5 Must-Know Insights for Innovators 💥

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Read time today: 3 minutes 01 seconds

Hi friend 👋,

I’m off the grid this week, spending quality time with my family in the south of Italy. 🇮🇹

Here is a view from our hike yesterday where we picked figs from a wild tree overlooking the ocean.

Beautiful nature that still seemed practically untouched. I understand why my husband badly wants to move back here where he grew up.

Yet, walking through this picturesque scenery also keeps my thoughts occupied.

How will this scenery change in the coming years?

I call myself a chronic optimist in life. Yet, when it comes to the climate crisis, I’m rather a realist.

Christian Mulder, professor of ecology in Sicily, recently said “By 2030, a third of Sicily will be desert, like Tunisia and Libya." Italy's largest island is currently experiencing an enormous drought. It has hardly rained there for seven years.

Climate model projections suggest warmer and drier conditions for Europe's entire Mediterranean region over the next few decades.

This will worsen the already existing water deficit and have large negative impacts on the social, economic and environmental sectors.

While the beauty of Italy’s untouched nature reminds me of the importance of preserving our environment, it also underscores the urgency of innovative solutions to the challenges we face.

As we ponder the future of our planet, it's crucial to stay informed and proactive.

➤ Therefore, here are my top 5 links and inspirations of the week to help you stay ahead in food & climate innovation:

1. [Policy Update]: 🎯Austria nails their new food-based dietary guidelines (FBDG)

🇦🇹 Austria updated its dietary guidelines.

The big shift: more plant-based proteins, less meat, fish, and dairy. Both health and climate benefits were considered.

What I like in particular: the updated protein diversity. Not just animal products, but also pulses, nuts, seeds, and soya products like soya milk, soya yogurt (which I eat every morning), tofu, and tempeh are included. They recommend a quarter of your plate should be mainly plant-based proteins.

🇩🇪 A few months back, Germany updated its FBDG too. They reduced meat and dairy recommendations but missed out on including meat and dairy alternatives. Big miss in my opinion.

Switching to a plant-based diet is way easier with these products (speaking from experience), and Germany leads Europe in plant-based product sales.

Let’s hope Austria's move inspires other European countries and nudges Germany to step up its game even further.

2. ☕️ [Market Insight] Will we be drinking coffee without coffee soon?

2024 has been a turbulent year for coffee with supply chain issues and pricing headaches.

But here’s the scoop: Sustainable coffee alternatives are brewing up. Startups like Atomo and Northern Wonder are pioneering “beanless coffee,” using ingredients like date seeds, chickpeas, and chicory, along with precision fermentation, to mimic the taste and caffeine kick of your favorite brew—minus the environmental toll of traditional coffee farming.

► Dive into the future of coffee with this great read on beanless coffee.

3. 🌍 [Startup Map]: Top 50 Food Startups in Europe

Digital Food Lab just published its list of the top 50 food tech startups.

We're talking about companies transforming everything from sustainable farming to next-gen food substitutes. Want to see who's leading the charge in food innovation?

► Dive into the full list and get inspired by the future of food.

4. 🤔 [Shower Thought] How can we apply gamification to food and climate solutions?

I saw this tweet and it got me thinking:

$100m in Year 1 for a simple sleep tracker? That’s impressive!

Their hook: You put your phone on your pillow, and it tracks your sleep - but they gamified it to “catch Pokemon” based on your sleep quality.

I’m a big fan of turning hardcore numbers and dry facts into games.

How can we apply these techniques for food and climate innovations?

👉 If you have any hints, please hit me up.

5. 🧠 [Inspiration] Getting stuff done

Ever get overwhelmed by your to-do list? I know that feeling too well.

I like this simple flowchart as it breaks down the decision-making process into manageable steps. Next time you’re stuck, follow this flow to stay productive and focused.

The 2-minute rule works wonders, I promise! 🌟

Happy Day,
Lia

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