International investors and startups meet in Aarhus

14 September 2022

TechTour 2022: Innovative ideas and venture capital at key agrifood investor event in Aarhus. Food & Bio Cluster Denmark cohosted the TechTour Food, Bioeconomy & Agritech in Aarhus earlier this month to attract more venture capital to the Danish and Nordic startup ecosystem. We asked sponsors, startups and investors what they took back from the event.

Tech Tour 2022 with a buzzing atmosphere of networking, strong startup pitches and interest from international investors.

Startups need venture capital and the right set of skills to take their innovative companies to the next level.

TechTour Food, Bioeconomy & Agritech is a key event in this context, joining more than 100+ startups, investors and industry experts onsite to pitch cases and attract new capital and skills for innovative startups and projects across all of Europe.

The event took place in the brand new building in Agro Food Park 26 in Aarhus and had a buzzing atmosphere of networking, startup pitches and new connections.

Video: Check out the vibrant ambience at TechTour in Aarhus

Food & Bio Cluster Denmark co-hosted the event along with partners and sponsors The City of Aarhus, Business Region Aarhus, Kromann Reumert Vækstfonden, Invest in Denmark, Arla Foods and Agro Food Park.

We asked Arla Foods why they had chosen to sponsor the Tech Tour event and Cecilia Lindström, Director of Open Innovation emphasized the importance for Arla – as a big player of the ecosystem – to be an active part of the conversation and to build new connections.

See more in the video below.

Arla Foods: We want to be of the conversation and to build new connections in the ecosystem

Arla Foods is one of the sponsors behind TechTour Food, Bioeconomy & Agritech 2022 in Aarhus.

We talked to Cecilia Lindström, Director of Open Innovation about why it is important for Arla Foods to be an active part of the conversation at this event.

The main aim of the TechTour is to bring venture investors and pre-selected startups together through idea pitches and lots of networking opportunities.

Investment Manager Louise Heiberg from PINC, the venture arm of the Finnish food company Paulig Group was attending the TechTour to scout the new rising food stars, and she instantly points out the excellent and professional pitches from the startups.

See more in the video below.

TechTour also proved to be an excellent point for networking for investors, experts and startups, and the value of value of feedback and exposure that this years’ winners receive.

Congratulations to the winners: DRYK (DK), eniferBio (FIN), Amai Proteins (IL), AlgaEnergy (ESP), Sundew (DK), Vienna Textile Lab (AT), Nordic Umami Company (FIN) and Novihum Technologies (GER).

Early startup Maripure from Aalborg in Denmark is one of the 32 pre-selected startups to pitch their case to potential investors and industry experts. We talked to founder Damien Balkin about his thoughts on the event.

See more in the video below.

Maripure is a member of Food & Bio Cluster Denmark.

Maripure: Food & Bio Cluster Denmark has been a fantastic help for us so far

A strong startup ecosystem

As a nation with strong traditions of public private partnerships and a close collaboration between the industry, universities and government, the Danish startup ecosystem is very versatile and dynamic one.

Startups need venture capital and skills to take themselves to the next level. In the cluster, we have helped raise around €4 million this year, and the goal is to round DKK €10 million by the end of the year.

From Food & Bio Cluster Denmark's side, it was a thrill to welcome international investors, startups and collaboration partners to Aarhus again this year to what Investor Relations Manager Claus Mortensen defines as the most important agrifood investor event of the year.

Fostering and cohosting this type of event is a key element to the cluster's efforts to back up the Danish and Nordic startup ecosystem:

"Events like TechTour is an important part of Food & Bio Cluster Denmark's strategy to attract the needed capital,qualifications and attention to the Danish and Nordic ecosystem".
- Claus Mortensen, Investor Relations Manager, Food & Bio Cluster Denmark