FoodBytes! by Rabobank, New York, unveiled the 15 startups selected for FoodBytes! San Francisco 2019, a competition and networking platform for innovative food, food tech and agtech entrepreneurs.

Some of the startups addressing significant food and sustainability issues are:

Food tech:

  • SnapDNA, Mountain View, Calif., is said to be the industry's fastest food safety pathogen test for E. coli, salmonella and listeria. Its technology eliminates the need to culture bacteria prior to analysis, making it possible to test food samples in the field and secure analysis in just over an hour.
  • PLANETARIANS, Palo Alto, Calif., upcycles byproducts and solid food waste into high-protein, high-fiber ingredients.
  • Bond Pets, Nederland, Colo., produces dog and cat food sourced from real animal protein, without the animal, and through fermentation, without the environmental impact of conventionally-raised meat. 
  • Corumat, Pomona, Calif., makes 100% plant-based, compostable, insulating packaging. Plus, Corumat's bioplastics are said to generate 60% less CO2 during production than the plastics traditionally used to make red party cups.
  • Zymtronix, Ithaca, N.Y., stabilizes and delivers enzymes to enable sustainable processes for crop protection.

AgTech:

  • Osmo Systems, Oakland, Calif., develops the Osmobot, an aquaculture water quality sensor that allows shrimp and fish farmers to continuously monitor their ponds online, thus decreasing mortalities and improving feeding conversion.
  • Healthy Cow, Canada, develops products to help dairy farmers reduce their reliance on antibiotics and hormones. For example, ProPreg offers a bovine intra-vaginal probiotic that supports a healthy vaginal microbiome in dairy cows.
  • Bushel, Fargo, N.D., develops what is said to be the grain industry's first software platform and app that allows grain elevators and cooperatives to digitally connect with their growers and deliver near real-time information.
  • CropIn Technology Solutions, India, provides software-as-a-solution to agribusinesses globally to enable agri-ecosystem stakeholders, including farmers, to adopt digital strategy and decision-making tools across their operations.