Today’s start-ups and spin-outs are the future major players of the industry. This award recognises the most promising young companies—those founded within the past ten years—that are driving innovation, disrupting the status quo, and delivering measurable impact. Whether it’s a university spin-out pioneering microbiome science, a solo founder leveraging AI for personalised nutrition, or a fast-scaling venture championing sustainable, functional, or precision health solutions—this category celebrates bold ideas, scientific credibility, and commercial potential.

We’re looking for start-ups that:

• Address unmet consumer health needs
• Demonstrate innovation in product development, technology integration, or scientific validation
• Show early signs of market traction and scalability

Our judges will base their decision on the following criteria:

• Be a start-up, incubator, spin-out or new company that has been trading less than five years
• Able to demonstrate sound science, research, and/or technological developments that back up your business
• Commercial potential or success: Evidence of commercial interest, success, or potential market applications (if not yet launched) 
• What gives your start-up the ‘X factor’ – something that makes it stand out from the crowd and edge out the competition (including evidence to back up claims)

To view the requirements for this category, click to download

Requirements for the start up award include:

• Be a start-up that is founded in Europe
• Have fewer than 20 employees
• Have been founded in past 10 years
• Be ‘independently owned’. This is defined as a business that is substantially owned by its founders and/or a group of independent investors; is not quoted on AIM or any other stock market; and is not a subsidiary or associated company of another business.
• Be at Series B funding stage or earlier
  

Entries for The NutraIngredients Europe Awards, Start-Up Award category are required to be an active company in Europe.

JUDGING PROCESS: 

• Entries will be received and reviewed by the NutraIngredients Europe Awards Judging Panel made up of independent judges from the industry.
• Our 2026 finalists will be confirmed and notified in end of March 2026.
• Our 2026 winners will be announced during an awards' presentation in Barcelona on Wednesday May 6, 2026.