Mycsology Foods (United States), the foodtech startup specialized in harnessesing fermentation to produce sustainable, nutrient-dense food ingredients for a healthier future, has been selected as the winner of the fifth stop of On The Road, held in Boston, together with the local partnerCambridge Innovation Center (CIC), a worldwide leader in the creation and development of innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystems.

The winning startup of GOe On The Road was announced during an innovation-driven event held at Venture Café Cambridge, a flagship program of the Cambridge Innovation Center (CIC). The initiative aims to connect key players in the entrepreneurial ecosystem, breaking down barriers to business development, fostering sustainable growth, and strengthening community ties.

The event was opened by Asier Alea, global development director at GOe – Gastronomy Open Ecosystem; Tim Rowe, Founder and CEO of CIC; Cristina Urdaneta, Senior Program Manager at CIC; and Alex Cheung, Director of Venture Café Cambridge. In their opening remarks, they welcomed participants and underscored the vital role of collaboration in driving innovation within the gastronomy sector.

According to Alea, “GOe will be a space designed to bring people together, foster collaboration, and spark new opportunities by integrating education, events, a technology hub, partnerships with businesses, and community-focused initiatives. True innovation happens when people connect, engage in conversation, and share ideas to co-create meaningful experiences. GOe —set to open in October— will be the place where all of this comes together.”

“Innovation in gastronomy is an area few have truly explored, and it’s time we take it seriously. At CIC, we believe in the power of place to build relationships and create something impactful. Our formula for innovation is simple: ideas, capital, and people—but it’s about mixing them the right way. GOe Gastronomy Open Ecosystem will provide a space to foster community, trust, and collaboration. We're here to support this groundbreaking mission,” said Tim Rowe.

Raquel Martin, head of global partnerships & strategy at GOe, under the title “GOe: connecting the dots”, has highlighted that “food, at its core, is about connection—and so is GOe. We envision it as a meeting point where ideas, people, and passions converge. By fostering creation, collaboration, and development, we aim to facilitate meaningful interactions. Even the architecture of the building embodies this purpose: an open, dynamic space designed not just to host experiences, but to empower people to shape their own.”

The participating startups –High Time Foods, Harmony Baby Nutrition, Carbon Tag, FooQai, Mycsology Foods y Nanolyx– have presented their projects before a panel of experts composed of Asier Alea, global development director at GOe-Gastronomy Open Ecosystem, Lauren Abda from Branchfood, Derek Nielsen freelance foodtech consultor and Veronika Stabinger from Human Centered Solution.

Lauren Abda from Branchfood, Megan Elias from Boston University, Derek Neilson, freelance foodtech consultant, and Veronika Stabinger from Human Centered Solutions took part in the roundtable discussion titled 'US Foodtech Trends,' moderated by Ander López from GOe - Gastronomy Open Ecosystem. They explored topics such as the talent and expertise of the people living and working here, the connection between Europe and the United States, and the natural flow of individuals from diverse industries and backgrounds. While it's not a large space, the interactions between people spark conversations and foster new opportunities

In his talk “AI in Gastronomy: The Unknown Perspectives,” Erich Eichstetter explores how generative AI is reshaping the food industry—from how we develop flavors to how we design restaurant operations. He highlights the power of small teams and startups in driving innovation, the rise of “vibe coding” in product development, and real-world cases like Starbucks, NotCo, and Eneko Atxa that reveal AI’s impact across the supply chain and fine dining. Eichstetter emphasizes the importance of balancing automation with human creativity, warning against the illusion of mastery and data fragmentation. His core message: the future of gastronomy belongs to those who use AI to enhance, not replace, the human touch.

The five finalist startups Bellyfood (Copenhague), Effium (Rotterdam), The Good Pulse Company (Londres), Fermenstation (Tokio), and Mycsology Foods (Boston) will compete against each other in the grand final of the fourth edition of “On The Road,” to be held on May 16, 2025, at Basque Culinary Center in Donostia-San Sebastián. In this final, the winners of each local event will face off for the title of the winning startup, which will be awarded a one-project voucher to develop research and innovation projects at GOe Tech Center, the gastronomy technology center; and access to the network and ecosystem of corporations, investors, and mentors from the Basque Culinary Center ecosystem.