Vegan Steak from a 3D Printer

Israeli startup Jet-Eat wins the European Institute of Innovation and Technology 2018 Food Accelerator Network Program

Haifa, Israel – Israeli startup Jet Eat, which is developing plant-based beef-like steaks using proprietary 3D printing technology, is the winner of the European Institute of Innovation and Technology 2018 Food Accelerator Network Program (EIT FAN).

Jet Eat was chosen out of dozens of successful food technology startups that participated in the initiative and was one of three final winners that received a €60,000 zero-equity prize.

This innovative Israeli startup is the first company in the world to develop 3D printing technology specifically to address major problems facing the food industry. Established in 2018 by Eshchar Ben-Shitrit, Jet-Eat aims to help reduce food waste, contribute to a more sustainable food production system, and provide vegan, vegetarians and flexitarians with healthy, natural and sustainable alternatives to meat, without comprising their culinary experience.

“We are thrilled to be selected from this impressive group of startups. Not only that the award money will help us take a major step accelerating our development, but the validation from major players in the food industry gives us back-wind in our efforts to build a new food printing ecosystem. The contribution of the EIT FAN program in general, and specifically our collaboration with the Technion, were dramatic to our efforts in the past four months. We see this collaboration as a long-term relationship combining Jet-Eat, the Technion and EIT,” says Jet-Eat founder Eshchar Ben-Shitrit.

According to Ben-Shitrit, the cattle beef industry is a major cause of adverse environmental impact and represents a massive economic potential for disruption. Incorporating 3D printing technology into the quest to find an alternative to meat, and especially beef, has the potential to fundamentally change this reality and help build a more sustainable future while opening new opportunities in high-end plant-based meat.

The Israeli startup was one of some 40 food startups, poised to change the world’s food system, taking part in the EIT Food Accelerator Network.  The Technion-Israel Institute of Technology. the Swiss Federal Polytechnic School ETH Zurich and the Technical University of Munich (TUM) were chosen to run the program.

At the Technion, 10 startups took part in the four-month accelerator, led by Professors Ester Segal and Uri Lesmes of the Faculty of Biotechnology and Food Engineering.  They received mentoring by leading academics at the university as well as food industry professionals from the Strauss Company.

Benoit Buntinx, Director of Business Creation for EIT Food, said: “Many congratulations to our winners from our EIT Food Accelerator Network Program. These start-ups aim to help tackle global food challenges and address the gap between innovation and the realization of genuine business opportunities.”