Animal-free meat solutions among Israeli food tech finalists

In Israel, winners of Calcalist’s Food Innovation contest for best startup working in food technology has named 11 finalists, including a handful of biotech solutions.

The finalists include Amai Proteins, founded by Ilan Samish,  who says the company is the first to apply “designer” protein technology to sweeteners, and SavorEat Ltd., a company combining 3D printing, automated cooking devices, and plant-based materials to create foods with meat-like texture.

Future Meat Technologies Ltd, a startup based on research done by  Prof. Yaakov Nahmias, founder of the Center for Bioengineering at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, was also among the finalists. Future Meat Technologies simulates fermentation and has successfully created a “bank” of cells from animals to cultivate tissues like fat and muscle.

A fourth finalist, NextFerm, produces astaxanthin using fermentation and Phaffia yeast. It aims to develop various probiotics and proteins for the nutrition market.

Other winners include Tevel Aerobotics Technologies, which has developed a drone with an arm that helps farmers identify ripe fruit, and BeeWise Technologies Ltd., developed autonomous beehives that reduce mortality rates and increases the hive’s yield and the pollination process.