The Division of Business and Economic Development in the Canton of Zurich and the think tank Food Visionaries network the cantonal food ecosystem. At the first major networking event, a current study on the needs of the Zurich FoodTech scene was presented and discussed.
The Network Food Canton Zurich invited people from the Zurich food ecosystem to a first major event in Wädenswil. Two virtual roundtables had taken place in 2021. Now, the Division of Business and Economic Development of the Canton of Zurich and the Food Visionaries think tank took the network to the next level to further strengthen regional innovation in the food sector. The network came together at the Wädenswil site of the Zurich University of Applied Sciences (ZHAW), where a center for the so-called agro-food business is united under one roof. More events are to follow, said Anne Schmidt, project manager food of the Division of Business and Economic Development of the Office of Economic Affairs. According to Food Visionaries co-founder Bettina Brinkmanns, the platform aims to bring together the entire value chain.
In order to create a basis for effective networking, the innovation network SwissFoodResearch has analyzed the needs of the food ecosystem on behalf of the location promotion. Lucas Grob and SwissFoodResearch CEO Peter Braun presented the results at the event. Among other things, the study identifies the lack of production sites, regulatory hurdles or the low rate of those who make use of subsidies as starting points for assistance. Peter Braun said, "A cluster approach to innovation systems already exists in the Zurich economic area - not many regions have that."
The sticking point of regulatory hurdles was addressed by Bettina Brinkmann in her capacity as President of the Swiss Food-Agro-Tech Association (SFATA). SFATA supports the development and approval of innovations. Brinkmann referred to the experimentation article from the health sector. According to the Federal Health Insurance Act, this is intended to create the legal basis for innovative pilot trials for cantons, among others." Investor Daniel M. Böhi of Alphorn Ventures presented the project The Forge in Thayngen SH. In cooperation with Unilever Switzerland, an innovation center specializing in nutrition is planned here on 40,000 square meters. The center will offer expert support as well as access to machinery.
In the panel, five experts ended up discussing what could spur food innovation. Christina Senn-Jakobsen of the Swiss Food Nutrition Valley association looked at the strong innovation support of other countries. "That's what we're missing," she emphasized. Money is available, said Marina Helm Romaneschi - director of the innovation cooperative dieCuisine, among others. But it is not always clear where and how to obtain it, he said. The canton could play an important role here as a guide.
Martijn Sonneveldt, as director of the ETH Zurich World Food System Center, advocated, among other things, institutional dialogue in the ecosystem and overcoming cantonal thinking. Michel Roux, co-president of the Zurich Nutrition Forum, focused on an intensive examination of eating habits. Fundamentally, the managing director of the Zurich Farmers' Association, Ferdi Hodel, affirmed: "We have to give food a value, at the moment we define it by price." Then it could become clearer which innovation is future-oriented. Fabian Streiff, as Head of the Division of Business and Economic Development, concluded with the quote: "Those who want to go fast must go alone. Those who want to go far must go together with others."
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