AlgaleX, the startup from Uruma (Japan) that transforms food waste into sustainable proteins, wins the first stop of the fifth edition of GOe On The Road

AlgaleX, a startup specializing in transforming food waste into sustainable ingredients, including plant-based proteins, with the aim of reducing waste and providing an eco-friendly protein source, has been selected as the winner of the first stop of the fifth edition of GOe On The Road, the international foodtech entrepreneurship competition under GOe – Gastronomy Open Ecosystem. This project is led by the Basque Culinary Center as part of a shared strategy supported by the Department of Food, Rural Development, Agriculture and Fisheries of the Basque Government, the Provincial Council of Gipuzkoa, and the City Council of Donostia–San Sebastián. This itinerant roadshow began in Japan’s capital and will continue through London, Boston, and Buenos Aires, culminating in 2026 in Donostia–San Sebastián with the grand final.

The winning startup announcement was made during a content-filled day at GIC Tokyo, the first hub to join GOe’s global international partner network. The session was opened by Asier Alea, Global Development Director at Basque Culinary Center, and Rocky Sawada, Senior Manager at Tokyo Tatemono. “Once again, we are connecting, exploring, and building relationships with leading innovation ecosystems. On The Road is the perfect program to discover disruptive projects, link them with industry players, and connect innovative proposals within our network so we can help them grow and develop,” said Alea.

Daichi Takada, CEO of AlgaleX and the winner of this first stop, becoming one of the finalists in GOe On The Road, expressed his gratitude for the recognition.

Attendees were able to follow a full program exploring the latest trends in the global and Japanese foodtech ecosystem. The session began with a welcome and presentation of GIC Tokyo by Rocky Sawada, who emphasized the importance of international collaboration in supporting innovative gastronomy startups.

Raquel Martín, Strategic Development Manager of GOe–Gastronomy Open Ecosystem, shared with attendees the scope and activities of GOe under the theme “Connecting the dots,” explaining how the global ecosystem connects actors from different sectors to foster innovation, and how GOe is leading the conversation from Donostia–San Sebastián.

Erich Eichstetter, Product Developer at GOe Tech Center – Basque Culinary Center’s gastronomy technology hub, gave the talk “AI Trends in Gastronomy,” exploring the opportunities artificial intelligence offers in gastronomy, from crop optimization to product and recipe innovation.

The day continued with a roundtable on “Japanese Ecosystem Players,” presented by Akiko Okada (Unlocx) and Barry O’Neil (Value Create Ventures), moderated by Rocky Sawada, showcasing innovative projects from the Japanese ecosystem.

A dialogue between Japan and the global foodtech ecosystem followed, featuring Asier Alea, Furqan Meerza (Research Chef at GOe Tech Center), Akiko Okada (Unlocx), and Noda-san (Innovative Kitchen), who shared perspectives and opportunities for international collaboration.

The event brought together a diverse audience, from entrepreneurs and investors to agritech experts. Participating startups – Deats, Wada Foodtech, dishwill, NeuraIX, and AlgaleX – presented their projects to a panel of experts: Asier Alea, Raquel Martín, Erich Eichstetter, and Rocky Sawada.

Alessandra Massa, PhD candidate in Gastronomic Sciences at Basque Culinary Center, presented “The Opportunities of Mycelium,” highlighting the potential of fermentation, particularly mushrooms, in sustainable food.

The session “Collaborate to Innovate” by Kagome and David Andrew – NoMy, and the presentation by Kensei Okada on building the cell-ag ecosystem in Japan, completed the day before the winner announcement.

Upcoming On The Road stops
The next competitions will take place on February 4 in London, March 12 in Boston, April 2026 in Buenos Aires, and the grand final at the end of May 2026 in Donostia–San Sebastián.

The winning startup of this edition will have the opportunity to develop research and innovation projects for 20 hours at the GOe Tech Center, in addition to a 3-month stay at the GOe – Gastronomy Open Ecosystem coworking space.

Startups participating at the Tokyo stop

  • Deats – A next-generation food company combining tradition and technology, using soy (okara) and konjac as innovative ingredients.
  • Wada Foodtech – Maintains a 65 °C heat chain to ensure safe, high-quality meals, offering a fully automated, contactless “grab-and-go” experience in just 9 seconds while optimizing food service costs.
  • dishwill – Uses indoor farming with low water and pesticide needs to provide globally delicious plant-based foods, addressing climate impacts on crop yields.
  • NeuraIX – Simulates life and environments to generate AI training datasets.
  • AlgaleX – Transforms food waste into sustainable ingredients, including plant-based proteins, reducing waste and providing an eco-friendly protein source.

Previous edition winners

  • Fourth edition: Effium, designing high-performance pans inspired by aerospace engineering.
  • Third edition: Oissy, a Tokyo-based foodtech startup using AI and its taste sensor Leo to analyze flavors and conduct joint taste research.
  • Second edition: Reborn Farms, a New York startup building hyperlocal food systems in areas with economic, racial, or climate disadvantages.
  • First edition: Dryk, a Danish startup focused on health and sustainability, developing nutritious dairy and vegan drinks from plant proteins.