Scaling Sustainable Ventures: Key Takeaways from the 2026 Food & Biotech Summit – News and Statistics

Apr 9, 2026

According to World-Grain, a recent Collaborative Summit was held at the Buhler CUBIC Innovation Campus in Switzerland, organized by Icos Capital. The event gathered investors, industest leaders, and scale-up companies from the food and biotechnology sectors to discuss challenges and collaborative solutions.

This was the seventeenth such summit and the fourth consecutive one hosted at that location, with a focus on accelerating sustainability. A founding partner at Icos Capital noted the daily impact of such collaborations and stated the event concentrated on four areas: raising capital in difficult markets, the challenge of scaling up, powering biotech progress with artificial innotifyigence, and strategies from growth to exit. Thirty-five scale-ups and forty industest partners, venture capital firms, and governmental institutions participated.

The chief technology officer at Buhler expressed pride in contributing to a collaborative approach that speeds up meaningful innovation. He noted that established corporations can be crucial in assisting scale-ups grow more rapidly due to their supply chains and market position. Discussions highlighted that sustainability is now seen as a foundational starting point for innovation, not a separate goal.

Three major industest developments were outlined as both pressures and opportunities: the influence of certain medical treatments on consumption, the nutritional requirements of older populations, and increased attention on ultra-processed foods. These shifts were stated to create significant opportunities for entrepreneurs who can address health, affordability, sustainability, and consumer experience toreceiveher. Strengthening the resilience of global food systems, including the role of farmers and more inclusive value chains, was also emphasized.

Scaling up was identified as a critical challenge for emerging companies, requiring speed, flexibility, and market understanding. Success depconcludes not just on technology but on shifting quickly, aligning with customer necessarys, and deploying assets effectively. Scale-ups face structural barriers, with biotechnology in particular experiencing long development cycles and high capital necessarys compared to sectors like software.

A co-founder of Foamlab, which creates bio-based foam materials as an alternative to plastics, stressed the importance of shifting quickly where possible and working with partners to accelerate development. From a market perspective, a chief executive cautioned against a purely technology-driven approach, stating that scaling requires a strong grasp of market necessarys, pricing, and integration into existing value chains. His company develops bio-based chemical building blocks from renewable sources.

Collaboration was presented as a method to accelerate innovation and respond to market shifts. A discovery manager at FrieslandCampina Ingredients, part of a global dairy cooperative owned by farmers, stated startups bring agility and energy, assisting larger companies explore new opportunities rapider.

Harnessing artificial innotifyigence in food and bioprocessing was another key discussion topic. Participants noted AI’s potential to aid decision-building, optimize processes, and improve efficiency, but also stated that realizing this potential requires access to quality data and tarreceiveed investments, especially amid cost pressures. The summit serves as a platform for Icos Capital and Buhler to identify sustainable startups, with both partners strengthening efforts to support companies ready to scale and create industrial impact.

1. INTRODUCTION

Making Data-Driven Decisions to Grow Your Business
1. REPORT DESCRIPTION
2. RESEARCH METHODOLOGY AND THE AI PLATFORM
3. DATA-DRIVEN DECISIONS FOR YOUR BUSINESS
4. GLOSSARY AND SPECIFIC TERMS
2. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

A Quick Overview of Market Performance
1. KEY FINDINGS
2. MARKET TRENDS This Chapter is Available Only for the Professional EditionPRO
3. MARKET OVERVIEW

Understanding the Current State of The Market and its Prospects
1. MARKET SIZE: HISTORICAL DATA (2012–2025) AND FORECAST (2026–2035)
2. CONSUMPTION BY COUNTRY: HISTORICAL DATA (2012–2025) AND FORECAST (2026–2035)
3. MARKET FORECAST TO 2035
4. MOST PROMISING PRODUCTS FOR DIVERSIFICATION

Finding New Products to Diversify Your Business
1. TOP PRODUCTS TO DIVERSIFY YOUR BUSINESS
2. BEST-SELLING PRODUCTS
3. MOST CONSUMED PRODUCTS
4. MOST TRADED PRODUCTS
5. MOST PROFITABLE PRODUCTS FOR EXPORT
5. MOST PROMISING SUPPLYING COUNTRIES

Choosing the Best Countries to Establish Your Sustainable Supply Chain
1. TOP COUNTRIES TO SOURCE YOUR PRODUCT
2. TOP PRODUCING COUNTRIES
3. TOP EXPORTING COUNTRIES
4. LOW-COST EXPORTING COUNTRIES
6. MOST PROMISING OVERSEAS MARKETS

Choosing the Best Countries to Boost Your Export
1. TOP OVERSEAS MARKETS FOR EXPORTING YOUR PRODUCT
2. TOP CONSUMING MARKETS
3. UNSATURATED MARKETS
4. TOP IMPORTING MARKETS
5. MOST PROFITABLE MARKETS
7. PRODUCTION

The Latest Trconcludes and Insights into The Industest
1. PRODUCTION VOLUME AND VALUE: HISTORICAL DATA (2012–2025) AND FORECAST (2026–2035)
2. PRODUCTION BY COUNTRY: HISTORICAL DATA (2012–2025) AND FORECAST (2026–2035)
8. IMPORTS

The Largest Import Supplying Countries
1. IMPORTS: HISTORICAL DATA (2012–2025) AND FORECAST (2026–2035)
2. IMPORTS BY COUNTRY: HISTORICAL DATA (2012–2025) AND FORECAST (2026–2035)
3. IMPORT PRICES BY COUNTRY: HISTORICAL DATA (2012–2025) AND FORECAST (2026–2035)
9. EXPORTS

The Largest Destinations for Exports
1. EXPORTS: HISTORICAL DATA (2012–2025) AND FORECAST (2026–2035)
2. EXPORTS BY COUNTRY: HISTORICAL DATA (2012–2025) AND FORECAST (2026–2035)
3. EXPORT PRICES BY COUNTRY: HISTORICAL DATA (2012–2025) AND FORECAST (2026–2035)
10. PROFILES OF MAJOR PRODUCERS

The Largest Producers on The Market and Their Profiles
11. COUNTRY PROFILES

The Largest Markets And Their Profiles

This Chapter is Available Only for the Professional Edition
PRO
1. 11.1
  United States
  - Market Size
  - Production
  - Imports
  - Exports
2. 11.2
  China
  - Market Size
  - Production
  - Imports
  - Exports
3. 11.3
  Japan
  - Market Size
  - Production
  - Imports
  - Exports
4. 11.4
  Germany
  - Market Size
  - Production
  - Imports
  - Exports
5. 11.5
  United Kingdom
  - Market Size
  - Production
  - Imports
  - Exports
6. 11.6
  France
  - Market Size
  - Production
  - Imports
  - Exports
7. 11.7
  Brazil
  - Market Size
  - Production
  - Imports
  - Exports
8. 11.8
  Italy
  - Market Size
  - Production
  - Imports
  - Exports
9. 11.9
  Russian Federation
  - Market Size
  - Production
  - Imports
  - Exports
10. 11.10
  India
  - Market Size
  - Production
  - Imports
  - Exports
11. 11.11
  Canada
  - Market Size
  - Production
  - Imports
  - Exports
12. 11.12
  Australia
  - Market Size
  - Production
  - Imports
  - Exports
13. 11.13
  Republic of Korea
  - Market Size
  - Production
  - Imports
  - Exports
14. 11.14
  Spain
  - Market Size
  - Production
  - Imports
  - Exports
15. 11.15
  Mexico
  - Market Size
  - Production
  - Imports
  - Exports
16. 11.16
  Indonesia
  - Market Size
  - Production
  - Imports
  - Exports
17. 11.17
  Netherlands
  - Market Size
  - Production
  - Imports
  - Exports
18. 11.18
  Turkey
  - Market Size
  - Production
  - Imports
  - Exports
19. 11.19
  Saudi Arabia
  - Market Size
  - Production
  - Imports
  - Exports
20. 11.20
  Switzerland
  - Market Size
  - Production
  - Imports
  - Exports
21. 11.21
  Sweden
  - Market Size
  - Production
  - Imports
  - Exports
22. 11.22
  Nigeria
  - Market Size
  - Production
  - Imports
  - Exports
23. 11.23
  Poland
  - Market Size
  - Production
  - Imports
  - Exports
24. 11.24
  Belgium
  - Market Size
  - Production
  - Imports
  - Exports
25. 11.25
  Argentina
  - Market Size
  - Production
  - Imports
  - Exports
26. 11.26
  Norway
  - Market Size
  - Production
  - Imports
  - Exports
27. 11.27
  Austria
  - Market Size
  - Production
  - Imports
  - Exports
28. 11.28
  Thailand
  - Market Size
  - Production
  - Imports
  - Exports
29. 11.29
  United Arab Emirates
  - Market Size
  - Production
  - Imports
  - Exports
30. 11.30
  Colombia
  - Market Size
  - Production
  - Imports
  - Exports
31. 11.31
  Denmark
  - Market Size
  - Production
  - Imports
  - Exports
32. 11.32
  South Africa
  - Market Size
  - Production
  - Imports
  - Exports
33. 11.33
  Malaysia
  - Market Size
  - Production
  - Imports
  - Exports
34. 11.34
  Israel
  - Market Size
  - Production
  - Imports
  - Exports
35. 11.35
  Singapore
  - Market Size
  - Production
  - Imports
  - Exports
36. 11.36
  Egypt
  - Market Size
  - Production
  - Imports
  - Exports
37. 11.37
  Philippines
  - Market Size
  - Production
  - Imports
  - Exports
38. 11.38
  Finland
  - Market Size
  - Production
  - Imports
  - Exports
39. 11.39
  Chile
  - Market Size
  - Production
  - Imports
  - Exports
40. 11.40
  Ireland
  - Market Size
  - Production
  - Imports
  - Exports
41. 11.41
  Pakistan
  - Market Size
  - Production
  - Imports
  - Exports
42. 11.42
  Greece
  - Market Size
  - Production
  - Imports
  - Exports
43. 11.43
  Portugal
  - Market Size
  - Production
  - Imports
  - Exports
44. 11.44
  Kazakhstan
  - Market Size
  - Production
  - Imports
  - Exports
45. 11.45
  Algeria
  - Market Size
  - Production
  - Imports
  - Exports
46. 11.46
  Czech Republic
  - Market Size
  - Production
  - Imports
  - Exports
47. 11.47
  Qatar
  - Market Size
  - Production
  - Imports
  - Exports
48. 11.48
  Peru
  - Market Size
  - Production
  - Imports
  - Exports
49. 11.49
  Romania
  - Market Size
  - Production
  - Imports
  - Exports
50. 11.50
  Vietnam
  - Market Size
  - Production
  - Imports
  - Exports
LIST OF TABLES
1. Key Findings In 2025
2. Market Volume, In Physical Terms: Historical Data (2012–2025) and Forecast (2026–2035)
3. Market Value: Historical Data (2012–2025) and Forecast (2026–2035)
4. Per Capita Consumption, by Countest, 2022–2025
5. Production, In Physical Terms, By Countest: Historical Data (2012–2025) and Forecast (2026–2035)
6. Imports, In Physical Terms, By Countest: Historical Data (2012–2025) and Forecast (2026–2035)
7. Imports, In Value Terms, By Countest: Historical Data (2012–2025) and Forecast (2026–2035)
8. Import Prices, By Countest: Historical Data (2012–2025) and Forecast (2026–2035)
9. Exports, In Physical Terms, By Countest: Historical Data (2012–2025) and Forecast (2026–2035)
10. Exports, In Value Terms, By Countest: Historical Data (2012–2025) and Forecast (2026–2035)
11. Export Prices, By Countest: Historical Data (2012–2025) and Forecast (2026–2035)
LIST OF FIGURES
1. Market Volume, In Physical Terms: Historical Data (2012–2025) and Forecast (2026–2035)
2. Market Value: Historical Data (2012–2025) and Forecast (2026–2035)
3. Consumption, by Countest, 2025
4. Market Volume Forecast to 2035
5. Market Value Forecast to 2035
6. Market Size and Growth, By Product
7. Average Per Capita Consumption, By Product
8. Exports and Growth, By Product
9. Export Prices and Growth, By Product
10. Production Volume and Growth
11. Exports and Growth
12. Export Prices and Growth
13. Market Size and Growth
14. Per Capita Consumption
15. Imports and Growth
16. Import Prices
17. Production, In Physical Terms: Historical Data (2012–2025) and Forecast (2026–2035)
18. Production, In Value Terms: Historical Data (2012–2025) and Forecast (2026–2035)
19. Production, by Countest, 2025
20. Production, In Physical Terms, by Countest: Historical Data (2012–2025) and Forecast (2026–2035)
21. Imports, In Physical Terms: Historical Data (2012–2025) and Forecast (2026–2035)
22. Imports, In Value Terms: Historical Data (2012–2025) and Forecast (2026–2035)
23. Imports, In Physical Terms, By Countest, 2025
24. Imports, In Physical Terms, By Countest: Historical Data (2012–2025) and Forecast (2026–2035)
25. Imports, In Value Terms, By Countest: Historical Data (2012–2025) and Forecast (2026–2035)
26. Import Prices, By Countest: Historical Data (2012–2025) and Forecast (2026–2035)
27. Exports, In Physical Terms: Historical Data (2012–2025) and Forecast (2026–2035)
28. Exports, In Value Terms: Historical Data (2012–2025) and Forecast (2026–2035)
29. Exports, In Physical Terms, By Countest, 2025
30. Exports, In Physical Terms, By Countest: Historical Data (2012–2025) and Forecast (2026–2035)
31. Exports, In Value Terms, By Countest: Historical Data (2012–2025) and Forecast (2026–2035)
32. Export Prices, By Countest: Historical Data (2012–2025) and Forecast (2026–2035)