The teams, which were formed at eight different universities in Hesse, entered a one-month financing phase as part of the contest. The goal of the projects was to develop innovative solutions for food security, sustainable food production, and healthy nutrition.
Among the funded projects was REVOJA, a startup from Geisenheim University and Justus Liebig University Giessen. REVOJA aims to produce sustainable, plant-based foods made from locally grown soybeans. By utilizing by-products from the production process, the team plans to create yogurt drinks in various flavors. The team behind REVOJA raised a total of €10,183 through crowdfunding, achieving the second-best result of all the projects in the competition. REVOJA plans to use the funds as a foundation for market entry, as well as for pre-financing resources, operating supplies, and technical equipment.
Crowdfunding Propels Innovation for University Startups
Through their campaigns on the Startnext platform, the Future of Food teams not only successfully taped into financing opportunities, but also raised public awareness for sustainable food solutions. As participants in the contest, they received intensive guidance from experienced coaches as well as access to a broad network. As the campaigns launched simultaneously, the teams had the opportunity to exchange ideas across disciplines and benefitted from additional visibility.
The competition was initiated by Hessen Ideen and the UNIKAT crowdfunding platform from the University of Kassel. The teams were prepared for their campaigns through workshops and individual coaching and supported with up to €5,000 per project as part of a 1:1 co-funding principle.
Further information:www.hessen-ideen.de
