Dr. Oetker Stories

TUM Venture Labs and Dr. Oetker are rethinking sustainable nutrition

What do you actually do at a Circular Robotic Hackfest? What happens at AgriFood Demo Day? And why is regenerative agriculture so important to Dr. Oetker?

TUM Venture Labs and Dr. Oetker are rethinking sustainable nutrition

17.10.2024 • Sustainability

Rethinking sustainable nutrition: Since April 2023 we have been cooperating with the TUM Venture Lab Food/Agro/Biotech at Weihenstephan, a dynamic incubator that promotes innovative start-up teams working on forward-looking food concepts. Together with pioneers from science and the start-up scene, we work on the development of revolutionary ideas for the nutrition of tomorrow. Read here why Dr. Oetker attaches so much importance to this partnership and what we expect from it.

Partnering with the TUM Venture Lab for a dynamic, digitalized future

In order to actively participate in the sustainable transformation of food systems, Dr. Oetker has entered into a partnership with the TUM Venture Lab Food/Agro/Biotech since April 2023. This collaboration aims to facilitate a constructive dialogue between industry, academia and start-ups and to jointly shape the agri-food systems of the future.

The innovation ecosystem in Munich, around the Technical University of Munich (TUM) and UnternehmerTUM, was recently named Europe's #1 start-up hub (Financial Times 15.03.2024). Over the past 25 years, this dynamic environment has produced more than 1,000 start-ups and 15 unicorns. With over 50,000 students, the Technical University of Munich regularly ranks at the top of the quality rankings in an EU comparison. To promote entrepreneurship, the Technical University of Munich has launched 12 Venture Labs, with a wide range of topics ranging from robotics and AI to food, health, agriculture and biotechnology. These venture labs support the transformation of innovative ideas from start-ups, science and young talents into viable business models. It is important to TUM that a network of entrepreneurs, industry partners, scientists and investors supports the young founders.

"With a view to a digitalized future and the challenges we all face in terms of sustainability, we are looking forward to the partnership with the Venture Lab Food/Agro/Biotech at Technical University of Munich." Claudia Willvonseder, Member of the International Executive Board

Our Open Innovation Team:

The cooperation between the TUM Venture Labs and Dr. Oetker is supervised by the Open Innovation department (Avdesh Chaudhary - Open Innovation Manager und Anne Krug - Manager Healthy Nutrition & Open Innovation Accelerator).

Dr. Matthias Berger, Anne Krug and Dr. Avdesh Chaudhary

"The Venture Lab Food/Agro/Biotech in Weihenstephan is our "home base" in Munich's vibrant innovation ecosystem. Through TUM's international networks, for example a Campus in Singapur or the Initiative „Rise Europe“ we reach start-ups far beyond the borders of Munich. It inspires us to develop innovative and sustainable solutions together with internal and external partners. We see ourselves as a catalyst here", explains Anne Krug.

Whether Circular Robotic Hackfest or AgriFood Demo Day - since the beginning of the partnership, numerous exciting events and projects have already been set up:

Dr. Matthias Berger at the AgriFood Demo Day 3.0 in Munich

The Agri Food Demo Day is one of the largest agri-food start-up pitch events in Munich. This year, the focus was on soil health and Dr. Matthias Berger spoke in a panel discussion on "Food Security & Future Proof Supply Chains".

In the Venture Lab Food/Agro/Biotech – in the shadow of the oldest brewery in the world located on the Weihenstephaner Berg – the FabTalk BevTech took place with exciting topics around innovations in beverage technology with inspiring keynotes by Professor Thomas Becker (Chair of Brewing and Beverage Technology) and Dr. Marc Rauschmann (Head of Quality of the Radeberger Group)

Can the shortage of workers in the catering industry be countered with a robot-controlled, fully automatic Kaiserschmarrn preparation? Team "Chef++" had 5 days and won the Prototype Award, which was endowed with 2500 EUR.

TUM Venture Lab meets Dr. Oetker World, Bielefeld

The Director of the TUM Venture Lab Food/Agro/Biotech Dr. Roman Werner and Innovation Director Lukas Dillinger visited Dr. Oetker to introduce themselves to their colleagues, get to know products and learn how Dr. Oetker works with start-ups. Roman Werner presented the cooperation to 40+ colleagues.

Impressions from our Venture Lab

BayWa Co-Working Space

Hackathon „Challenge Accepted!“

In October 2024, the cooperation is all about regenerative agriculture. As a partner of the TUM Venture Labs, we contribute two challenges to the #GrowthAlliance Idea Camp – a hackathon for students who are enthusiastic about future technologies and innovative solutions in the agricultural and food industry. As a task, we asked big questions: What would a credible and valid investment instrument for regenerative agriculture look like in concrete terms? And how can we make a net-zero pizza? Our challenges are in line with the goal of the Dr. Oetker Sustainability Charter to operate net zero by 2050.

The ideas from the hackathon were presented in October in Munich at the FAB Talk Regenerative AgriFood Systems.

The FAB Talk started with an opening by Prof. Ingrid Kögel-Knabner, a renowned expert in soil science. Afterwards, students, startups, scientists and industry leaders heard insightful keynotes from Prof. Livia Cabernard (Sustainability Assessment of AgFood Systems Technische University of Munich) and Dr. Albert Christmann, CEO at Dr. Oetker. A dynamic panel discussion on the topic of "Sustainability in the Mass Market" followed.

The winning ideas from the hackathon included concepts for promoting regenerative agriculture through innovative financing and measurability, smart energy control solutions, optimized biogas use, new products from agricultural residues and solutions that help farmers overcome bureaucratic barriers.

"It's time to turn innovative ideas into real-world solutions and make regenerative agriculture a reality" Dr. Avdesh Chaudhary, Open Innovation Manager

"We are excited to see how the hackathon's fresh ideas can push the boundaries of sustainability and drive meaningful change in our industry" Dr. Matthias Berger, Senior Executive Manager R&D and Innovation Management

What happens next? You can find out here and at the TUM Venture Lab FAB. And so, step by step, we continue to move forward innovatively and purposefully to advance the goals of our Sustainability Charter.

For more information please contact:

Katharina Ahnepohl

Media Spokesperson Sustainability