Food Entrepreneurs

The EU food and beverage industry is the largest manufacturing sector in Europe with a turnover of €965 billion in 2009. However, the food industry is facing increasing competition from other markets, including the BRIC countries. Recognizing and targeting societal challenges – such as health, food safety, climate change and sustainability issues by examining the entire food value chain – will give the danish food industry opportunities to enhance its global competitiveness. The focus of this theme is food from a value chain perspective, including full utilization of raw materials (with waste seen as residual resources), optimization of processes, increased marked value and exchange of knowledge in cross-disciplinary efforts.

The programmes educational focus entails applying entrepreneurial thinking and innovation (from idea to market) to the food value chain. This approach will help prepare students to become entrepreneurs and/or engage in innovative practices as they enter the business world.

The first summer school was held in August 2012 and focused on beer brewing. A second summer school will be held in 2013 with a different theme (dairy, fish or meat etc.). In addition to the two summer schools, an entrepreneurship course dealing with challenges from the food industry will be developed. This Food Entrepreneurs EEP marks the first step towards a large EU application named FoodKIC in 2014.

View the flyer for the summer school in Entrepreneurship and Beer Brewing

For more information contact CIEL senior project manager Frank Mathiasen .