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46th edition 18-22 January 2025 Rimini Expo Centre, Italy
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Innovation & Start-Up Award

The Innovation & Start-Up Award 2025


A recognition of excellence in the foodservice sector

 

The Innovation & Start-Up Award, now in its second edition at SIGEP, is the prestigious award that recognises the most innovative start-ups and products that will set new trends in the international foodservice landscape.

 

An initiative in partnership with ANGI - the National Association of Young Innovators it once again underlines SIGEP's central role as the industry's leading platform for launching new products and pioneering solutions.

 

 

Seven categories explore seven key themes for a forward-looking innovation challenge: Digital Innovation & AI, Equipment, Technology & Kitchen Materials, Frozen & Ready Meals, Ingredients & Semi-Finished Products, Organic / Free-From, Packaging Solutions & Machinery and Sustainability.

This is a unique opportunity to recognise the innovations that are making a difference.

 

THE JURY

Eligible Subjects

The Innovation Award is exclusively open to companies exhibiting at SIGEP 2025, featuring projects developed to enhance the quality and sustainability of products and services within the foodservice sector.

The Award aims to spotlight successful business projects and entrepreneurial experiences in the following areas:

  • Organic / Free From product
  • Digital Innovation and AI
  • Equipment, Technology & Kitchen Materials
  • Frozen & Ready-made Products
  • Ingredients & Semi-finished Goods
  • Packaging solutions & Machinery
  • Sustainability

DOWNLOAD REGULATIONS

How to enter the competition

Here's how to participate:

Prepare Documentation: the following documents are required for participation in the award: a) Application form for Sigep 2025 (including consent to data processing); b) A brief technical sheet of the technological innovation in both Italian and English c) jpeg photos of the candidate product up to a maximum of 3 photos

  1. Submit Application: click on "Submit your company" and complete the required form, remember to upload all required attachments by 3:00 PM on 12/12/2024. Make sure all data is complete and correct.
  2. Selection and Evaluation: a jury of experts will analyze all applications based on criteria of originality, impact, and sustainability.
  3. Finalist Announcement: finalists will be contacted and invited to present their projects during the award ceremony

APPLY YOUR COMPANY

The Jury

Alessandro Pastore

Executive Director of Bologna Business School

 

Alessandro Pastore is Executive Director of Camfridge Ltd, which aims to become the world leader in high-efficiency gas-free refrigeration technology based on magnetic properties of solid state materials. In 2005 he co-founded the company and brought to it a wealth of knowledge about large organizations and how to sell to them, as well as a vital international perspective, having worked in Italy, France, UK, Argentina, Brazil and Germany. He is regularly invited to speak at clean tech and climate change conferences and radio programs. 

Before this venture he had been working internationally for 12 years for blue chip companies with increasing level of responsibility. The last position held was Market Strategy Vice President at Siemens Com.

 

At Bologna Business Sschool in 2011 he co-founded the track in Green Energy and Sustainable Businesses of the GMBA program where he is now the industry leader. In 2005 he co-founded and launched “UNIBO Launch Pad” the first Italian University-wide entrepreneurial acceleration program designed to foster and cultivate the entrepreneurial talent of scientists. Since 2019 he has been Adjunct Professor at University of Bologna. For leisure, Alessandro likes to discover Europe by bicycle. Alessandro got an MBA from the Collège des Ingénieurs, Paris and a PhD from the Politecnico di Torino. 

Carlo Corazza

Director of the European Parliament Offices in Italy 

 

 

Carlo Corazza is the representative in Italy of the European Parliament. He joined the European Commission in 1983 and held various leadership positions within DG Financial Control that was responsible for auditing the EU Structural Funds. In 1995 he became a member of the cabinet of European Commissioner Emma Bonino. He also collaborates with the master's program in European integration at the University of Padua. 

Diana Battaggia

General Director of ''Organizzazione delle Nazioni Unite per lo Sviluppo Industriale'' 

 

 

Diana Battaggia graduated in Political Science and International Relations at Padua University with a thesis on the internationalization strategies of Carrera SpA, then she later specialized in Financial Analysis and Corporate Finance

She began her career as a consultant for economic and institutional affairs at Italian and European companies and institutions, particularly in international finance, industrial development and cooperation

In 1999, she was appointed Coordinator of UNCTAD's “Mediterranean2000” Program. During her tenure, she has supported numerous Mediterranean and Horn of Africa countries through support for Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs), promotion of industrial partnerships, and business competitiveness in the global market. 

Since 2003, she has been a founding partner and board member of Foedus Foundation, whose mission is to strengthen business development related to solidarity and cultural engagement through international promotion programs, partnerships and institutional collaborations. 

In 2004, she was a consultant at UNIDO Headquarters in Vienna carrying out relevant assignments aimed at probing the market access capabilities of SMEs and analyzing trade facilitation marked by trade facilitation.

 

Since 2004 she has been the director of UNIDO's Italian Office for Technology Promotion and Investment, where she is responsible for projects aimed at the sustainable industrialization of Africa, Asia and Latin America.
She strengthened UNIDO ITPO Italy's commitment to Sustainable Energy Access by participating during her tenure in the G8 meetings: the one in Syracuse, G8 Environment and the G8 Energy held in Rome.  

In addition, she focused on other issues such as poverty reduction, insisting on the importance of increasing Global Food Security with the goal of minimizing food waste in developed countries. To support this, she led an initiative to foster UNIDO's cooperation with the other Rome-based UN Agencies (FAO, IFAD and WFP) related to the agriculture and food sectors, with the aim of developing a comprehensive approach in the fight against hunger and poverty reduction worldwide. 

Domenico Nuzzo

 

Researcher at ''Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche''

 

 

The Dr. Domenico Nuzzo graduated in Biological Sciences in 2003 and in 2007 obtained the European Research Doctorate in Biopathology at the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Palermo. The Dr. Nuzzo is a researcher at the Institute for Biomedical Research and Innovation of Palermo - IRIB of the National Research Council - CNR. He is the author of more than 90 scientific publications in indexed journals, is the inventor of two patents and collaborates with research groups of various Italian and foreign institutions mainly in the field of biology.

He is Principal Investigator of numerous research projects in the field of food science all focused on the prevention of chronic degenerative diseases. He is on the Editorial Board of prestigious international journals (Antioxidants, Oxidative Medicine and Cellular Longevity and Frontiers in Nutrition) and is Guest Editor of numerous Special Issues focused on natural biomolecules and health effects. 

Mauro Spagnolo

Editor of the magazine "Rinnovabili"

 

 

Mauro Spagnolo, architect and journalist, has been working on sustainability and quality of life for more than twenty-five years

Alongside his professional work as a designer of green buildings and infrastructure, he has also pursued a career as a journalist and science communicator. He is one of the founders of the newspaper rinnovabili.it , for which he is editor-in-chief. He is head of the SEI (Integrated Energy Systems) unit at the Interuniversity Research Center for Sustainable Development at La Sapienza University, where he has been a professor.

 

He is also a lecturer in first- and second-level university master's programs and scientific head of training courses at ISES Italia, ANAB and INBAR. On television, he is a consultant on environmental issues for the program Unomattina on Rai. He has been among the energy experts for radio stations such as Ecoradio and Lifegate, radio programs such as Radio Europa of Rai Radio 1 and Radio 2 days of Rai Radio 2, and television shows such as Rai utile, Condominio Terra and Alle falde del Kilimangiaro. 

 

In addition to numerous scientific and popular articles, he has written "L'integrazione del fotovoltaico nell'edilizia e nell'infrastrutture urbane"- (ENEA, 1999), "Il sole nella città, l'uso del fotovoltaico in edilizia" (Muzzio Editore, 2001) and "Efficienza energetica nella progettazione" (DEI, 2007). 

Roberto Baldassarri

Scientific Committee Director ANGI - National Association of Young Innovators 

 

 

President of Istituto Piepoli S.p.A., President and CEO of GPF Inspiring Research, General Manager of MG Research and now General Manager of LAB21.01 he is a professor of “Integrated Communications Methods and Tools” (la Sapienza); Strategies of Market and Opinion Research (RomaTre - Unimercatorum) and Public Communication (San Raffaele University).  

 

He holds annual training courses for public institutions and private masters on topics related to communication, Made in Italy, problem solving, decision making, crisis management, political marketing, and market research strategies and techniques. He is Director of the Scientific Committee of ANGI (Associazione Nazionale Giovani Innovatori= National Association of Young Innovators). From 2008 to 2015, he was a professor of Journalism, Writing, Linguistic-Communicative Skills, and Socio-Cultural Research Methodologies and Techniques (RomaTre).  

 

From 2015 to 2021, he was President of  the Organismo Indipendente di Valutazione della Camera di Commercio di Roma.

Since 2008, he has been organizing election campaigns - preparing candidates and support teams for the main Italian political leaders and for the main parties and/or movements - and presenting results of public opinion research on the main national and international media including: la Repubblica, SkyTG24, TGCOM24, RaiNews24, Mediaset, Rai, RadioRai, Gruppo Il Sole24 Ore, Rai International, Ansa, AdnKronos, Agi, Askanews, Bloomberg, AffariItaliani, La Notizia. Recent monographs include "Giornalismo, Informazione eComunicazione" (Marsilio 2014); "Il titolo perfetto" (ScriptaWeb, Naples 2011); "Il Mercato del Libro" (ScriptaWeb, Naples 2009); "Titolo, testi e comunicazione" (Franco Angeli 2008). From 2008 to 2018 he edited "L'opinione degli italiani" (Franco Angeli 2007; 2009; 2010; 2011 - ScriptaWeb 2012, Aton Edizioni 2013; 2014; 2015; 2016).

The 2024 awarded projects

Sustainability

 

Re-Maxigel - Imballaggi Alimentari

The first ice cream thermobox derived from post-consumer plastic waste (EPS recycled 60% to 63% from chemical recycling), which leads to a 50% reduction in CO2 emissions. The Re-Maxigel thermobox is Remade in Italy class A certified.

 

100% Vegetable fiber capsule - Caffè Pascucci Torrefazione S.p.a

100% Vegetable fiber capsules: the healty revolution in the word of coffee. A revolutionary, compostable packaging: container and content can be thrown together into organic wastes. Produced with systems with very low environmental impact.

 

Illetta - Illycaffè S.p.A.

Illetta is a professional machine with an innovative design capable of ensuring, through intelligent systems, consistently high-quality coffee, and the ability to offer new preparations that reinterpret the espresso.

 

Innovative Product

Bakertop-X™ - Unox Spa

BAKERTOP-X™ is the combi oven that revolutionizes chef-oven interaction with its cutting-edge Digital.ID™ operating system and intelligent functions that visually recognize food, enable voice control and ensure automatic savings.

 

Infundo Extra - Italia Zuccheri Commerciale

Italia Zuccheri practices a sustainable and certified agriculture. Infundo is the Italia Zuccheri product range dedicated to Master pastry chefs and White Art Professionals, born from the selection of the best sugar crystals.

 

L’artigianale Il Gelato Chetogenico - Città Del Gelato Srl

Città del Gelato has launched on the market the ingredients to produce the only artisanal gelato suitable for the ketogenic diet. It's low in sugar and high in proteins and fats. Such recipe has been approved by Salerno and TorVergata Universities.

Organic/Free from

 

Adore Pods of Crystallized Vanilla - Spice Ship Srl

Spice Ship Srl (Adore Vanilla) sources and processes vanilla and spices with a unique method directly at the source to ensure its quality. The efficient supply chain promotes sustainability and inclusivity benefiting the entire ecosystem.

 

Optimo, gluten free blend “type 1” - Molini Bongiovanni Spa

Optimo is the only 100% gluten free and lactose free blend with the colour, aroma and flavor of a real "Type 1" flour, due to the presence of brown rice flour and black rice.

 

Choco Soft Vegan - Bindi – Maestri del Dessert

A delicious vegan dessert made with a soft sponge cake soaked in coffee, wrapped in a luscious coffee cream and a fragrant vanilla scented cream studded with dark chocolate chips, and decorated with rich cocoa and dark chocolate chips.

Packaging

 

Qup® - Gondola Packaging

Gondola Packaging launches Qup®, the world's first paper-only ice cream cup, with no plastic liner. Qwarzo® technology, a mineral-based coating, makes the paper waterproof, resistant to heat and cold, safe for the consumer, and keeps its recyclability and compostability unchanged.

 

Box Pizza Ecodu - Lampa Packaging s.r.l.

Made with high-tech material composed of cellulose fibers with thermal insulation capabilities. Water repellent, anti-cutting, oven-suitable and for reheating, TUV Austria certified, 100% compostable, customizable.

 

H-Cup - Medac s.r.l.

H-Cup Medac: for responsible recycling. Medac H-Cup is the new line of ice cream cups in full harmony with the environment. Its paper has a water dispersion barrier that facilitates the recycling process by allowing a greater quantity of cellulose fibers to be recovered.

Digital Innovation

 

Smart  - Labware

SmaRT is the first digital generation of POS system that integrates the digital receipt. It is able to transfer the document to the customer in digital format simply by placing the smartphone near the cash register, thanks to contactless technology.

 

Balance - Coldline – The Nice Kitchen

Balance is the only wi-fi technology that lowers power consumption up 50% less energy of kitchen equipment. It allows energy and money saving avoiding 
masonry work and electrical installations.

 

Cooki - Cooki Srl 

Cooki is the software for food industry professionals, offering a comprehensive and user-friendly solution for managing food info. Cooki simplifies recipe management and automates the handling of food cost, labeling, and regulatory information.