producer of plant-based, environmentally friendly feminine hygiene products, including organic cotton tampons, pads, and cups. The company sells online and through a monthly subscription model, delivering to individual customers as well as restrooms in hotels, coworking facilities, and colleges. Founded in 2016, Femly emphasizes sustainable materials and easy access to menstrual care, offering convenient, health-conscious options that align with environmental values.

Kura Skin is a skincare matchmaking platform. We use data and our proprietary matchmaking algorithm to help our customers cut through the clutter and find what works for a fraction of the cost and none of the hassle.

FairFlavor develops nutritious vegan alternative dairy food made of a super nut from Indonesia using a patented fermentation technology

Nul is a not-just-for-profit company with the mission to make the personal and household care industry more sustainable by offering eco-friendly alternatives that actually work. No water. No plastic. No toxins. No nonsense. Nul believe in giving back; pledging 1% of all sales to environmental charities as a member of 1% for the Planet.

Grain4Grain is a San Antonio-based food-tech startup that has developed an innovative process to dry and mill brewers spent grain into low-carb, high-protein flour. This sustainable ingredient is produced affordably by reducing the drying time from six hours to under twenty minutes. Since its launch ten months ago, Grain4Grain has upcycled 120,000 lbs of wet spent grain and launched two consumer products in nearly 200 stores.

Rayito de Luna is a Mexican company that develops beauty and personal care products for women and men. It is an eco-friendly 100% natural personal care brand, that practices fair trade and supports the development of local independent producers.

FUL Foods is a Netherlands-based startup dedicated to creating food and beverage products that contribute positively to the environment. The company focuses on reducing carbon emissions, optimizing land use, and minimizing resource consumption while enhancing consumer health benefits. Its flagship offering is a functional beverage made from a proprietary, carbon-negative ingredient derived from microalgae, known as FUL. This innovative ingredient addresses challenges related to taste and solubility, enabling the production of light and refreshing drinks that are rich in plant-based protein and essential nutrients. FUL Foods aims to provide consumers with nourishing beverages that not only taste good but also support environmental sustainability and overall wellness.

La Comandanta identifies and promotes Creole and ancestral Mexican foods, offering bulk and packaged products. The company emphasizes ethically sourced, biodiversity-focused Mexican ingredients for authentic, sustainable, and fairly traded food. It partners directly with smallholder and indigenous farmers to rescue and promote native and creole crops, ensuring fair pricing and transparent trade, supporting sustainable livelihoods and the preservation of ancestral farming practices.

Viv provides women with earth-friendly period care products. They provide delivery services.

Abeja Reyna is a company specializing in the online production and marketing of honey-based beauty care products. Their offerings are free from parabens and leverage the moisturizing, antibacterial, and antioxidant properties of honey for organic, sustainable skincare.

BFT focuses on innovative sugar beet processing to create products with distinctive properties that benefit both food producers and consumers. By offering artificial sweeteners that reduce the glycemic load of foods, BFT addresses the growing concerns related to high glycemic stress in modern diets. Their products are designed to support human metabolism, positively influencing glycemic response and providing metabolic support after sugar intake. This approach not only aids in the formulation of gluten-free and lactose-free foods but also plays a role in combating the increasing prevalence of lifestyle diseases linked to high sugar consumption, thereby promoting improved nutrition and overall well-being.

Planted Foods AG is a Swiss company founded in 2019, specializing in the development of plant-based meat alternatives. The company produces products such as planted chicken and BBQ planted chicken, utilizing a formulation that includes pea protein, pea fiber, sunflower oil, and water to replicate the taste, texture, and mouthfeel of traditional animal meat. Planted Foods employs advanced technology to transform these natural ingredients into nutritious, high-protein meat substitutes that appeal to consumers seeking plant-based options. In addition to its product offerings, the company operates an e-commerce platform to facilitate direct sales to customers. Headquartered in Zürich, Switzerland, Planted Foods is committed to providing delicious and sustainable meat alternatives.

Neema Food produces delicious Central African condiments and sauces. The company's sauces are made from their family recipe from DRCongo going back to 3 generations. Neema Food was established in 2015 in London, England.

Invent Boston design, manufactures and supplies every day routines.

Nutrifix Ltd is a London-based company that specializes in a nutrition application designed to help users find healthy meals in their vicinity. Founded in 2016, the app offers personalized scores for various dishes and snacks while allowing users to sort meals by nutritional benefits and filter options based on dietary needs. Additionally, Nutrifix partners with local restaurants and catering services to provide users with personalized weekly meal plans, which can be delivered to workplaces or ordered for pickup. The platform serves both businesses and consumers, allowing companies to enhance employee benefits with healthier food options, ultimately promoting a more informed and productive workforce. Through anonymized data, Nutrifix also aids organizations in developing effective wellness strategies.

Food For All Technologies, Inc. is a company based in Cambridge, Massachusetts, that operates an application designed to connect users with unsold food from local restaurants and cafes. Founded in 2016, the company aims to reduce food waste while making quality meals more affordable for consumers. Through its platform, restaurants can sell their leftover meals at discounted prices at the end of the business day, allowing them to minimize waste and provide a sustainable food option. Food For All originated from a collaboration with the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and received backing from a significant number of supporters through a successful Kickstarter campaign. The company has expanded its reach beyond the United States, with additional locations worldwide.

Brightbites operates a marketing and research platform designed to assist food manufacturers in connecting with targeted consumer demographics. The company offers a subscription service that delivers a monthly food box to consumers, referred to as "snackers." In exchange for their participation, consumers are incentivized to rate the products and provide detailed feedback, which Brightbites collects to deliver actionable insights to manufacturers. This approach enables food companies to conduct lean testing and gain access to specific consumer niches, facilitating informed decision-making throughout various stages of product development. By lowering costs and streamlining the feedback process, Brightbites creates a valuable resource for both manufacturers and consumers.

Foodstack is a wholesale food and beverage online food delivery platform. They offer customizing products and pricing for each customer, setting up ordering windows, and enabling standing, and repeat orders, among other things.

Makomas is a food and beverage company that specializes in producing 100% natural juice drinks inspired by the flavors of West Africa. The company focuses on using fresh, sustainably grown ingredients sourced directly from small farmers in the region. Its products are crafted from a variety of organic fruits, flowers, leaves, and roots, all selected for their scientifically proven health benefits. Makomas aims to provide consumers with gourmet super juices that contain no added sugar, artificial colors, or preservatives, highlighting traditional African recipes while promoting health and sustainability.

Akua is a New York-based company that creates plant-based snacks from seaweed grown in ocean farms. Its vegan, gluten- and soy-free products are sold online. The company develops seaweed-based snacks to promote sustainable seafood by highlighting coastal plants as ingredients. Founded in 2015, Akua positions itself at the intersection of wellness and sustainability, offering accessible, flavorful options powered by sea vegetables.

Ungrocery is a food marketplace that specializes in providing natural and safe health products. The company offers a diverse selection of items, including pasta, vegetables, beef, peanut brittle, jerky, and pork salamis, among others. By connecting people over quality food, Ungrocery enables customers to easily browse and purchase their preferred products, fostering a community centered around healthy eating and culinary exploration.

Minus the Moo is a premium, lactose-free ice cream made from real dairy and all the same ingredients as regular ice cream. They use the lactase enzyme to break down the lactose and make their ice cream lactose-free! Two-thirds of the population suffers from lactose-intolerance to some degree and either has to sacrifice taste and texture by eating dairy alternatives or eat regular ice cream and suffer the consequences. No lactose-free ice cream has offered the same creaminess and quality, until now!

Totolines is a company that specializes in producing healthy snacks made from corn flour and grasshoppers, targeting environmentally conscious consumers. The snacks are designed to promote the consumption of insects as a sustainable protein source, offering the same protein content as a portion of tuna without any additives. By focusing on quality ingredients, Totolines aims to support the local economy while providing nutritious options for customers who prioritize both health and environmental sustainability.

Eat Grub is a UK-based company that promotes entomophagy, the practice of eating insects. It offers edible insect products such as roasted crickets and buffalo worms, aiming to introduce insects as a sustainable protein source into Western diets.

BRAVE is a producer of plant-based cereals and snacks designed to offer a nutritious and sustainable diet. The company focuses on creating products that combine a high content of protein and fiber, which help regulate sugar release and provide a steady stream of energy. All of BRAVE's offerings are made from natural ingredients and are entirely vegan, catering to health-conscious consumers seeking to maintain their fitness while enjoying satisfying snacks. For customer inquiries, BRAVE provides an online inquiry form on its website.

Taste of Kenya is an online marketplace based in Europe that connects Kenyan coffee farmers directly with coffee roasters in the European Union through direct trade. By shortening the supply chain, the company ensures that farmers receive fair prices for their products while providing roasters with better traceability of the coffee they source. In addition to exporting coffee, Taste of Kenya also focuses on roasting and selling fresh coffee domestically, which creates additional income opportunities for Kenyan farmers. This model allows consumers to access quality Kenyan coffee at affordable prices while supporting the livelihoods of local farmers.

They have developed a chocolate bar the wins every blind tasting test - and this is what they offer. They have launched with a crowd funding campaign in Israel that broke records, and now officially opening their factory.

Founded in 2014, Nimble Babies is a UK-based company specializing in plant-based cleaning products designed specifically for babies. Their product range includes solutions for cleaning baby bottles and breast pumps, toys and surfaces, and clothes, all formulated to be safe and effective.

MayoreoTotal.com is an innovative online grocery platform that aims to transform the wholesale grocery market in Mexico, valued at approximately 20 billion USD. The company focuses on serving corporates, retail stores, and restaurants by providing a web-based shopping solution that offers a diverse range of grocery products at competitive prices. By facilitating a shift from traditional offline purchasing to a streamlined online experience, MayoreoTotal.com enables users to buy groceries quickly and efficiently, enhancing convenience and accessibility in the wholesale distribution channel.

Eat Grub is a UK-based company that promotes entomophagy, the practice of eating insects. It offers edible insect products such as roasted crickets and buffalo worms, aiming to introduce insects as a sustainable protein source into Western diets.

Dry foods, such as nuts and cereals, have been associated with recalls costing up to $ 30 Mio per incident, caused by bacteria contamination. Processors are now required to prove they reduce harmful bacteria during their process which involves tedious procedures. They offer a process monitoring service which reduces the risk of recalls, ensures regulatory compliance, gives real-time overview of bacteria reduction and unlock the saving potential of minimum $ 100 K/line/year.

Chirps Chips produces sustainable, protein-rich snacks made from cricket flour. Their flagship product is tortilla chips with three times the protein and half the fat of traditional potato chips, catering to health-conscious consumers seeking non-GMO, gluten-free options.

Flying Spark Ltd, established in 2014 and headquartered in Ramat Gan, Israel, specializes in the production of protein powder derived from fruit fly larvae. The company's primary products are dietary protein whole powder, reduced fat powder, and oil, all of which are rich in essential nutrients like iron, calcium, magnesium, and dietary fibers, as well as amino acids. These products cater to various industries, including food and feed for human consumption, and cosmetics, due to their white color, mild taste, and aroma, which facilitate easy incorporation into diverse applications.

A healthy lifestyle is extremely important and something many strive for on a daily basis. High quality options are limited, especially during the work week or when trying to meet your family's needs. We decided to change that. Our driving force is #dontslowdownforfood. At Feed Me Pronto, we carry quality grab and go meals created by a chef whose passion is nutrition and career has encompassed award winning prepared food. We also provide hundreds of snacks for adults and kids, have amazing self-serve beverage options and carry eco-friendly sundries for urban city dwellers. And all of this lives in a unique eco-friendly retail enviornment.

ZOOS, founded in 2012 and headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts, specializes in the food and beverage sector, focusing on all-natural, low-calorie products. The company is best known for its iced tea, which is made from Sideritis, a flowering plant known for its herbal properties. In addition to offering a refreshing alternative to conventional beverages, ZOOS emphasizes healthy options by incorporating antioxidants into its drinks. The commitment to quality and natural ingredients sets ZOOS apart in a competitive market.

Saathi is a consumer packaged goods company focused on providing eco-friendly hygiene products, specifically designed to promote menstrual health for women. The company specializes in manufacturing zero-plastic, compostable alternatives to traditional absorbents such as diapers, sanitary pads, and incontinence pads. Founded by graduates from prestigious institutions, Saathi innovates by using locally sourced materials, including banana fiber, to create products that are both environmentally sustainable and safe for users. These products are also perfume-free, reducing the risk of rashes and irritation often associated with conventional hygiene items. Saathi's mission emphasizes the importance of creating solutions that are beneficial for individual health, the environment, and the broader community.

88 Acres is an artisan food company specializing in crafting healthy snack foods free from the top eight allergens. Their product range includes pumpkin seed butter, protein bars, and seed bars, designed to be enjoyed by all and suitable for various dietary needs.

GG's Original is a manufacturer of Gluten-Free gourmet potato pancakes and bakery items for retail and food service organizations.

Zinaura Pharma is a supplier of home textile products. They provide products that include home accessories and lifestyle products. Their customers' inquiries are addressed through phone, email, and online applications.

CocoMama Foods Inc. is a Boston-based company that specializes in producing and selling ready-to-eat quinoa cereals, offering a variety of flavors including fruit quinoa, banana cinnamon, honey almond, and wild blueberry. Founded in 2010, the company focuses on providing nutritious, convenient breakfast options that appeal to health-conscious consumers and snack enthusiasts alike. CocoMama Foods emphasizes the use of ancient grains, such as quinoa and amaranth, in its products, which are also gluten-free. The cereals are available for purchase through retail outlets and online, catering to the demand for tasty and accessible meal solutions.

Sproxil, Inc. is an information technology company based in Cambridge, Massachusetts, that specializes in product protection and consumer engagement solutions. Founded in 2008, the company provides a range of services including Sproxil Champion, a consumer rewards system that allows brands to offer rewards; Sproxil Defender, a product verification solution enabling consumers to authenticate products via mobile devices; and Sproxil Informer, a track and trace system for monitoring supply chains. Sproxil's solutions cater to various sectors, including beauty and personal care, fast-moving consumer goods, electronics, automotive, oil and gas, pharmaceuticals, and agribusiness. The company utilizes mobile technology to enhance brand protection, combat counterfeiting, and foster consumer loyalty while ensuring the integrity of supply chains.

CocoMama Foods Inc. is a Boston-based company that specializes in producing and selling ready-to-eat quinoa cereals, offering a variety of flavors including fruit quinoa, banana cinnamon, honey almond, and wild blueberry. Founded in 2010, the company focuses on providing nutritious, convenient breakfast options that appeal to health-conscious consumers and snack enthusiasts alike. CocoMama Foods emphasizes the use of ancient grains, such as quinoa and amaranth, in its products, which are also gluten-free. The cereals are available for purchase through retail outlets and online, catering to the demand for tasty and accessible meal solutions.