The fifth edition of Seeds&Chips – the world’s leading food innovation event – concluded last week in Milan, following over 300 international speakers, more than 50 conference sessions, and more than 250 participating startups. In the closing ceremony, the event’s organisers announced new events to the series – in Melbourne, Australia, later this year, and Kigali, Rwanda, in 2020.

 

It’s been less than a week since Seeds&Chips wrapped up its flagship event in Milan, which hosted over 1,000 business matching meetings across four days, enabling innovators, entrepreneurs and startups to network and discuss food innovation issues and opportunities. 

 

The inspiring speakers that came together to discuss the present and future of the food system at this year’s Summit included: Giuseppe Conte, Italy’s Prime Minister; Sarah Mbi Enow Anyang Agbor, African Union Commissioner for Human Resources, Science and Technology; Maria Helena Semedo, FAO’s Deputy General Manager for Climate and Natural Resources; Princess Viktoria de Bourbon de Parme, promoter and supporter of young farmers in developing countries; Kamel Chida, Deputy Director of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation; Enrico Giovannini, Director of ASviS Italian Alliance for Sustainable Development; Maria Cristina Finucci, President of The Garbage Patch State; Howard Shapiro, Chief Agriculture Officer of Mars Incorporated; Gil Horsky, Global Director of Innovation at Mondelez International; Bruno Meireles de Sousa, Venture Partner of Cargill; Liam Condon President of Bayer Crop Science; Danielle Nierenberg, President of Food Tank. 

 

Now, the event’s organisers have their eyes set on the new upcoming international shows set to expand the influence and focus of Seeds&Chips far beyond its European roots. 

 

Kick-starting Africa’s innovation hubs

 

The closing ceremony of the event in Milan served as an opportunity to announce the Summit’s debut on the African continent. Seeds&Chips will take place in Kigali, Rwanda in 2020, offering further impetus to projects launched this year. 

 

One such project is FIHNK (Food Innovation Hub Network), created by the newly formed Seeds&Chips Foundation. The project aims, through an international public/private call, to create 10 Food Innovation Hubs in as many African countries between now and 2030. The hubs will function as: platforms to connect the wide variety of actors working in the food system (innovators, farmers, investors, foundations, public and private companies, NGOs, institutions); places to conduct field and lab research for the discovery, creation and use of the most advanced technologies; and as spaces to experiment with solutions and generate sustainable businesses.

 

Melbourne – Milan’s twin city for innovation

 

This year, Seeds&Chips will also debut in Australia, in Melbourne – 70 years after officially twinning with the city of Milan – from 3–5 September. The Summit will also return to Milan for its sixth edition from 18–21 May 2020 – a significant year, occurring five years after both the Expo Milano 2015 and the Paris COP21 agreement. Moreover, it will mark five years since the announcement of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and 10 years left to achieve those goals. 

 

“As Seeds&Chips grows we become increasingly international. I would like to thank all the authorities, institutions, partners – Australia with the State of Victoria and Africa with Rwanda – that worked to host us, and of course the young people and their ideas that will change the world,” said Marco Gualtieri, President and Founder of Seeds&Chips.