Loading organizations...
Key people at crowdfoods - The 1st. Food Entrepreneur & Startup Association in DACHLI.
crowdfoods - The 1st. Food Entrepreneur & Startup Association in DACHLI operates as a regional network supporting agrifood and food-tech startups across Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Liechtenstein, and Luxembourg. The organization facilitates strategic connections between early-stage food founders, institutional investors, industry experts, and broader ecosystem builders through structured networking events, pitch competitions, and dedicated fellowship programs. Operating without publicly disclosed funding, valuation, or employee metrics, the association focuses on consolidating the fragmented agricultural and food technology sectors within its specific five-country European mandate. Its network events and pitch initiatives regularly attract participation from prominent regional venture capital professionals and ecosystem stakeholders, specifically including Nadine Geiser and the Swiss investment firm RedAlpine. The association was established by founder and current president Mark Leinemann to serve the specialized commercial needs of the regional food innovation economy.
Key people at crowdfoods - The 1st. Food Entrepreneur & Startup Association in DACHLI.
crowdfoods is the first cross-border association for food entrepreneurs, startups, and innovators in agriculture, food, gastronomy, and food retail across the DACHLI region (Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Liechtenstein).[3][4][5] Its mission centers on promoting founders, new businesses, and innovations as drivers of digital, economic, and ecological change throughout the food value chain—from field to fork—via networking, knowledge transfer, and a platform connecting over 1,000 contacts including startups, industry players, investors, and researchers.[3][5][6] As a vertical network, it links regional initiatives through local ambassadors in cities like Berlin, Munich, Zurich, and Liechtenstein, while fostering matchmaking, events, and visibility for members.[3][5]
Rather than an investment firm, crowdfoods operates as a nonprofit association supporting the startup ecosystem by amplifying foodtech, agtech, and related innovations, partnering with events like NEWFOOD X NOW at Intergastra to showcase future trends in food and gastronomy.[3][7]
crowdfoods emerged in early 2017 as a private initiative from a food startup project led by Mark Leinemann, its founder and president, alongside Jay F. Kay.[1][2][3] Leinemann, a key figure in food innovation circles, established it to address fragmentation in the DACHLI food startup scene.[1][2] In 2018, it formalized as an association under Swiss law, basing its headquarters in Kreuzlingen on Lake Constance, Switzerland, and launching commercial operations to expand its cross-border reach.[3]
This evolution reflects a pivot from a niche project to a structured network, humanizing its role through Leinemann's hands-on leadership in connecting innovators amid growing demand for sustainable food solutions.[1][3]
crowdfoods rides the wave of foodtech and agtech transformation, fueled by demands for sustainability, digitalization, and resilient supply chains in Europe's fragmented food sector.[3][6] Its timing aligns with rising ecological pressures and post-pandemic shifts toward local, innovative food systems, positioning DACHLI—Europe's food innovation hub—as a leader via cross-border collaboration.[3] Market forces like investor interest in unicorns (many networked early via crowdfoods) and regulatory pushes for green agriculture amplify its impact, influencing the ecosystem by accelerating knowledge flow, early-stage funding matches, and events that bridge startups with retailers and gastronomy.[5][7]
crowdfoods is poised to expand its ambassador network and event footprint, like scaling NEWFOOD X NOW, amid surging EU investments in food sovereignty and climate-resilient tech.[3][7] Trends such as AI-driven agtech, alternative proteins, and precision farming will shape its growth, potentially evolving it into a pan-European powerhouse influencing policy and unicorn pipelines.[5][6] As the pioneering DACHLI food startup voice, it ties back to its founding promise: empowering innovators to redefine the food chain for a sustainable future.[3]
