UPTEC joins the Ecotrophelia Portugal Award showcasing the next generation of food

The winning team of the 10th edition of the ECOTROPHELIA Portugal Award will be announced on 3 July. The initiative, organised by PortugalFoods since 2017 in partnership with UPTEC – Science and Technology Park of the University of Porto, will select, from among the eight teams in the competition, the ‘food of the future’ proposal that best embodies the principles of innovation, ecology and sustainability. The products entered in the competition, in addition to their eco-innovative approach, must also meet the fundamental requirements of any food product, namely flavour, texture, organoleptic properties and the consumer experience.

To select the product that best meets the objectives of this competition, the ECOTROPHELIA Portugal Award features a multidisciplinary jury comprising representatives from academia, the agri-food industry, the innovation and technology ecosystem, as well as complementary fields such as gastronomy, marketing and communication.

Over the course of a demanding and competitive day, the teams will have to present and defend their projects through product tastings, demonstrating their economic viability, market potential and value proposition, including aspects such as packaging, design and the marketing plan.

In the end, only one team will be crowned the winner, but all participants will come out on top. In addition to the cash prizes awarded, the finalist teams will gain access to a programme developed by EIT Food, Europe’s leading food innovation organisation, driven by the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT), which brings together and energises a broad ecosystem of companies, start-ups, research centres and universities at an international level.

The winners, in addition to the cash prize awarded, will also gain the opportunity to take part in the ECOTROPHELIA Europe competition, which brings together the winning projects from national competitions across more than a dozen European countries. The international competition will take place on 18 and 19 October at SIAL in Paris, one of the leading international platforms for the agri-food industry, renowned for its focus on innovation and for bringing together producers, distributors, importers and exporters from around the world. To bolster preparations for this international competition, the winning team will receive three forms of support aimed at improving the product for the European competition:

- The Strategy Up Award, presented by the specialist consultancy MarketAccess, which provides support in strengthening the business plan for the European competition.

- The Design Up Award, presented by Tekzenit, which provides consultancy to enhance the project’s design proposal for the European competition.

- The Communication Up Award, presented by Toastmasters International, which provides consultancy to improve the communication plan and pitch for the European competition.

Other teams may also receive awards, as there are further distinctions up for grabs:

- The Nutri Up Award, selected by the Portuguese Nutrition Association (APN), aims to recognise the product with the best nutritional profile. The winning team will receive consultancy and free access to the 2026 edition of the Nutrition Congress organised by the APN.

- The Rise Up Award, presented by UPTEC, which will assess each team’s entrepreneurial potential. The winning team will have the opportunity to benefit from four months of incubation and access to a start-up school.

- The Business Up Award, presented by PORTIC – Porto Innovation Centre, which highlights the entrepreneurial spirit of the participating teams. The winning project will have the opportunity to benefit from comprehensive mentoring by Start-up Porto, as well as a visit to PORTIC’s facilities.

Organised since 2017 by PortugalFoods, the ECOTROPHELIA Portugal Award is held under the High Patronage of the Presidency of the Republic, with the support of UPTEC – Science and Technology Park of the University of Porto, PORTIC – Porto Innovation Centre, the Portuguese Nutrition Association, Market Access, tekzenit, APCER, Lipor, Atrian, Delta, Pudim da TV, LicÓbidos, Conservas Portuguesas Norte, Fabridoce, Be the not and Toastmasters International.

In total, 21 entries were submitted to the 10th edition of the ECOTROPHELIA Portugal 2026 Award, involving 80 students from 11 different educational institutions. From these, the eight finalist teams were selected and will compete on Friday 3 July. The product categories include: fillings/spreads, drinks, snacks and a sauce.