Innovations in the field of life sciences secure the food production of the future and make it more sustainable. To accelerate innovation through start-ups in the fields of agriculture, food technology and biotechnology, the Technical University of Munich (TUM) and UnternehmerTUM have launched the TUM Venture Lab Food-Agro-Biotech (FAB). The Lab FAB is one of now eleven TUM Venture Labs, which are designed to support TUM researchers and students in entrepreneurial spin-offs in the various fields of technology.

Close contact with the drivers of innovation

With the food company Dr. Oetker, the Munich-based startup incubator has now gained another partner. "For a dynamic, digitized future and the challenges we all face in terms of sustainability, we see it as essential to promote innovation by exchanging ideas with and investing in startups and young founders. Our goal with this sponsorship is to be in close contact with the drivers of innovation and to create a productive competitive climate that challenges and drives the entire industry - including Dr. Oetker," says Claudia Willvonseder, member of the Executive Board of Dr. August Oetker Nahrungsmittel KG.

Accelerating innovation in the life sciences

The TUM Venture Lab Food-Agro-Biotech specifically promotes interdisciplinary innovations in the life sciences: from research in genetics and biology to the challenges in the agricultural sector to the production and process technology of the food and beverages of the future. It offers start-up teams on the Weihenstephan campus the necessary infrastructure to develop their research results into marketable and practical innovations. Among other things, the teams have access to laboratories and workshops. Within the framework of training and incubator programs, those seeking to found a company are individually accompanied by experts, from finding a team to developing the business model to support with financing.

"We are delighted to have gained an innovative and deeply entrepreneurial partner in Dr. Oetker," says Venture Labs CEO Philipp Gerbert. No details are given as to how much the food company will fund the start-up incubator. In October 2021, the TUM Venture Lab Food-Agro-Biotech (FAB) was already able to win BayWa AG as a sponsor, which will provide 1.4 million euros for start-ups in the fields of agriculture, food technology and biotechnology.

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