Tyson Foods spotlights four startups focusing on sustainability
by July 19, 2023 3:59 pm 1,601 views
Springdale-based Tyson Foods’ venture capital arm known as Tyson Ventures held a pitch event July 11 to scout for startups focusing on sustainability issues with which the food processing giant could benefit.
It was the second year for the event, and startups from 15 counties applied. Businesses were evaluated based on alignment with Tyson Ventures’ investment strategy and their potential to help Tyson Foods reach its sustainability goals. Tyson said since 2016, its venture capital fund has invested more than $100 million in emerging proteins, new technologies for foods and worker safety and sustainable food production.
“It was inspiring to hear from so many creative entrepreneurs who have a passion for innovation and sustainability,” said Tyson Ventures President and Tyson Foods Chief Financial Officer John R. Tyson. “We have a critical role to play in responsibly producing food for a growing world and I’m excited to dig deeper into the startup solutions that can help us feed the world together.”
He said Tyson Ventures is focused on being a strategic partner for innovators who can transform the food industry and provide sustainable nutrition to a growing global population. The Ventures Innovation Partners (VIP), which consisted of a panel of Tyson employees, heard from 11 participants and selected four – GenoTwin, NetZro, SuperGround and ZwitterCo – to receive mentorship and other partnership opportunities with Tyson Foods.
GenoTwin is revolutionizing biosurveillance and sustainability for livestock with advanced insights into infectious diseases. NetZro is a woman-led startup converting food byproducts (eggshells, spent grain & more) into nutrient-rich ingredients. Their patent-pending tech can be applied to various food byproducts. SuperGround is a food tech startup from Finland that has food production technology that can create up to 30% more poultry-based foods from one chicken than existing methods. ZwitterCo has developed membrane technology that enables water reuse and product recovery from the most challenging wastewater. This allows for significant water savings and reduces the risks of toxic spills.