SPACE-F Accelerator Demo Day: Food-tech startups pitch and meet with investors




Caption: Thai and international startups presented their companies to a group of investors at SPACE-F Demo Day after spending the past four months at the program.

5 March 2020, BANGKOK  SPACE-F, the first global food-tech startup incubator and accelerator in Thailand, hosted a ‘Demo Day’ to allow a group of Thai and international startups to present their companies to a group of investors.

The seven startups, whose business models for their ideas and products have been developed during the SPACE-F Accelerator program, delivered presentations to about 70 guests including venture capitalists, investors and representatives from commercial financial institutions based in Thailand. Their products are now being fine-tuned to the needs of the market and customers.

After spending the past four months at the SPACE-F program, co-founded by Thai Union Group PCL, Mahidol University and the National Innovation Agency, the accelerators said they feel ready to upscale their businesses.

“A rapid increase in the world population has created a global challenge around how we can deal with the rising demand for food in both quantity and quality. SPACE-F, with its focus on food-tech startups, responds well to global concerns about food supply,” said Dr. Pun-arj Chairatana, Executive Director at the National Innovation Agency (NIA). “At the NIA, we work very hard to support young companies, as Thailand is looking to become a hub for food-tech startups. We provide advice on visa applications for foreign entrepreneurs, there is possible support from Thailand’s Board of Investment Office (BOI) including funding for Thai startups to develop prototype products. Lastly, being based in Thailand, the SPACE-F program offers close proximity to various F&B markets and food supply chains.”

“SPACE-F was established with an intention not only to help food-tech startups to grow and be successful but also to create a food-tech ecosystem. The program has been a proof positive of collaboration between the government, academia and the private sectors contributing to the industry,” said Thiraphong Chansiri, Thai Union Group CEO, “As one of the world’s leading seafood producers, we have committed to innovation as a key driver to our future success. We continue to offer innovative products to consumers and keep pace with continuous lifestyle changes and sustainability impacts.”

“Mahidol University is very happy to support SPACE-F and excited to see its journey to success today. To encourage an innovation ecosystem, further collaboration with other offices within the university have been put in place to help startups achieve their goals,” added Prof. Dr. Bunjong Mahaisawariya, Acting Rector, Mahidol University.

SPACE-F is open to startups innovating in health and wellness; alternative proteins; smart manufacturing; packaging solution; novel food and ingredients; biomaterial and chemical; restaurant tech; food safety and quality; and smart food services. With a non-equity model, it allows founders to have full ownership of their ideas and products.

About Thai Union Group
Thai Union Group PCL is the world’s seafood leader bringing high quality, healthy, tasty and innovative seafood products to customers across the world for more than 40 years.

Today, Thai Union is regarded as the world’s largest producer of shelf-stable tuna products with annual sales exceeding THB 126.3 billion (US$ 4.1 billion) and a global workforce of over 47,000 people who are dedicated to pioneering sustainable, innovative seafood products.
The company’s global brand portfolio includes market-leading international brands such as Chicken of the Sea, John West, Petit Navire, Parmentier, Mareblu, King Oscar, and Rügen Fisch and Thai-leading brands SEALECT, Fisho, Qfresh, Monori, Bellotta and Marvo.

As a company committed to innovation and globally responsible behavior, Thai Union is proud to be a member of the United Nations Global Compact, and a founding member of the International Seafood Sustainability Foundation (ISSF). In 2015, Thai Union introduced its SeaChange® sustainability strategy. Find out more at seachangesustainability.org. Thai Union’s on-going work on sustainability issues was recognized in 2018 and 2019 by being ranked number one in the world in the Food Products Industry in the Dow Jones Sustainability Index, achieving a 100th percentile ranking for total sustainability score. Thai Union has now been named to the DJSI for six consecutive years. Thai Union was also named to the FTSE4Good Emerging Index for the third straight year in 2018.