WWF-founded enterprise Project X Global has opened the search for the next outstanding innovation to radically transform the global feed industry. In partnership with Skretting, Climate-KIC, WWF and IKEA, FEED-X is now at a key stage of accelerating innovations across the feed sector, and is welcoming applications for sustainable feed innovations from entrepreneurs eager to commercialise their ideas.
The goal of the FEED-X programme is to ensure that the global feed industry can produce enough food to support the growing world population by shifting 10% of global feed production to sustainable sourcing from novel alternative solutions. It aims to do so by 2025 – through sourcing, testing, financing and scaling alternative feed ingredients and technologies that affect feed. The programme will focus on salmon and shrimp; two aquaculture species with wholly different feed requirements and industry structures. Project X has already hosted a category de-risking event where experts from Harvard University, Wageningen University Research, and Utrecht University among others presented their key findings.
Christoph Mathiesen, Sustainability Developer, IKEA of Sweden AB shared his commitment to the programme:
“IKEA Food is committed to securing a more sustainable supply chain for our food business. We know that animal feed such as salmon feed can have negative impact on the climate, environment and biodiversity. We see the collaboration with Project X as a great opportunity to support sustainable food systems and accelerate the innovation in animal feed.”
FEED-X has lead partner support from one of the largest animal and aquaculture feed suppliers in the world – Nutreco, and its aquaculture division Skretting – which represent a significant share of the global feed market and €5.9 billion of purchasing power. Strategic and financial support for the FEED-X programme has also come from IKEA (IKEA Supply AG), WWF and EIT Climate-KIC, and technical support from UNEP-One Planet, and Cambridge University.
The co-ordinated approach between organisations in the FEED-X programme will give entrepreneurs rare access to markets and allow them to commercialise their outstanding sustainable alternative feed solutions at scale.
The application is a two-stage process. Project X invites innovators to fill in the Expression of Interest form by the 10th of May, after which they will be provided with the application form. The applications will then be independently reviewed by an expert panel including high-profile individuals from a range of sectors.
Applications will be accepted no later than the 15th of May.