FS6 Newsletter - August 2020

FS6 is named a top accelerator program, CEO Caesaré Assad shares how technology can support our transition to the sixth food system, and Cohort 5's culminating forum event is almost here! Read on to learn how you can tune in to hear how these innovative entrepreneurs are transforming the food system.

FS6 Community News and Updates
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It's that time of year again... the FS6 Forum Event is just around the corner - and we're going virtual! This year, on September 14th, we will be partnering with the Regenerative Food Systems Investment Forum to bring you the stories of our Cohort 5 companies, along with a great line-up of speakers throughout the week. The FS6 entrepreneur presentation event will take place on Day 1 of the RFSI programming and is free to all.

If you've been wondering what the C5 entrepreneurs have been up to, this is a great opportunity to learn more! You can explore the impactful work these companies are doing to build a healthier food system here.

Please note that, while our presentation event is free to all, the rest of the weeks programming is paid. Use the discount code FS6-15 for 15% off the cost of attendance and check out the agenda here. To attend the FS6 forum programming, as well as the rest of the events, register here. 

In other FS6 news, FS6 CEO, Caesaré Assad was recently interviewed on the PMA podcast, Takes on Tech - alongside FS6 Entrepreneur-in-Residence, Ethan Rublee, and Cohort 5 entrepreneur, Lindsey Lusher Shute (Farm Generations Cooperative) about the technology solutions supporting our transition to the sixth food system. And FS6 was featured as a top accelerator in New Hope Network's recent article, "How accelerators and incubators can help grow natural products startups."

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Updates from Cohort 5:

Matriark Foods recently launched the FarmPlus to People program in partnership with Table to Table. Together they will upcycle farm surplus into a vegetable stew for those in need. Fighting for a world where healthy food is accessible to all, listen to some of Founder Anna Hammond's words of wisdom in this episode of Too Good to Waste.

As farm operations closed down in response to Covid-19, interest in direct-to-consumer sales rose. Take a look at this Guide to Direct Sales Software Platforms created by the National Young Farmers Coalition and featuring Cohort 5 company, Farm Generations Cooperative.

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FS6 Portfolio News

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Featured Articles from the FS6 Portfolio:

Didier Toubia on Cultivated Meat and Paula Daniels on Good Food Purchasing Policies (FoodTank, Featuring The Center for Good Food Purchasing)

MilkRun: An Innovative Online Grocer, Helping Farmers, Is Expanding (Forbes, Featuring MilkRun)

Alternative Flours Get a Boost as Traditional Counterpart Sells Out (FoodDive, Featuring Renewal Mill)

A Visit to Hawaii Fish Company: Family-Owned Aquaculture Pioneer with Impressive Growth Plans and Huge Potential (Fish Farming News, Featuring Blue Farms Hawaii- Hawaii Fish Company)

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Don't miss this Food Talk episode featuring Co-Founder of the Center for Good Food Purchasing, Paula Daniels. Listen to Paula dive into sustainable purchasing, the intersection between large institutions and the food chain, and the role policy change holds in strengthening communities.

Expanding to Seattle, MilkRun continues to climb. Get a taste of what of Founder Julia Niiro hopes the future holds for her farmer-friendly, direct-to-consumer model.

Renewal Mill's upcycled okara flour not only benefits the earth, but also has become a popular alternative to traditional flours as inspired by initial pandemic-driven supply chain shifts. Take a look as some other alternatives here.

The Chef Ann Foundation recently launched an overhaul of their websites! They’ve got updated tools and content for school food professionals and healthy food advocates alike. Learn why scratch cooking in schools is so important, dive into COVID-19 resources, and more.

Congratulations to FluroSat for being named one of eleven finalists for the Future Food Asia Award 2020! In other exciting news, Gabriel Wilmoth- industry expert and investor- has joined the board of directors. Welcome, Gabriel!

Hawaii Fish Company is leveraging aquaponics and aquaculture to strengthen Hawaii's local food production. Learn more about their impact in this feature in Fish Farming News!

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News & Events from the Ecosystem

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APPLY: AgLaunch and Farm Journal Announce 2020 Row Crop Challenge Focused on Increasing Sustainability of Row Crop Agriculture

Applications due August 31, 2020

This year’s Row Crop Challenge will focus on technologies that accelerate the adoption of sustainable production practices toward the farm-of-the-future. Up to 10 companies will be selected to participate in a virtual sprint week held November 16-20, 2020. Teams will present their refined pitch to a panel of farmers and aligned investors at the end of the sprint week. Row Crop Challenge winners earn the opportunity to participate in the AgLaunch365 accelerator, a program designed to calibrate the needs of farmers with emerging technology.

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EVENT: Regenerative Food Systems Investment Forum 2020
September 15-17, 2020
*Virtual

FS6 is partnering with the Regenerative Food Systems Investment Forum for our annual cohort 5 pitch event this fall, and it's going virtual! View the agenda and register now. Use discount code FS6-15 for 15% off the cost of attendance.

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WEBINAR: Listening to Black Leaders with Real Food, Real Stories
September 3
9:00 PM – 10:30 P.M. EDT

Real Food, Real Stories (RFRS) uplifts inspiring personal stories from the Bay Area food community and curates live monthly gatherings to foster a food culture around authentic sharing, generous listening, and a connection to our shared humanity. Register for an upcoming gathering here and be sure to mention that you came through FS6 in order to get a discount!

If you have completed the Facilitating Stories for Impact training- or do so this fall- you can apply to the RFRS 2021 Facilitator Cohort! Applications open in September. ​

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WORKSHOP SERIES: How to Stay Healthy While Sheltering-In-Place

FS6 friend and partner, Le'ola Wellness, is offering a four-part workshop series for businesses trying to keep their employees healthy in the times of COVID.

Summary:
This is such an interesting time to think about workplace wellness because the health of the work-from-home employee suddenly demands a lot more ownership from the individual. To show up as a productive cyber-team member, each person must also be successful at nourishing themselves, finding creative ways to exercise, and be actively supporting their immune system. All while juggling home responsibilities. It is a lot for anyone to manage!

This work-from-home emergency kit is a four-part workshop series to supports teams during these unusual times. The program covers:

• Nutritional Strategies to Enhance Immune Function
• Honing your Healthy Home Cooking Skills
• Staying Fit Inside
• Home Office Ergonomics

To learn more, contact Leandra at leandra@leolawellness.com.

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Other Articles We're Enjoying:

• JBS Aims to Shutter Critical Western US Lamb Processor, DOJ Issues a “Standstill” Order (Food & Power)
• Circular Design Toolkit (The Ellen MacArthur Foundation)
• The Future of Our Food Supply (Bloomberg CityLab)
• Ocean Plastic Is Getting Worse and Efforts to Stem the Tide Fall Short, Study Finds (The Wall Street Journal)
• Decolonizing Wealth: A Conversation with Edgar Villanueva on Indigenous Leadership in Pandemic Philanthropy (NEXT Economy LIVE- Social Venture Circle)
• The Continued Importance of Accelerators (GAN)