Ajinomoto x KX: Driving the Thai Deep Tech Ecosystem to the Global Stage through
TECHBITE Food & Biotech Demo Day

The TECHBITE Food & Biotech by Ajinomoto & KX Demo Day, held on June 11, 2025, at KX Knowledge Xchange, marked the grand finale of a months-long accelerator program designed to empower food and biotech startups across Southeast Asia. More than just a pitch event, Demo Day showcased the program’s deep impact on technology readiness, business development, and ecosystem collaboration.

A Complete Learning Journey: From Orientation to Demo Day

Before stepping onto the Demo Day stage, the 10 finalist startups went through a comprehensive development process that began with:

• Orientation Day — An open-house session where interested startups and entrepreneurs were invited to learn about the TECHBITE Food & Biotech program. The event provided an overview of the program’s concept, support mechanisms, and business opportunities available in the food and biotech industries—before the final selection process narrowed down to the top 10 participating teams.
• Workshops & 1-on-1 Mentoring — Customized sessions with industry veterans, focusing on regulatory readiness, production scaling, investor pitching, and strategic partnerships in food and biotech industries.
• Onsite Factory Visit to Ajinomoto Thailand — A rare opportunity for startups to explore world-class manufacturing processes, understand food safety standards, and learn best practices from a global food industry leader.

These activities ensured that the startups were well-prepared—not only in technology readiness but also in crafting market-aligned business models to maximize their real-world impact.

Demo Day: Where Technology Meets Market Readiness

At Demo Day, each of the 10 global startup teams presented disruptive solutions across a range of fields—including alternative proteins, functional ingredients, fermentation technology, and gut health innovations for aging populations. The participating startups included:

• Aleph Farms – Pioneer in cultivated meat, offering sustainable and ethical protein alternatives.
• Algal Bio – Algae biotechnology platform enabling cleaner, more sustainable industrial production.
• Advanced Greenfarm (Flo) – Large-scale cultivation of Wolffia (duckweed) and development of innovative food products.
• Another Food – Plant cell culture platform for sustainable production of food and functional ingredients.
• Allium Bio – Combination of symbiotic microorganisms and AI for the development of improved food ingredients.
• AQUIVIO, Inc. – Personalized functional beverages designed for smart cities and public facilities.
• BiomeMega – Precision fermentation technology to produce functional ingredients such as Omega-3 postbiotics.
• Fattastic Technologies – Development of specialty fats that are healthy, tasty, and environmentally sustainable.
• MOD GUT – Personalized gut microbiome-based health solutions, including meal plans, probiotics, and lifestyle recommendations.
• Prefer – Affordable, sustainable flavors and ingredients, starting with coffee.

In addition to the startup pitches, the event featured a Startup Showcase Zone, where attendees engaged directly with founders, explored prototypes, and learned about each company’s technology platform in detail.

The day also included insightful sessions such as:

• Keynotes by BOI and NSTDA, offering perspectives on Thailand’s investment incentives and regulatory environment.
• Panel Discussion: How We Invest in Food & Biotech Startups, led by experts from Ajinomoto Group Ventures and Betagro Group Ventures, providing corporate venture perspectives on the future of food and biotech innovation.
• A dynamic Networking Session, enabling startups, investors, corporates, and ecosystem partners to build connections and explore collaboration opportunities.

Strengthening Thailand’s Position as a Food & Biotech Innovation Hub

The Demo Day illustrated the success of the collaboration between Ajinomoto Thailand and KX – Knowledge Xchange (KMUTT) in creating a “sandbox for deep tech”—a unique environment where science, technology, and market needs converge.

As Ms. Thipwadee Krumram, NBC Division Manager, Ajinomoto Co., (Thailand) Ltd., noted:

“Thailand holds immense potential—not just as a food producer, but as an innovation leader ready to tackle global challenges like food security and aging societies.”

Dr. Phatrachat Gomolkiti, CEO of KX Knowledge Xchange, emphasized:

“TECHBITE Food & Biotech is not just an accelerator—it’s a launchpad for global partnerships and impact.”

Looking Forward

With the Demo Day completed, the journey continues as participating startups explore potential co-development projects, investments, and market-entry partnerships—pushing Thailand closer to its vision of becoming a regional hub for food and biotech innovation.

Interested in the TECHBITE Incubator program or potential collaboration? Contact us at:

Email: [email protected]

Phone: +66 2 470 7906

Website: www.kxinnovation.com