The Good Pulse Company (United Kingdom), the foodtech startup that specializes in sustainable, pulse-based ingredients, particularly from yellow peas and using innovative processing techniques create functional proteins, fiber, and starch blends that enhance plant-based foods, has been named the winner of the fourth stop of the On The Road competition held in London, an international entrepreneurship program for foodtech startups in collaboration with local partner University College London (UCL).

Ander López, Head of Entrepreneurship at GOe-Gastronomy Open Ecosystem, and Pierre-Jean Hanard, Associate Professor and Leader in Entrepreneurship Education at University College London, inaugurated the event with a content-focused session.

GOe – Gastronomy Open Ecosystem is a collaborative hub where gastronomy bridges disciplines and connects people. During the event, Raquel Martín, Head of Alliances and Strategy at GOe, underscored the importance of developing, connecting, and experimenting, stating: "GOe is a dynamic ecosystem where innovation and growth emerge through shared experiences and the interaction between entrepreneurs, investors, and agritech experts."

The participating startups –The Good Pulse Company, Snapseat y Delita– presented their projects during this London stop on February 5 before a panel of industry experts. The jury included Ander López, Head of Entrepreneurship at GOe-Gastronomy Open Ecosystem; Itxaso del Palacio, General Partner at Notion Capital; Naoki Kamimaeda, Founding Partner at Global Brain Corporation; and Alejandra Morrow, Partner at Clay Capital.

"At Basque Culinary Center, through the Master's in Gastronomic Sciences, we bridge disciplines to explore how gastronomy offers solutions beyond the kitchen," emphasized Juan Carlos Arboleya, professor in the program. He also highlighted key collaborations, including a project with NASA on space food research and studies on the potential of fermented foods, demonstrating gastronomy’s profound impact on science and innovation.

Russ Shaw, founder of TECH London Advocates; Ian Marsh, partner at DN Capital; and Alejandra Morrow, partner at Clay Capital, took part in the roundtable discussion "London Foodtech Ecosystem," where they explored the impact of artificial intelligence on the foodtech sector, emphasizing its role in driving innovation and developing new solutions.

To conclude, Ryuji Hirayama, professor of Computer Science at UCL, delivered a live demonstration titled "Acoustic Levitation in Action," showcasing his groundbreaking acoustic levitation technology. During the demonstration, he illustrated how objects can be manipulated in midair using only sound waves, without any physical contact.

The next competition will take place on April 8 in Boston. The startups winning at each local event will have the opportunity to work on research and innovation projects for 20 hours at the gastronomic technology center. Additionally, during this time, startups will have access to the network of experts and mentors within Basque Culinary Center and GOe ecosystem and will receive support in various areas, such as access to the center's investor network, local networking, and landing support in the local ecosystem.

Finally, the six local finalist startups will compete in a grand final to be held in May 2025 in Donostia-San Sebastián, where the overall winner of the fourth edition of "On The Road" will be chosen. The winner will receive six months of residence in the startup incubator and an additional voucher for 25 hours for research and innovation projects at the gastronomic technology center.