Are you interested in sustainable food and agriculture? Have an idea for a food or farm startup but lack the necessary business knowledge to get started? Do you want to improve access to healthy foods for more people while reducing our reliance on conventional agriculture?
Local Food Lab which is based in Silicon Valley has a food entrepreneur accelerator program that provides food entrepeneurs with training, access, and resources during a 6 week program. The program is designed for individuals interested in creating startups that offer prepared food products, catering and food services, food+tech products, urban to medium-scale agricultural services, and programs that expand the interest and demand for a more sustainable food system.
Cofounders Krysia Kajonc and Mateo Aguilar felt that the challenges of getting food from farms to table, and linking producers to buyers could be improved with a startup bootcamp. They wanted to wanted to tie in technology, design, and the startup model to help entrepreneurs work to create business models that might address the challenge of producing enough food so that the prices can be more affordable.
Applicants pay $2500 in tuition for a six week program to learn how to create a marketing plan, create financial projections, and have access to Local Food Lab’s kitchen, garden, and collaborative space, and meet with mentors. The end of the program culminates in a pitch night in front of potential investors.
Some of the past participants include Cynthia King who wanted to create a “edible churchyard,” and is currently planning to launch six farms in collaboration local churches, a synagogue and nonprofits. Each faith organization can decide how to use the food and whether is be donated or sold for profit.
Plans for Local Food Lab is to bring the program to New York and to expand it to other cities and countries in the future. If you have an idea, you can get information on the Local Food lab site about applying to the next accelerator program.
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http://www.localfoodlab.com/
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