Chicago — Mondelēz Worldwide, Inc. has opened functions for the 2026 class of CoLab Tech, the corporate’s world R&D tech accelerator program. The curriculum is designed to collaborate with entrepreneurs pioneering snack-forward applied sciences with excessive potential for commercialization and scale. This yr’s focus, in keeping with the corporate, is on applied sciences that may assist advance Mondelez’s innovation agenda, together with provide chain and agricultural resilience, shopper wellness priorities resembling fiber and protein, operational efficiencies and sustainable packaging.
“Because the maker of a few of the world’s most iconic and beloved snacks like Oreo, Ritz and Toblerone, we should continuously push the boundaries of what it takes to unlock higher, quicker and extra accountable methods of delighting customers,” says Ian Noble, VP of R&D. “Know-how is vital for progress, and CoLab Tech connects us with innovators with whom we are able to accomplice to speed up our capabilities, share our experience, and make actual influence.”
The CoLab Tech 2026 priorities are:
- Local weather Resilience: Local weather-forward applied sciences that may defend and complement the corporate’s ingredient provide chains — primarily in cocoa and wheat — by means of excessive effectivity fermentation applied sciences, in addition to regenerative and emission-reducing agricultural practices.
- Breakthrough Efficiency Applied sciences: Applied sciences that improve vitality effectivity, develop sustainable and high-performance supplies, streamline operational and cleansing processes, and speed up R&D with cutting-edge analytical and imaging options and preservation strategies.
- Subsequent-Era Components: Applied sciences that may assist take our portfolio to the longer term by assembly customers’ need for useful snacks with indulgent style profiles. Examples embrace rising fiber content material and protein, novel fats substitutes, or modifications to sweetness whereas nonetheless sustaining shopper liking.
- Pleasant Product and Packaging: Customers are more and more in search of sensorial experiences from their snacks — from the skin to the within — so we want applied sciences that take style and texture to new ranges; superior options to increase product shelf life; and non-plastic packaging options that protect high quality and security.
CoLab Tech program chief Paula Hemerly says this yr’s CoLab Tech cohort is critically vital to sustaining and rising Mondelēz Worldwide’s management by means of efficient use of rising applied sciences.
“We’re experiencing seismic shifts in shopper consumption and buying behaviors, world provide chain disruptions, an explosion of digital commerce and heightened appreciation for indulgence,” Hemerly says. “CoLab Tech helps us envision and apply the longer term to our enterprise, whereas supporting those that are pioneering the following era of snack-centric applied sciences.”
The CoLab Tech curriculum is designed to be a mutually helpful and actionable expertise. The cohort will probably be mentored by best-in-class consultants throughout all features of the worth chain — from business readiness to market valuation to proof-of-concept testing — together with networking, ecosystem constructing, storytelling and visibility.
Purposes will probably be open from January 22 by means of March 31 to start-ups throughout the globe who’ve reached a minimal viable product of their improvement course of and a minimal of 5 workers. For extra info and to use to the CoLab Tech program, go to snackfutures.com/colab-tech.
