The Food Innovation Camp (FIC) will take place for the eighth time on 22 June 2026 at the Hamburg Chamber of Commerce. The trade fair connects decision-makers from retail, catering and the food service industry with food startups. It also offers an attractive programme for anyone with a personal interest in innovations from the world of nutrition.
News
June 10, 2026
These are the highlights of the Food Innovation Camp 2026
© Mathias Jäger / Hamburg Startups: FIC expo and pitch stage
An international expo
The centrepiece of the FIC is the expo, featuring over 90 exhibitors from across Germany and several European countries, including, for the first time, Ukraine. The Hamburg-based startups #IAMPLASTICFREE, re_source, Fermeta and ValueGrain will be showcasing their work at a joint stand organised by the Chamber of Commerce on the theme of food tech. Part of the expo is a pitch stage, where around 30 startups will present themselves and their products to the audience and a panel of experts. New to the programme is the Hot Kitchen Challenge, in which food manufacturers and catering companies jointly put products through a practical test. The projects will be presented during the conference, the second key focus of the FIC.
© Mathias Jäger / Hamburg Startups: Ralf Dümmel is a regular at FIC
High-profile speakers on the conference stage
The conference programme is primarily aimed at a specialist audience. Startups will receive valuable tips on how to gain a foothold in sectors such as food retail or the hospitality industry, and how to improve their chances of securing funding. A panel discussion on the topic of “Food as Medicine” will feature, among others, physician Dr Silja Schäfer and chef Christian Rach, both of whom are well-known from various television series. The jury for the final of the “Dein Newcomer 2026” startup competition also boasts a star-studded line-up. Among those making the decisions are investor Ralf Dümmel from “Die Höhle der Löwen” and Holger Stanislawski, a former professional footballer and retail entrepreneur. In addition, a panel will focus on the activities of the Hamburg Food Cluster.
