Loacker Group opens its doors to startups: international call launched for its Corporate Venture Capital programme

Supported by Eatable Adventures, Loacker is seeking innovative solutions in three strategic areas – natural fat and sugar alternatives, protein, and automation and robotics – offering selected startups the opportunity to secure investment and run pilot projects in an industrial setting.

South Tyrol, Italy, 5 November 2026 – Just weeks after announcing its first Corporate Venture Capital programme, the Loacker Group is moving into the operational phase with an international call for Agrifoodtech startups. The initiative, run with the support of Eatable Adventures, one of the world’s leading Agrifoodtech accelerators, invites startups and scaleups from around the world to put forward solutions to the challenges the Group will face in the years ahead.

Announced in September and managed through the Loacker Investment Office with an annual budget of €1 million, the programme already counts three startups in its portfolio: Dr. Taste, which is developing a predictive platform to anticipate consumer response; Endless Food Co., which creates chocolate alternatives from food by-products; and Ferm Labs, which uses fermentation to develop new clean-label flavour ingredients. Through this call, the Group aims to expand its portfolio with new projects aligned with its industrial priorities.

Three challenges for the confectionery industry of tomorrow

The new call focuses on three priority areas, reflecting some of the key transformations currently under way in the sector.

• Natural fat and sugar alternatives. Ingredients and technologies that reduce or replace fats and sugars with naturally derived solutions, in line with the Group’s clean-label standards and with no compromise on taste or texture.

• Alternative and functional proteins. New protein sources for integration into wafers, chocolate specialities and baked goods.

• Automation and robotics. Automation solutions spanning agricultural processes through to production lines, to improve operational efficiency and product integrity.

From investment to pilot project

Selected startups will work closely with the Group’s technical and business teams. The process involves an in-depth assessment of at least 30 projects, from which around 10 finalists will be chosen. Finalists will be able to access a range of collaboration opportunities: from direct investment by the Corporate Venture Capital programme to proofs of concept and pilot projects in a real industrial environment, through to co-development and commercial partnerships.

The call is open to startups from pre-seed to Series A with technologies that are already validated or at an advanced stage of development, that offer industrial or strategic synergies with the Group, and that are open to bringing on board a strategic investor. 

“For a family business, investing today in solutions that can generate value tomorrow means building its future responsibly,” says Andreas Loacker, Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Loacker Group. “Large companies and startups have different and complementary strengths. On one side, experience, industrial capability and market knowledge; on the other, speed, specialisation and fresh perspectives. Our Corporate Venture Capital programme was created to bring these two worlds together and tackle the challenges of the coming years side by side.”

“Major food companies that invest in startups accelerate innovation across the entire value chain. Together with the Loacker Group, we have built a programme that goes beyond capital: selected startups will gain access to the Group’s industrial and R&D expertise, its production lines, its market knowledge and an integrated supply chain that runs from raw materials to finished product. We invite founders working on these challenges to come forward,” comments Alberto Barbari, Regional VP Europe at Eatable Adventures.

Applications are open until 1 December 2026. Interested startups can read the terms and conditions and apply via Loacker website.