Do you work in sustainable food but feel unsure where your research fits beyond the lab? Do you keep hearing about a “funding gap” in food tech after the 2021 hype and wondering what it means for your projects? Do you want to understand the opportunities shaping the future of food, not just for startups, but across industry and investment?
From Bench to Bite is a one-day, in-person event designed to help Early Career Researchers (ECRs) and PhD students in the Bezos Centre for Sustainable Protein see the bigger picture of their work. It’s not just about potentially commercialising your research, it’s about connecting science to the real-world challenges, opportunities, and systems driving the future of food.
Across the day you’ll hear talks from industry leaders, lightning stories from food-tech founders, and take part in hands-on workshops. You’ll explore what’s really happening in food innovation post-hype, where industry and research priorities are shifting, and how to frame your own work from both scientific and commercial perspectives.
Sessions from 9.00-14:30 pm include:
- Sector Outlook & Market Trends with Dr. Stella Child, Senior Research and Grants Manager at the Good Food Institute.
- Startup Stories from Clean Food Group, THIS, Cell4Food.
- A Commercially Curious workshop to test ideas and spark new thinking about your research.
- Pitch Perfect with Imperial’s Entrepreneurship Director Ben Mumby-Croft, on communicating your research project potential with clarity and impact.
- Lunch will be provided
From 3-5 pm, the programme opens up to the wider food ecosystem in the Community Collider, featuring a panel and a networking session with startups, funders, industry members and other sector stakeholders.