DSM Nutritional Products has invited entrepreneurs to connect with key DSM executives to explore business collaborations and investment opportunities.
"Connecting Bright Innovations" is sponsored by DSM’s Human Nutrition and Health unit and will be held at DSM’s North American headquarters in Parsippany, N.J. on June 25-26, 2014. Finalists will be announced by May 14, 2014 and invited to the conference.
DSM said that it is seeking entries for innovative technologies and products in the following areas:
• Memory enhancing ingredients
• Cognition enhancing ingredients for children
• Ingredients providing sustained energy benefits
• Blood glucose lowering ingredients
• New fibers with digestive health benefits
• Natural colorants and natural antioxidants
• Dietary solutions for food intolerances (e.g., for fructose, salicylates, etc.) and allergies
• Disruptive formulation technologies for micronutrients (vitamins, minerals, carotenoids, PUFAs, phytonutrients, dietary enzymes)
• Non-invasive diagnostics to assess levels of micronutrients in the human body
The DSM Innovation Partnering Conference includes a half-day Learning Academy designed to inform and educate attendees on how DSM collaborates with small businesses at all stages of the supply chain, works to co-develop products, and invests in startups with innovative human health and nutrition solutions. The half-day learning academy will be taught by senior DSM executives from R&D, Innovation, sales and marketing, regulatory and venturing. The Learning Academy will be followed by one-hour business plan presentations by each invited company—30 minute presentations followed by 30 minutes of discussion with senior DSM personnel, including members from the company’s corporate venturing organisation.
Each company will be assigned mentors from Nutrition Capital Network (NCN) and DSM to help develop their presentation prior to the conference. Post-event mentoring from a DSM executive will be available on a case-by-case basis, and all selected candidates will be considered for an investment by DSM Venturing or for another type of collaboration with DSM Human Nutrition and Health.
