Scale the impact selects 20 projects

· The project seeks to accelerate the growth and business opportunities of impact startups, in addition to incorporating B Corp values into their management model.
· The selected startups will get the opportunity to secure funding and training in a hybrid format via online and face-to-face training modules, while also connecting with top international investors.
· The program will kick off at 4YFN and end with a Demo Day during South Summit, where a jury will choose the winning startup to receive an award of 30,000€.

Barcelona, March 1 2023 - Danone, a leading company in healthy food and Social Nest Foundation, the global platform for entrepreneurs and impact investors, have selected the 20 startups set to take part in the first edition of ‘Scale the Impact’, the startup acceleration program for boosting the growth and business opportunities of social and environmental impact projects and getting B Corp values incorporated into their management model.

Chosen from a pool of 200 projects, these 20 startups operate mainly in the areas of sustainable and regenerative agriculture, specialized nutrition, circular economy and the future of retail, with the goal of providing solutions to the most pressing social and environmental challenges across the world. All this within the framework of the SDGs, which encompass goals ranging from "Zero Hunger" and "Health and Well-being" to "Sustainable Cities" and "Responsible Production and Consumption".

"We face multiple challenges as individuals, companies and a society and are convinced of the transformative power of innovation and technology. Without them, it will be impossible to move forward and achieve the transition we need," states Nicolas Cosqueric, Chief Information Officer of Danone. "Purposeful innovation is the driving force that will allow us to lead this transformation, and the selected startups show how purpose-driven technology can have a positive impact on people, their own health and the planet’s as well, through game-changing solutions to very specific problems, while having a great positive impact".

In this same vein, Margarita Albors, founder and executive president of Social Nest Foundation, states that "startups need opportunities and funding to be able to develop their business model and build sustainable solutions with social and environmental impact. With programs like Scale the Impact, we want to make that possible.”

Through 'Scale the Impact', the selected startups will get the opportunity to secure funding and receive training in a hybrid format via online and face-to-face training modules, while also making connections with top international investors. The startups to take part in the first edition of ‘Scale the Impact’ are:

1. Aonchip (Terrasa, Catalonia - Sustainable agriculture): this startup designs and manufactures IOT hardware to digitize the water cycle and fight food waste across the globe.
2. Aquactiva Solutions (Valencia, Valencian Community - Sustainable agriculture): this Valencia-based startup produces an ecological, innocuous and low-cost disinfectant on-site.
3. Azolla Projects (Barcelona, Catalonia - Regenerative agriculture): this project measures and monetizes the positive impacts of regenerative agriculture in order to combat the adverse effects of traditional agricultural methods.
4. Bisari Agroinnovation (Granada, Andalucia - Sustainable agriculture): it focuses its actions on finding solutions for spraying and pollination by means of electrostatic technology.
5. Bumerang Takeaway SL12 (Barcelona, Catalonia - Circular economy): It has developed a digital system for reusing takeaway containers in a way that eliminates the need for an initial deposit and makes it possible to track each container.
6. Darwin Bioprospecting Excellence (Paterna, Valencian Community - Circular economy): develops microbial solutions for recycling processes, waste reuse and by-products of the agri-food industry.
7. FOODRATION4LL by Naria (Castellon de la Plana, Valencian Community - Social inclusion): they created Naira, a platform for managing digital food donations through direct contributions from individuals and companies in any sector, which reach the social entities in their entirety.
8. ForestChain (Madrid, Madrid - Sustainable forestry): is a blockchain-based SaaS digital traceability platform for the timber industry. It aims to ensure timber traceability and compliance with legal requirements, in addition to helping out in sustainable forest certification and improving company management and productivity.
9. Fregata Space (Barcelona, Catalonia - Resilient Agriculture): This startup’s business model is based on an innovative form of Earth observation to discover pollutants in the air and water.
10. Genbioma Applications (Pamplona, Navarra - Specialized nutrition): this startup in Navarra has developed personalized postbiotics to balance out intestinal microbiota and improve diabetes.
11. Gradhoc (A Coruña, Galicia - Future of retail): they have created a model for vertical refrigeration that improves energy efficiency with experience and optimizes the algorithms of facilities and consumers.
12. Innogando (Lugo, Galicia - Regenerative agriculture): They have created a smart watch for farm animals, featuring sensors that monitor all the conditions the animals.
13. InnoPlant (Granada, Andalucía - Regenerative agriculture): this French startup studies the microbiome of cropland soil in order to select the microorganisms that have a positive effect and thus reduce the use of chemical inputs.
14. Miobio (Valencia, Valencian Community - Specialized nutrition): Using Artificial Intelligence, they learn the parameters of food that influence athletic performance and then personalize, cook and send food menus to prevent injuries.
15. Nucaps Nanotechnology (Pamplona, Navarra - Specialized Nutrition): This international biotechnology company researches, develops and produces a new category of functional ingredients: encapsulated bioactives and probiotics, with improved functionality in terms of nutrition and costs, for a real impact on nutrition and human health.
16. Oscillum Biotechnology (Elche, Valencian Community - Circular economy): they make smart labels for monitoring the state of food. Their goal? To improve sustainability by optimizing how limited resources get used and reducing food waste.
17. Plastiks (Barcelona, Catalonia - Circular economy): this startup connects companies and organizations in industrialized countries with plastic recoup projects in emerging countries.
18. Scoobic Group (Seville, Andalucia - Future of retail): This designer of electric vehicles aims to solve the problem of mobility in city centers through lightweight, easy-to-handle and load-bearing vehicles.
19. Swearit (Valencia, Valencian Community - Future of retail): they help brands boost their credibility in the eyes of consumers by greater transparency through exposure to a product’s traceability, which gets made evident using Blockchain technology.
20. Sycai Medical (Barcelona, Catalonia - Health and well-being): this startup uses software based on Artificial Intelligence and Big Data to analyze medical images (CT and MRI), which locates, parameterizes and classifies pancreatic cystic lesions.

The three-month long program will begin today with a Kick off at 4YFN and will end with a Demo Day during South Summit, where a jury will choose the winning startup that will be awarded €30,000.

Scale the Impact will also have the collaboration of B Lab Europe and B Lab Spain, who will be providing general consulting on program design, relations with interested parties and access to B Lab tools, among other resources.