Startup Events

Top 10 Startup Events on Foodtech in 2027

Food founders need two kinds of rooms: the trade fairs where retail and distribution buyers pick new products, and the investor summits where food-tech VCs and food companies look for deals. These are the ten best foodtech events of 2027 for startups, from Cologne, Nuremberg, Wageningen, Bilbao and London to Anaheim, San Francisco, Dubai and Chicago.
We picked events with a start-up area, a pitch stage or a room full of food buyers and investors, with Europe first. We checked every date on the organiser's own website and mark each one as Confirmed (date on the official site), Announced (reliable second source only) or Expected (based on past editions only). All ten below are Confirmed for 2027.
This article is regularly updated with new events. Do you know about an event that needs to be added? Send us some info and we will see if it's a fit.

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Top 10 Foodtech Startup Events of 2027 at a Glance

#EventDatesWhereBest forStatus
1ISM31 Jan–3 Feb 2027Cologne, GermanySnack and sweets brandsConfirmed
2BIOFACH16–19 Feb 2027Nuremberg, GermanyOrganic food brandsConfirmed
3Natural Products Expo West2–5 Mar 2027Anaheim, USAUS retail buyersConfirmed
4Future Food-Tech San Francisco11–12 Mar 2027San Francisco, USAFood-tech investorsConfirmed
5Gulfood15–19 Mar 2027Dubai, UAEExport to the Gulf and AsiaConfirmed
6F&A Next19–20 May 2027Wageningen, NetherlandsAgrifood investorsConfirmed
7Food 4 Future – Expo FoodTech26–27 May 2027Bilbao, SpainFood manufacturersConfirmed
8IFT FIRST11–14 Jul 2027Chicago, USAIngredient and food science start-upsConfirmed
9Future Food-Tech London23–24 Sep 2027London, UKFood-tech investorsConfirmed
10Anuga9–13 Oct 2027Cologne, GermanyDistributors and retailersConfirmed

The 10 best foodtech events of 2027

1. ISM: 31 January–3 February 2027, Cologne

📅 ISM 2027Confirmed
Dates31 January–3 February 2027 (start-up pitches on 1 February, 11:30–13:00)
WhereKoelnmesse, Cologne, Germany
TypeSweets and snacks trade fair with a start-up pitch award
Who it's forSnack, confectionery and drinks brands, retail buyers (trade only)
TicketsStart-Up Area exhibitors can apply to pitch until 4 January 2027
Official siteism-cologne.com
ISM is the world's trade fair for sweets and snacks. Eight start-ups from its Start-Up Area pitch live for the ISM Start-up Pitches Award 2027, which brings €1,000 and 50% off a booth at ISM 2028, in front of a jury that includes a REWE International buyer. Applications close on 4 January 2027. See our guide to startup events in Germany.

2. BIOFACH: 16–19 February 2027, Nuremberg

📅 BIOFACH 2027Confirmed
Dates16–19 February 2027
WhereMessezentrum Nürnberg, 90471 Nuremberg, Germany
TypeOrganic food trade fair
Who it's forOrganic food and drink brands, retailers and wholesalers (trade only)
TicketsPrices on biofach.de; subsidised Young Innovators stands for German start-ups
Official sitebiofach.de
BIOFACH is the world's leading fair for organic food. In 2026 its Innovation Stage hosted 31 start-ups and a Start-up Award final. German companies under 10 years old with fewer than 50 staff can book a state-funded stand on the Young Innovators pavilion and pay 40–50% of the stand price (the official form gives both 18 December 2026 and 4 January 2027 as the deadline, so apply by the earlier date).

3. Natural Products Expo West: 2–5 March 2027, Anaheim

📅 Natural Products Expo West 2027Confirmed
Dates2–5 March 2027 (exhibit halls 3–5 March)
WhereAnaheim Convention Center, 800 West Katella Avenue, Anaheim, CA 92802, USA
TypeNatural and organic products trade show
Who it's forCPG and natural food brands, retail buyers, distributors and investors (trade only)
TicketsRegistration not open yet
Official siteexpowest.com
Expo West is where US natural food brands are discovered by grocery buyers, distributors and consumer investors. It is trade only, and its Fresh Ideas Organic Marketplace gives small organic brands a showcase. A 2027 pitch competition is not announced yet. See our list of startup events in Los Angeles.

4. Future Food-Tech San Francisco: 11–12 March 2027, San Francisco

📅 Future Food-Tech San Francisco 2027Confirmed
Dates11–12 March 2027
WhereSan Francisco Marriott Marquis, San Francisco, USA
TypeFood-tech investor and corporate summit
Who it's forFood-tech start-ups, investors and food companies
TicketsStart-up passes on application; first-release prices for other passes on futurefoodtechsf.com
Official sitefuturefoodtechsf.com
Future Food-Tech brings food-tech investors and corporate scouts together, and its Start-Up Arena has more than 40 curated start-up booths and a live pitch stage. World Agri-Tech runs next door on 9–10 March, with a combined pass. See our list of startup events in San Francisco.

5. Gulfood: 15–19 March 2027, Dubai

📅 Gulfood 2027Confirmed
Dates15–19 March 2027
WhereDubai World Trade Centre and Dubai Exhibition Centre, Dubai, UAE
TypeFood and beverage trade fair with a start-up programme
Who it's forFood exporters, brands, distributors and buyers from the Gulf, Africa and Asia
TicketsStart-up stand enquiries for 2027 open
Official sitegulfood.com
Gulfood moves from January to March in 2027. Its Gulfood Startups programme has a start-up exhibition, an investor lounge and a pitch stage; in 2026 the World Agri-Foodtech Startup Challenge offered a US$135,000 prize pool to exhibitors. The 2027 challenge timeline is not published yet. See our list of startup events in Dubai.

6. F&A Next: 19–20 May 2027, Wageningen

📅 F&A Next 2027Confirmed
Dates19–20 May 2027
WhereWageningen, Netherlands
TypeFood and agri investor summit
Who it's forFood and agrifood start-ups and scale-ups, investors and corporates
TicketsPre-registration open; start-up passes are cheaper than professional passes
Official sitefanext.com
The 12th F&A Next is the most investor-dense food and agri meeting in Europe, held at Wageningen, the world's best-known food research campus. Its Next Heroes in Food & Agtech programme picks 10 start-ups for three-minute pitches, with two awards of €12,500; the 2027 call is not out yet. See our guide to startup events in the Netherlands.

7. Food 4 Future – Expo FoodTech: 26–27 May 2027, Bilbao

📅 Food 4 Future – Expo FoodTech 2027Confirmed
Dates26–27 May 2027
WhereBilbao Exhibition Centre (BEC), Hall 2, Barakaldo, Spain
TypeFood-tech expo and summit
Who it's forFood manufacturers, technology suppliers, start-ups and investors
TicketsPrices on expofoodtech.com
Official siteexpofoodtech.com
Food 4 Future, run by Nebext with the AZTI research centre, is southern Europe's main food-tech show. Its FoodTech Startup Forum lets start-ups pitch to investors and to the food manufacturers walking the hall. See our guide to startup events in Spain.

8. IFT FIRST: 11–14 July 2027, Chicago

📅 IFT FIRST 2027Confirmed
Dates11–14 July 2027
WhereChicago, USA
TypeFood science expo with a start-up pavilion
Who it's forIngredient, food science and food-tech start-ups, R&D teams and buyers
TicketsStartup Pavilion limited to 100 start-ups; prices on ift.org
Official siteift.org
IFT FIRST is the Institute of Food Technologists' yearly expo, the place for ingredient and process start-ups to meet food scientists from big manufacturers. Its Startup Pavilion takes up to 100 start-ups, and The Pitch! competition has $15,000 in prizes, with $10,000 cash for first place.

9. Future Food-Tech London: 23–24 September 2027, London

📅 Future Food-Tech London 2027Confirmed
Dates23–24 September 2027
WhereInterContinental London – The O2, 1 Waterview Drive, Greenwich Peninsula, London SE10 0TW, UK
TypeFood-tech investor and corporate summit
Who it's forFood-tech start-ups, investors and food companies
Tickets2027 prices not published yet; start-up rate on enquiry
Official sitefuturefoodtechlondon.com
The London edition is Europe's flagship meeting of food-tech investors and corporates. Featured start-ups get a booth among 30+ innovators and a guaranteed pitch slot on the Innovation Stage. See our list of startup events in London.

10. Anuga: 9–13 October 2027, Cologne

📅 Anuga 2027Confirmed
Dates9–13 October 2027
WhereKoelnmesse, Cologne, Germany
TypeFood and beverage trade fair with a start-up area
Who it's forFood and drink brands, retail and foodservice buyers (trade only)
TicketsStart-up Area package (4 m² stand) €3,899
Official siteanuga.com
Anuga is the world's largest food and beverage fair, held every two years; the 2025 edition drew about 145,000 trade visitors from 190 countries. Companies set up less than five years ago can book a ready-made 4 m² stand in the Start-up Area, and the Anuga HORIZON stage covers new food trends.

Also worth a look

  • Sirha Lyon, Eurexpo Lyon, 21–25 January 2027: the big foodservice and restaurant fair. sirha-lyon.com
  • INTERNORGA, Hamburg, 12–16 March 2027: hospitality and foodservice, with a Newcomers Area for about 20 young companies. internorga.com
  • Vitafoods Europe, Fira Barcelona Gran Via, 18–20 May 2027: nutraceuticals and functional food. vitafoods.eu.com
  • Food Matters Live: Olympia London on 16–17 June 2027 and Rotterdam on 22–23 September 2027, with day passes from £60 + VAT in London. foodmatterslive.com
  • Sustainable Foods Summit Europe, Amsterdam, 1–2 July 2027. sustainablefoodssummit.com
  • Summer Fancy Food Show, New York, 25–27 July 2027: specialty food. specialtyfood.com
  • Food Tech Summit & Expo, Centro Banamex, Mexico City, 29–30 September 2027. thefoodtech.com
  • Farm-side innovation? Fruit Logistica (Berlin, 3–5 February 2027) and World Agri-Tech (San Francisco, 9–10 March 2027) fit agritech founders. For ingredients made by fermentation, see our biotech events of 2027.

Dates not announced yet

  • Fi Europe (Food ingredients Europe): the 2026 edition runs in Frankfurt on 17–19 November 2026; no 2027 edition announced.
  • Future Food Asia, Singapore: last held in May 2025; no 2027 date yet.
  • The Good Food Conference (GFI): no 2027 edition announced.
  • Smart Kitchen Summit: the site shows only the 2026 edition.
  • Expo West Pitch Slam and the Gulfood Startup Challenge: 2027 calls not published yet.
  • ProVeg Incubator: applications are open all year; no 2027 demo day published.
  • Food Tech Congress: postponed until further notice by its organiser.

Why foodtech events matter: the numbers

  • Global agrifoodtech funding reached $16.2 billion in 2025, almost flat (−3%) on 2024, according to AgFunder.
  • First-time-funded companies got 46% of agrifoodtech deals in 2025, according to AgFunder News, so early-stage founders are still getting cheques.
  • Women founders started 34% of new agrifood startups in Europe, up from 17% a decade ago, and Europe's 740+ VC-backed, women-founded agrifood companies are worth over €10 billion, according to an EIT Food and Dealroom report summarised by the EU Agri-Food Platform.
Raising for a food company? Read our guide to venture capital for women founders.

How to choose a foodtech event

  1. Selling a product or raising money? Go to ISM, BIOFACH, Expo West, Gulfood and Anuga to meet buyers and distributors, and to Future Food-Tech and F&A Next to meet investors and corporate scouts.
  2. Use the start-up formats. Anuga's Start-up Area, the ISM Start-up Pitches, IFT's Startup Pavilion and Gulfood Startups cost far less than a normal stand.
  3. Watch the deadlines. The ISM pitch closes on 4 January 2027 and BIOFACH's Young Innovators pavilion in December, months before the fairs.
  4. Bring samples, not slides. Buyers at trade fairs taste first; take product, price lists and minimum order quantities.
  5. Pick your region. Gulfood opens the Gulf and Asia, Expo West the US natural channel, and Anuga or BIOFACH European retail.

List your event

Do you organise a foodtech summit, pitch competition, demo day or hackathon in 2027? Send us the name, dates, city and official link, and we'll check whether it fits this list.
This article is regularly updated with new events. Do you know about an event that needs to be added? Send us some info and we will see if it's a fit.

🔗 Add an awesome event

More startup event lists

FAQ

What are the best foodtech events for startups in 2027?

Our top picks are Future Food-Tech London and San Francisco, F&A Next in Wageningen, Food 4 Future in Bilbao, Anuga, ISM and BIOFACH in Germany, Gulfood in Dubai, Natural Products Expo West in Anaheim and IFT FIRST in Chicago.

When is Future Food-Tech London 2027?

On 23–24 September 2027 at the InterContinental London – The O2. Featured start-ups get a booth and a pitch slot on the Innovation Stage.

When is F&A Next 2027?

On 19–20 May 2027 in Wageningen, the Netherlands. It is the 12th edition, and pre-registration is open.

When is Gulfood 2027?

On 15–19 March 2027 at the Dubai World Trade Centre and Dubai Exhibition Centre. It moves from January to March.

Does Anuga 2027 have a start-up area?

Yes. Companies set up less than five years ago can book a 4 m² package in the Start-up Area for €3,899. Anuga 2027 runs on 9–13 October in Cologne.

How can a food start-up pitch at ISM 2027?

Book a stand in the ISM Start-Up Area and apply by 4 January 2027. Eight start-ups pitch on 1 February 2027 for the ISM Start-up Pitches Award.

How much did agrifoodtech startups raise in 2025?

$16.2 billion worldwide, 3% less than in 2024, according to AgFunder.

About the Author

Violetta Bonenkamp, also known as MeanCEO, is an experienced startup founder with an impressive educational background including an MBA and four other higher education degrees. She has over 20 years of work experience across multiple countries, including 5 years as a solopreneur and serial entrepreneur. Throughout her startup experience she has applied for multiple startup grants at the EU level, in the Netherlands and Malta, and her startups received quite a few of those. She’s been living, studying and working in many countries around the globe and her extensive multicultural experience has influenced her immensely.
2026-10-27 12:27 By type