Future Gastronomy Startup Forum

As part of HIP 2026 – Horeca Professional Expo (February 16‑18, IFEMA Madrid), the 8th edition of the Future Gastronomy Startup Forum returns, organized by GOe – Gastronomy Open Ecosystem. This forum has established itself as a key platform for visibility, networking, and synergy creation for a global audience of industry leaders, investors, strategic partners, and entrepreneurs redefining the future of gastronomy and hospitality.

The forum seeks disruptive projects that transform both the back-office and front-office of the sector, applying emerging technologies such as:

• Artificial Intelligence and Big Data
• Data analytics and IoT
• Robotics and automation
• 3D food printing
• Blockchain and mixed realities

If you have innovative solutions, this is your opportunity to present your project to leading companies and potential investors.

In the previous edition, Gamb00za was crowned the winning startup with its AI-based solution using visual recognition to reduce costs and minimize food waste.

• New foods and innovative processes: Alternative proteins, advanced fermentation, functional and personalized foods, automation, and applied robotics.

• Sustainability and circular economy: Sustainable materials and packaging, traceability, waste reduction, and responsible logistics.

• Culinary science and experience: 3D food printing, virtual/augmented reality applied to gastronomy, innovative machinery and equipment.

• Agriculture and future production: Indoor farming, urban agriculture, and connected smart production systems.

• Distribution, delivery, and digital channels: Food delivery, logistics solutions, mobile platforms for orders, reservations, payments, and loyalty programs.

• Smart restaurants and new experiences: Smart restaurant management, energy efficiency, personalized customer experiences, and innovative gastronomic tourism.

Startups, entrepreneurs, and technology centers with innovative solutions in these areas. Only the top 5 applications will present their projects on February 17, 2026, in Madrid.

Application deadline: January 16, 2026 (11:59 PM CET).

In the 2025 edition of the Future Gastronomy Startup Forum, held within HIP – Horeca Professional Expo, Gamb00za was crowned the winning startup. Their solution combines artificial intelligence and visual recognition to reduce kitchen costs and minimize food waste, helping restaurants control their recipes and optimize operations.

Gamb00za gained access to the GOe incubator in Donostia-San Sebastián, the “Advanced” plan of the GOe Community platform, and support to integrate into the Basque gastronomy ecosystem, along with connections to investors and potential partners.

Highlighted Finalists:

• Placein: digitizes hospitality management, optimizing orders, payments, and reservations in real time.
• CLCircular: uses IoT sensors to reduce food waste through advanced logistics.
• Orbistik: applies artificial intelligence to measure and reduce waste in professional kitchens.
• Hkoffee: digitizes HORECA coffee machines with IoT and AI, optimizing sales and coffee quality.

The forum also featured discussions on foodtech and rest-tech trends, innovation in new foods, sustainability, circular economy, emerging technologies, and personalized customer experiences.

The Future Gastronomy Startup Forum 2025 confirmed its role as a platform to discover talent, innovation, and startups shaping the future of gastronomy.

Other notable startups from previous editions include Orquest, specialized in intelligent shift management; Cloud Reputation, focused on online reputation monitoring using AI; Janby Digital Kitchen, which digitizes Sous Vide cooking through QR scanning; Proppos, which automates checkout payments using computer vision; and CloudTown, which increases restaurant revenue by incorporating virtual delivery brands.