A fish alternative made from seaweed and upcycled fruit pits are among the innovations to have been awarded prize money to help scale up their concepts in 2025.
The duo were among the winners of this year’s ‘Marketed innovation prize’ from EIT Food, a pan-European innovation community part-funded by the European Union.
The annual prize is designed to reward start-ups across Europe that have successfully brought products or services to market which support the transition to a more healthy, sustainable and resilient food system. Four regional winners each win €10,000 and the best innovation of each of five subcategories is awarded a prize of €5,000.
This year’s winners included BettaFish, creator of fish alternatives produced from regeneratively cultivated seaweed, which was awarded the prize for best alternative protein-based solution.
“By transforming seaweed into zero-input, nutrient-rich food solutions and collaborating with traditional industries like fishing and food production, we’re not just raising awareness of our oceans—we’re building a regenerative food system that nourishes both people and the planet,” said Deniz Ficicioglu from BettaFish.
German company Kern Tec won the prize for best food waste reduction solution for its work upcycling the pits discarded when processing fruits like apricots and prunes and turning them into pastes and oils for use in food and cosmetics products.
Innovations for use in farming were among the other winners including a drone-based weed mapping tool that helps identify and target upcoming weed problems, and technology that uses artificial intelligence to detect early signs of plant stress.
Richard Zaltzman, CEO of EIT Food, said the winners were leading change across the entire food system. “They’re bringing exciting, healthier choices to consumers and empowering food producers with innovative and sustainable techniques to boost efficiency and productivity,” he said.
