Next Generation Taste & Texture Technologies

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The Next Generation Taste & Texture Technology (NGT3) Pitch event seeks founders who are developing
 new functional proteins, flavor compounds, enzymes, and sweeteners.

Brought to you by Ajinomoto Health & Nutrition, North America Inc.

Why Pitch?

Industry-leading judge panel
Equity-free Grand Prize
Connection with global experts in food and beverage
Exclusive access to expert network at Ajinomoto Health & Nutrition, a global pioneer of innovation

1

st
place

Monetary

$15K Cash Prize

+ exclusive access to AHN experts through “24 Hours with AHN” package

In Kind

24 hours with AHN Experts

(hours to be spread over the course of one calendar year)

8 hours

(in person; in 4-hour increments)

in AHN’s state-of-the-art facilities, which include a fully equipped culinary kitchen and benchtop product development capabilities

2 hours

(virtual)

with AHN’s Strategic Intelligence (Data & Insights) resource, along with access to one related industry report

2 hours

(virtual)

with AHN resource to provide comments on business plan and / or presentation

4 hours

(virtual)

with AHN’s Marketing / Communications Team to review current activities and brainstorm possibilities

8 hours

(virtual; in 2-hour increments)

of additional support from two additional AHN experts to be
chosen by the winner, including:


  • Regulatory

  • Application Development (Food Scientists)

  • Supply Chain

  • Culinary

2nd
Place

$10K Cash Prize

3rd
Place

$5K Cash Prize

Meet the Judges

Bob Sobel

Vice President, Research and Innovation
McCormick Flavor Solution

Laurette Rondenet

Owner and CEO
Edlong

Manleen Rajput

Innovation Program Manager
World Business Chicago

Max Von Poelnitz

Managing Director
Ajinomoto Venture Capital

Mike Brennan

Advisor, Investor, and Board Member
Previously SVP and COO at Peapod/Ahold

How It Works:

Submit your information via this form by Tuesday, December 31, 2024 at MIDNIGHT CT

Once reviewed, a member of the AHN team will be in touch to share a portal where you will upload a general capabilities deck (15 slides maximum)

An internal review committee from AHN will review submissions and select up to 10 finalists. Criteria for finalist selection includes:

  • Confirm company fits prompt within NGT3: New functional proteins, new flavor compounds (umami, kokumi, sodium reduction), enzyme systems (protein modification), and next generation sweeteners  
  • Differentiation of the product including originality, ability to solve a new problem, and competitive advantage

Finalists will be notified via email by Wednesday, January 15 of their selection.

Finalists will be asked to attend NGT3 Pitch Event in Itasca, IL (Near O’Hare Airport) on February 5. In person attendance is mandatory.

  • Travel and accommodations are the responsibility of the finalist.

Finalists will prepare a 5 minute, in-room pitch to be presented in front of a panel of five judges. Winners will be selected based on:

  • Market size/opportunity size (20%)
  • Profitability (competitive advantage) (20%)
  • Fit for prompt (Nutrition/Taste/Texture solutions for CPG or food service) (15%)
  • Originality (unique way to solve problem) and novelty (solving a new problem) (15%)
  • How thoroughly does innovation solve the problem? (15%)
  • Marketing/Marketability (target is CPG and food service manufacturers) (10%)
  • Team strength & Presentation (5%)

Fine Print

Final Applications Due: Tuesday, December 31, 2024 at MIDNIGHT CT 

Finalists will be notified by Wednesday, January 15 via email

Finalists must be in person for the event on Wednesday, February 5

Travel and accommodations are the responsibility of the finalist.

The following monetary prizes will be awarded to winners selected during the event:

  • First place – $15K (non-equity) + exclusive access to AHN expertise
  • Second place – $10K (non-equity)
  • Third place – $5K (non-equity)

The first-place winner will also receive the following in-kind prize package. Winner will be responsible for coordinating in-person and virtual meetings with AHN team. Time / date will be contingent upon availability from the AHN team and must take place by February 5, 2026.

  • 24 hours with AHN Experts (hours to be spread over the course of one calendar year)
    • 8 hours (in person; in 4-hour increments) in AHN’s state-of-the-art facilities, which include a fully equipped culinary kitchen and bench-top product development capabilities
    • 2 hours (virtual) with AHN’s Strategic Intelligence (Data & Insights) resource, along with access to one related industry report
    • 2 hours (virtual) with AHN resource to provide comments on business plan and / or presentation
    • 4 hours (virtual) with AHN’s Marketing / Communications Team to review current activities and brainstorm possibilities
    • 8 hours of additional support from two additional AHN experts to be chosen by the winner (virtual; in 2-hour increments), including: Regulatory, Application Development (Food Scientists), Supply Chain, and Culinary

NGT3 Finalist: Terms and Conditions for Participation

Congratulations on your selection as a finalist for the Next Generation Taste & Texture Technologies (NGT3) pitch event (“Event”).

These terms and conditions apply to all finalists. By signing this Agreement with Adobe Acrobat Sign, you accept these terms and conditions together with any specific instructions and terms which may be mentioned in any electronic messages, or on the website, or communicated to finalists in any other way.

Each finalist hereby certifies that the information submitted to Ajinomoto Health & Nutrition North America, Inc. (“AHN”) is true and accurate.

Participation in the Event constitutes permission for AHN and its designees to use the finalist’s images, names, cities and states of residence and/or likenesses for purposes of advertising and trade in any and all media now or hereafter known worldwide on perpetuity without limitation or further compensation, notification or permission, unless prohibited by law. False, fraudulent or deceptive entries or acts shall render entrants ineligible for any prize.

Finalists will prepare a 5 minute, in-room pitch to be presented in front of a panel of five judges. Winners will be selected by panel of five judges and AHN in their sole discretion based on the following criteria, with weight:

  • Market size/opportunity size (20%)
  • Profitability (competitive advantage) (20%)
  • Fit for prompt (Nutrition/Taste/Texture solutions for CPG or food service) (15%)
  • Originality (unique way to solve problem) and novelty (solving a new problem) (15%)
  • How thoroughly does innovation solve the problem? (15%)
  • Marketing/Marketability (target is CPG and food service manufacturers) (10%)
  • Team strength & Presentation (5%)

Finalists understands that any and all information with respect to the Event or the business affairs and activities of AHN which is disclosed by AHN shall be treated as confidential (“Confidential Information”). Finalists will exercise reasonable efforts to protect and preserve the confidentiality of Confidential Information, including at a minimum those methods and procedures it uses to protect its own confidential information.

This Event is not intended and shall not be construed to create a joint venture, partnership, agency relationship or other business association between us and the finalists.

We reserve the right to disqualify any individual (and all of his or her entries) in our sole discretion, who tampers or attempts to tamper with the entry process of the Event in any way or who is otherwise in violation of these terms and conditions, as determined by us. ANY ATTEMPT BY ANY PERSON TO DELIBERATELY DAMAGE OR UNDERMINE THE LEGITIMATE OPERATION OF THE EVENT MAY BE A VIOLATION OF CRIMINAL AND CIVIL LAWS AND SHOULD SUCH AN ATTEMPT BE MADE, AHN RESERVES THE RIGHT TO DISQUALIFY AND SEEK DAMAGES FROM ANY SUCH PERSON TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW.

In the event a finalist wins a prize, and is later found to be in violation of these terms and conditions, the winner will be required to forfeit the prize or to reimburse AHN for the stated value of the prize if such violation is discovered after the winner has used the prize.

Each winner must accept prize delivery as instructed by AHN. Prize award is non-transferable and no cash redemption or prize substitution allowed, except at AHN’s sole discretion or as provided herein.  AHN reserves the right to substitute a prize of comparable or greater value, at its sole discretion, or to award the cash value of the grand prize at its sole discretion. 

In the event we withdraw or amend these terms and conditions, we will send an amended version for signature.

Details of the Event:

Finalists must be in person for the Event on Wednesday, February 5, 2025.

Finalists will prepare a 5 minute, in-room pitch to be presented in front of a panel of five judges. Winners will be selected by panel of five judges and AHN in their sole discretion based on the following criteria, with weight:

  • Market size/opportunity size (20%)
  • Profitability (competitive advantage) (20%)
  • Fit for prompt (Nutrition/Taste/Texture solutions for CPG or food service) (15%)
  • Originality (unique way to solve problem) and novelty (solving a new problem) (15%)
  • How thoroughly does innovation solve the problem? (15%)
  • Marketing/Marketability (target is CPG and food service manufacturers) (10%)
  • Team strength & Presentation (5%)

Travel and accommodations for the Event are the responsibility of the finalists.

The following monetary prizes will be awarded to winners selected during the Event:

  • First place – $15K (non-equity)
  • Second place – $10K (non-equity)
  • Third place – $5K (non-equity)

The first-place winner will also receive the following in-kind prize package.

The first-place winner will be responsible for coordinating in-person and virtual meetings with AHN team. Time / date will be contingent upon availability from the AHN team and must take place by February 5, 2026.

  • 24 hours with AHN Experts (hours to be spread over the course of one calendar year)
    • 8 hours (in person; in 4-hour increments) in AHN’s state-of-the-art facilities, which include a fully equipped culinary kitchen and bench-top product development capabilities
    • 2 hours (virtual) with AHN’s Strategic Intelligence (Data & Insights) resource, along with access to one related industry report
    • 2 hours (virtual) with AHN resource to provide comments on business plan and / or presentation
    • 4 hours (virtual) with AHN’s Marketing / Communications Team to review current activities and brainstorm possibilities
    • 8 hours of additional support from two additional AHN experts to be chosen by the winner (virtual; in 2-hour increments), including: Regulatory, Application Development (Food Scientists), Supply Chain, and Culinary
Photo and Video Release:

The finalist gives us the right to use and publish its name and image in promotional photos, video, or other media that may be used with other employees, customers, and with the public on our company website, through social media, or other means. This right extends to all uses of the finalist’s name and image, including in hard copy or in digital form.  This right also extends to all employees, representatives, and contractors of AHN, as well as to any related companies of AHN.  The finalist relinquish any right that it may have to examine or approve any use of its name before it is used.

The above applies to any photos or videos taken during or related to the Event on February 5, 2025.

This release is binding upon the finalist and its heirs, legal representatives and assigns.

Release and Limitation of Liability:

By participating, finalists understand that all activities related to the Event are at their own risk and that they assume all responsibility.

By participating, finalists agree to release and hold harmless AHN, or its officers, directors, employees, judges and agents (collectively, the “Released Parties”) from any claims, losses, actions, or damages of any kind, whether actual, incidental or consequential, for injury (including but not limited to death), damages, losses or expenses arising out of or relating to applicant’s participation in the Event, or the acceptance, possession or use/misuse of any prize, or participation in prize-related activities (including but not limited to travel or activity related thereto), and to assume all liability therefor.

Released Parties shall not be liable to winners or any other person for failure to supply the prize or any part thereof by reason of any acts of God, any actions, regulations, orders, or requests by any governmental entity, equipment failure, terrorist acts, war, fire, unusually severe weather, embargo, labor dispute or strike, labor or material shortage, transportation interruption of any kind, epidemic, pandemic, or any other cause beyond Released Parties’ reasonable control.

AHN reserves the right to cancel, modify or terminate the Event if fraud, misconduct or technical failures destroy or threaten the integrity of this portion of the Event, in the opinion of AHN, or if a computer virus, bug, or other technical problem corrupts the administration, security, or proper conduct of the Event as determined by AHN, in its sole discretion.

All interpretations of these terms and conditions and the decisions of AHN relating to the Event (including the decisions of the winners) are final.

In Case of Disputes:

By participating, each finalist agrees that any and all disputes, claims, and causes of action arising out of or in connection with the Event, or any prizes awarded, shall be resolved individually, without resort to any form of class action and either party may submit any unresolved disputes to binding arbitration.  Arbitration will be conducted in Itasca, IL in accordance with the arbitration rules of the American Arbitration Association then in effect.  Any arbitration decision will be binding on both parties and may be enforced in any court with competent jurisdiction.  The prevailing party in any arbitration or litigation, including any appeal, is entitled to a sum to be set by the arbitrator or court for its reasonable attorney fees and other related arbitration or court costs, in addition to any other relief granted. The parties expressly waive any right to trial by jury in any dispute, whether sounding in contract, tort or otherwise, arising out of or related to these terms and conditions or the Event. All issues and questions concerning the construction, validity, interpretation and enforceability of these terms and conditions, or the rights and obligations of the finalist and AHN in connection with the Event, shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of Illinois.