Microsoft’s accelerator program for start-ups - The AI Factory - has launched a class for agrifood in collaboration with Danone. The AI Factory for Agrifood follows the software giant’s classes for Green Energy and Health.
Selected start-ups will undergo a three-month acceleration period focused on five major economic and societal challenges: health; environment/energy; transportation; financial services; and agrifood.
Microsoft said the program is an innovation laboratory that links start-ups, the research world and various players in each sector. It intends to encourage projects on regenerative agriculture (soil health, animal welfare, support for farmers), sustainable food, waste minimisation, and optimisation of supply chains.
Applicants need to have developed and marketed a solution based on AI technology and intended for professionals in the food industry, Microsoft said. They also need to have already raised funds.
The aim of the AI Factory for Agrifood is to accelerate the digital transformation of each sector, and to support young companies in their artificial intelligence and cloud computing development.
The partnership between Microsoft and Danone is designed to draw on their expertise.
Microsoft will provide personalised support through its technological skills and the services of its Azure platform, as well as its sales network.
Microsoft France One Commercial Partner Entity director Agnès Van de Walle said the company’s ambition is to help develop digital intelligence for healthy food and sustainable agriculture.
“This partnership with Danone will provide the selected applicants with in-depth expertise and personalized support, thus accelerating innovation throughout the agrifood sector,” she said.
Chosen applicants will benefit from access to Danone’s real use cases with demanding real-life conditions of quality and performance. Danone also launched
In 2017, Danone unveiled a refreshed logo and inaugural company signature: One Planet. One Health. At the time, the company said it reflected its vision that the health of people and the planet were interconnected, and it was intended as a call to action for everyone with a stake in food to adopt healthier, more sustainable eating and drinking habits.
The AI Factory for Agrifood ties into this vision, it said. Danone Cycles & Procurement EVP, CFO, IS/IT Cécile Cabanis said Danone believes AI can contribute to a food revolution by improving agricultural systems and food value chains.
“We are very happy to launch this program with our partners at Microsoft. In a fundamental area such as food and agriculture, it is essential to encourage collaborative initiatives, knowledge sharing and the emergence of new, more inclusive and more sustainable solutions.”
Applications close on 6 February. The six selected start-ups will be announced on 5 March.
