About us

Foodvalley NL is an independent international organisation working together with front runners to accelerate the global transition to a sustainable food system. Why? Because the food system has to change more rapidly if we want to have tasty, affordable, healthy and sustainable food available for 10 billion people by the year 2050. 

We initiate the process necessary for breakthrough innovations that individual game changers in the ecosystem cannot realise on their own. We guide parties through the transition, on direction, process, content, and by keeping the pace, all in close cooperation with governments – international, national and regional – and renowned educational and research institutions. This is how we stay ahead of the curve.

In addition to building coalitions and unlikely partnerships, Foodvalley NL provides coaching and mentoring to entrepreneurs, stimulates global connections and talent development, offers routes to funding and provides access to shared facilities.

Based upon the societal challenges, the needs of business, backed by sound research, this is what we focus on:

Our heritage

Since 2004, Foodvalley NL has established itself as an innovation partner with a vibrant global network. From our roots in Wageningen, The Netherlands, Foodvalley NL build a strong network of Dutch agri-food SMEs contributing to the development of innovative solutions for sustainable agriculture practice and the production of healthier food. Over the years, we became increasingly experienced in creating new connections between Dutch food companies with industry-relevant knowledge from the private and public sectors. It wasn’t long before these connections spread to other parts of the world, solidifying our reputation as a trusted partner within the global innovation ecosystem.

Experiencing the potential of these connections and given the increasing urgency for the transition of the food system, we at Foodvalley NL set about defining a new direction. Since 2020, our organisation acts as a catalyst for transition of the global food system by addressing system and market failures. With our network as a foundation, we build communities and initiatives that address urgent challenges in the areas of Protein Shift, Food & Health, and Circular Agrifood.

Our approach

At Foodvalley NL, we create coalitions capable of spearheading advances on some of the most urgent global food challenges. By combining targeted initiatives with thematic communities, strengthened by a global partner network, Foodvalley NL creates new opportunities for collaboration.

We prioritise ‘ecosystem innovation’: an active, creative, and social process based on collaboration between multiple stakeholders. By providing a shared focus, Foodvalley NL stimulates high involvement from a wide range of partners and enables new ideas and knowledge to be shared. This creates a breeding ground for solutions that are only possible through this type of co-creation. In turn, these solutions are spread within our communities and global network. Our partners can learn about and contribute directly to these new innovations, making scaling and breakthrough a reality.

Our invitation for collaboration

There are a thousand ways to join the global transition. Do you have a test kitchen for start-ups to use so they can experiment? Have you done some ground-breaking research that you would like to validate? Are you an expert and brimming with knowledge to share with our partners?

Welcome! Our door is open to anyone with the right energy and mentality who wants to help with the transition. Investors, consumers, scientists, healthcare professionals… We’re not shutting out anyone and all options are open. The only thing we plan to change the coming years, is to get a firmer grip on the steering wheel so we won’t arrive late at our destination.”

Foodvalley NL is powered by Province of Gelderland.