Latest from Medway Food Innovation Centre
On 28th July 2025, Valerie Pondaven and Micael De Andrade Lima from the Natural Resources Institute (NRI) embarked on a strategic visit to São Paulo, Brazil, to explore emerging opportunities in agricultural innovation and startup ecosystems. Their mission was to understand how Brazil’s place-based innovation models could inform and inspire NRI’s work in sustainable food systems.
The future of sustainable protein production in Southeast Asia took a significant step forward when over 40 participants from Vietnam, Thailand, and Cambodia met at Hanoi University of Science and Technology for a ground-breaking workshop - led by Professor Ben Bennett - for a workshop on "Unpacking Value Chains for Plant Proteins in SE Asia".
The Natural Resources Institute (NRI) is strengthening its strategic collaboration with the Tony Blair Institute to help drive agricultural innovation across Rwanda, placing local food entrepreneurs at the heart of sustainable transformation. This connects NRI's team directly with innovators throughout Rwanda's food sector, providing tailored support to help businesses process agricultural products more effectively, access new markets, and scale operations in ways that benefit both individual enterprises and their broader communities.
Our team from the Natural Resources Institute recently returned from an incredible four days at ACAT 2025 in Kigali, where more than 800 delegates gathered to explore next-generation agricultural technologies under the theme "NextGen Ag-Tech Solutions for Africa's Farmers." As representatives of the Medway Food Innovation Centre, we found deep resonance between the conference discussions and our own mission to drive food innovation and support emerging entrepreneurs.
The Natural Resources Institute (NRI) is proud to announce that Valerie Pondaven was named a finalist for Knowledge Exchange Professional of the Year at the prestigious PraxisAuril Knowledge Exchange Awards 2024, held in Bristol.
Stepping into Macknade’s bustling food hall last week, an air of excitement filled the room as 20 visionary food startups prepared to pitch their products. These entrepreneurs, participants in the Growing Kent & Medway Food Accelerator programme, have come a long way from initial ideas to this pivotal moment, guided by Programme Lead Valerie Pondaven from the Natural Resources Institute (NRI).
We are excited to announce a groundbreaking partnership between Dr. Parag Acharya, Senior Fellow in Food Innovation at the Natural Resources Institute/Growing Kent & Medway, and Imperial College London's Bezos Centre for Sustainable Protein.
NRI’s Food Accelerator Programme showcased its rising stars and new entrants - all of whom are developing plant-based food and drink products – at the three-day food and drink festival, held in the gardens of historic Rochester Castle.
On Tuesday 24 January 2023, Rehman Chishti, MP for Gillingham and Rainham and Cllr Jan Aldous, The Worshipful The Mayor of Medway, joined Professor Jane Harrington, Vice Chancellor of the University of Greenwich, to declare open the brand-new food innovation centre at the Medway campus in Chatham.
NRI’s first Food Accelerator programme has begun and is speeding away from the starting grid. The initiative, which gives practical advice to new start-ups has welcomed its first intake of entrepreneurs, all of whom are developing plant-based food and drink ideas. Many of them started production in their own kitchens at home, but now want to experiment with increasing scale, tweaking the recipe or exploring how to pitch to retailers.