Awards

PIMENTO is looking at showcasing innovative products and processes in the field of fermented foods, and wishes to recognize the efforts made by industry, innovators and researchers in finding solutions to bottlenecks currently limiting and slowing down innovation by awarding those innovations which can inspire the entire community. 
The FF Innovation Award welcomes applications on : 

• Fermented foods & beverages
• Fermented food ingredients 
• Microbial cultures & consortia

ELEGIBILITY

Application for the FFIA is open to every registered participant of the FF Forum and applications must be made through the dedicated application form available on the event website. To be eligible for FFIA, the innovation presented must be an actual marketable product or process, close to being launched on the market or already marketed for less than 2 years. Research projects are eligible only if the prototyping phase has been successful and such prototype can be shown.
Also, the innovation presented must be fully able to reach markets according to EU laws and the applicant must be a resident of one of the COST countries HYPERLINK "https://www.cost.eu/about/members/" (see the list here).

EVALUATION

Evaluation of the applications will be performed by a committee composed of the PIMENTO Core Group Members and PIMENTO WG4 sub-group leaders.
Evaluation will be based on the following criteria (in order of importance – counting from 5 to 1 point(s) respectively):
•    Evaluation will be based on the following criteria (in order of importance – counting from 5 to 1 point(s) respectively): Innovation: how valuable is the product/innovation presented in differentiating from current standards, or in solving a common problem for FF industry and/or in satisfying consumer needs.
•    Sustainability: How valuable is the innovation as to improve food systems’ sustainability.
•    Safety: how valuable is the innovation in improving food safety or in avoiding the introduction of new risks.
•    Scalability: Is the product/process scalable at industrial level as to serve a large number of consumers.
•    Market Readiness: how close is this product/process to being launched on the market.
•    Valorizing Partnership: Extra credit will be granted for products/innovations emerging from public/private partnerships.
The Evaluating committee reserves itself the right to contact the applicant(s) and ask additional questions to collect the necessary information needed for their evaluation.

Please find the application form to FFIA here