Interview with Eni Joule

What was your motivation for supporting and promoting the FoodSeed program? How do you believe this initiative can contribute to innovation and the growth and development of the food industry?

Eni and Enilive are diversifying their products and services, increasingly expanding into the food sector as well.

We believe that this initiative, which fits within the broader framework of similar initiatives promoted by CDP Venture, of which we have been and continue to be partners, can strongly contribute to the development of an innovation ecosystem across the entire supply chain, starting from agrifood and extending to the development of service and production technologies.

What challenges do you think emerging startups in the Italian agri-food industry need to face now?

In general, in Italy, compared to other countries around the world, startups face similar challenges, mainly related to fundraising and access to capital. In addition, there are difficulties linked to complex bureaucracy and, in some areas of the country, a limited entrepreneurial culture.

At the same time, however, Italian foodtech startups benefit from an important competitive advantage thanks to the richness of the territory and the country’s centuries-old culture in the world of food and hospitality. The crucial point is the transition from the artisanal dimension to the industrialization phase, and this is exactly where Joule hopes to make a difference.

What are the main opportunities you identify for startups in the food innovation field?

Technologies such as artificial intelligence and IoT are certainly becoming increasingly relevant in making production more efficient and sustainable. Interest in alternative proteins and plant-based products is also growing, in response to new consumer trends.

Furthermore, given the current geopolitical instability, substitute products for goods such as cocoa and coffee, which may become inaccessible or subject to high price volatility, will become increasingly important.

How does Eni Joule‘s participation in the FoodSeed project align with your company mission?

At the end of 2025, Eni, Enilive and Accademia Niko Romito will launch the MEAL program, a “lab-to-market” pathway dedicated to the creation of innovative food products born from the collaboration between startups and Michelin-starred chef Niko Romito’s cuisine. These products will then be commercialized through Enilive’s distribution channels.

This project naturally fits within the FoodSeed ecosystem, which allows us to have a privileged view of the foodtech landscape both in Italy and internationally.