Data-driven solutions to empower people in making better dietary choices
The EU-funded FOODITY project has launched its first open call for innovative data-driven solutions that promote better food systems, while also putting the power of personal data use back into the hands of citizens. Launched in January 2023, FOODITY is revolutionising food and nutrition in Europe by enabling digital solutions that prioritise health, sustainability and citizen data sovereignty. Current food systems have a negative impact on both the environment and health. They are responsible for a third of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions. They also contribute to obesity, one of Europe’s leading causes of premature death. FOODITY aims to bring about change by empowering citizens to make informed choices that support healthier diets and more sustainable and resilient food systems. Its weapon of choice: data and technology.
Looking for six innovative proposals
The project’s first open call is accepting submissions to develop data-driven solutions focusing on one or more of three areas or an open challenge. The three areas are personalised food and nutrition, sustainable food systems and shopping experiences. Proposed solutions must be between technology readiness level (TRL) 4 and 6, but should be capable of scaling up to TRL 7. The six pilots to be developed by the selected applicants must focus on social innovation and promote citizen engagement. For its pilot programme, the FOODITY team is looking for diverse teams of innovators that are a mix of research and technology organisations, universities, SMEs and start-ups, social innovation actors and training organisations. The chosen innovators will receive extensive support in the form of individual mentoring, group coaching, and technical, business and legal training, as well as financial support of up to EUR 187 500 per beneficiary to develop pilot projects. “Enabling citizens to become aware of their data is central to our visions, as it allows them to control how it is used and where it is stored,” reports the FOODITY team in a news item providing details on the open call. “We have developed a data architecture to protect and properly store user data, which we will require the pilot projects to use. This datalake will store the data (apart from users’ personal data, the management of which will be the responsibility of the pilots concerned), and our data_U software will process and manage it.” It adds: “The selected FOODITY innovators will learn how to properly use this data architecture through training and mentoring, as well as deepen their understanding of the ethics of data management, among other technical topics. The training will also cover citizen participation methods, as pilots must involve end-users from start to finish. Mentoring support, especially in the second phase, will focus on business matters, from innovation strategy to product development. In addition, pilots can request support in specific areas to ensure TRL advancement.” The FOODITY (FOod and nutritiOn Data-driven innovation respectful of citizen’s Data SovereIgnTY) project’s open call closes on 8 November 2023. Applications must be submitted in English through the F6S platform. For more information, please see: FOODITY project website
Keywords
FOODITY, food, nutrition, data, open call, food system
