good food makers

Origin & Design

The Problem

Large food companies are losing market share as consumer habits shift. The solutions are often being built by startups. But without the right infrastructure, those two worlds rarely meet.

The Design

I designed and launched Good Food Makers, a custom accelerator, in partnership with Barilla's venture arm, BLU1877. The program pairs early-stage food and agtech startups directly with Barilla's internal experts for eight weeks — including a week in residency at Barilla HQ in Parma, Italy. Through the program, startups get access to the knowledge and credibility of a global food company and Barilla gets a window into the innovations reshaping its category.

The Impact

Over four cohorts, the program received 1,200+ applications from 41 countries and 28+ startup collaborations, including ReGrained, Renewal Mill, and Planetarians.