Lessons Learned from a Failed Food Tech Startup, Eric Schmidt Supports AgTech Startups + More

Every week we curate and deliver the latest food tech news, trends and startup resources to our readers’ inboxes. Tracking the top technology and innovation happenings across agriculture, CPG, retail, restaurants, cooking and health, our newsletter is the absolute easiest way to stay on top of the emerging sector.

From the $83.4M poured into specialty food startups in Q3 2014 to farm-to-table salad chain Sweetgreen’s $18.5M raise, these are last week’s top food tech news and innovation stories. Like what you read? Feast your eyes on the full roundup here. Or better yet, sign up for Food+Tech Bytes and get the latest and greatest in food tech delivered to your inbox every week.

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1. RyteBytes on Prioritizing Branding & Learning From Failure

The founders very candidly dive into why they wish they had focused on branding from the start, why they think the lean startup model isn’t always the way to go and so much more.

2. Eric Schmidt’s Farm2050 Collective Will Back Agriculture Tech To Feed Earth’s Growing Population – TechCrunch

The Google Chairman’s Innovation Endeavors and Flextronics Lab’s new collective will support AgTech startups with capital, design, manufacturing and test farms to try out their inventions.

3. Can 10 Startups Change The Way We Eat? – Reimagine Food

Reimagine Food just announced the latest group of disruptive food startups that will be participating in its Prometheus Acceleration Program.

4. Venture Capitalists Feast on Specialty Food Deals – Wall Street Journal

VCs poured $83.4M into the industry during the third quarter, the most in any quarter since tracking began in 1992.

5. inMarket Says Its Beacon Platform Reaches 18% Of US Mobile Shoppers – TechCrunch

The startup says it’s already reaching 31.5 million customers with its technology. 

6. Revolution Leads $18.5M Round to Put Sweetgreen on the West Coast – InTheCapital

The round will also go towards boosting other programs run by the restaurant chain.

7. “Food Chains” Looks at The Real Cost of Your Cheap Tomatoes – Mother Jones

This new film examines the social cost of cheap food and what it takes to treat tomato pickers fairly.

8. What 200 Calories of Every Food Looks Like – The Atlantic

The Calorific app makes you weep salty truth tears.