Tate & Lyle, which produces speciality ingredients and solutions, has entered into a partnership with global start-up accelerator MassChallenge.
As agreed, Tate & Lyle will collaborate with MassChallenge UK and MassChallenge Switzerland to support innovation in the food and beverage sector.
As a foundational corporate partner in the UK, Tate & Lyle will assist start-ups and early-stage companies to enhance their skill, expand networks, and compete for funding to scale up businesses.
The partnership also extends to MassChallenge’s Swiss programme, which includes prominent food industry innovators.
The shared objective is to tackle critical issues such as improving nutritional value, advancing sustainable farming practices, and reducing food waste.
Tate & Lyle Open Innovation head Karen du Plessis said: “This new partnership provides us with access to some of the most dynamic start-ups and early-stage companies working to develop the novel ingredients, process innovations and sustainability solutions that our food system needs to continue to thrive.
“By supporting MassChallenge’s efforts to nurture innovators, helping them to refine their ideas and business models to become investment-ready more quickly, we’re helping to build a strong, collaborative innovation community and developing a strong future pipeline for Tate & Lyle of innovative solutions for our customers to enjoy.”
Under the collaboration, Tate & Lyle’s innovation leaders will collaborate with MassChallenge’s regional teams to identify start-ups that align with their priorities.
MassChallenge will provide coaching, feedback, and workshops to help these start-ups refine their market strategies and scale their operations. Participants will also gain access to expert mentoring, market insights, legal advice, fundraising expertise, and a global network.
This initiative, part of Tate & Lyle’s Open Innovation programme, complements its in-house R&D efforts by fostering partnerships and accessing new technologies.
In December last year, Tate & Lyle partnered with BioHarvest Sciences to develop plant-based molecules for affordable, nutritious, and sustainable food ingredients.
