Innovation in Food Security Venture Creation Weekend

This Venture Creation Weekend (VCW) organized by The Entrepreneurship Centre in partnership with the Cambridge Food Security Forum is for students, postdocs, professional and researchers working on emerging technologies and innovations in Food Security who are interested in learning how to translate their ideas into ventures as part of a startup team.

Why we are doing this Venture Creation Weekend?

Our current food system is under pressure to change. While one in eight people suffers from malnutrition, one third of the food produced in the world goes to waste. Meanwhile, the population continues to increase and the climate conditions for crop plants are changing.  

Food Security, as explained by the World Food Programme, is about the "availability and adequate access at all times to sufficient, safe, nutritious food to maintain a healthy and active life". In practice this means that a vast range of parties are stakeholders. It ranges from those creating policies to those researching and creating the latest biotechnology in labs to entrepreneurs creating innovative ventures which tackle the wide range of problems facing the world. 

The Entrepreneurship Centre is working in partnership with the Cambridge Food Security Forum to offer aspiring entrepreneurs, innovators and researchers the chance to explore opportunities, ideas and applications in Food Security. 

For this Venture Creation Weekend we recommend that participants focus on five key areas of Food Security: 

1. Supply chain management
2. Nutrition
3. Food waste
4. Consumer behaviour
5. Food biotechnology

 

Why attend a Food Security VCW?

It's a chance to create, test and validate your biotech or healthcare venture idea or application with industry experts. You can get inspiration from your peers and mentors, learn the basics of building a business and how to collaborate with others in a team environment. Some of you can go 'founder-dating', i.e. use the weekend to match up with one or more co-founders for your business. All participants will work together in teams on customer development, business models, pitching practice and building product prototypes (where appropriate). The most popular ideas are pitched to a panel of judges formed of industry leaders and investors who can provide expert feedback and analysis. 

At the end of the VCW, you will have developed your entrepreneurial skills, kick-started your venture, enjoyed the buzz of exploring and creating ideas; and potentially be ready to launch your business together with a talented team. 

In addition, one or more of the participating teams will be invited for an interview to join our Accelerate Cambridge incubator programme delivered by the CJBS Entrepreneurship Centre. Please note that successful application is dependent on whether the team meets the selection criteria. 

Find out more about the content and format of the CJBS Venture Creation Weekends

 

What is the VCW like?

Watch our video including views and comments from participants of the DisruptEd VCW - Exploring Emerging Technology for Education, March 2017

“ The weekend was absolutely great. One's creativity muscle is really being challenged in a weekend like this, with the high pace and pressure. The mentors and facilitators where amazing. ” Thomas Christensen, Student, Copenhagen Business Academy, DisruptEd VCW, March 2017

 

Please find further information and register here.