October 11, 2025
Ideas to impact: Celebrating innovation through FaBA
From students to startups, Australia’s food and beverage sector is buzzing with entrepreneurial energy – and FaBA is helping businesses at every stage of their journey.
Through the FaBA Growth Hub and Food Innovation Challenge, founders and future innovators are gaining the support they need to develop products, refine strategies and achieve commercial success.
Over three months, 12 startups participated in the inaugural FaBA Growth Hub, validating concepts, sharpening go-to-market strategies, and building commercial capability.
Led by Philippe Ceulen, Entrepreneur-in-Residence at UQ Ventures, the program fostered a founder-first culture designed to challenge and inspire.
“We wanted to create an environment where entrepreneurs could actively engage – helping them make critical decisions, expand their networks, and become investment-ready,” Philippe said.
“Half of the cohort is now ready to attract investment.”
The program culminated in the FaBA Growth Hub Showcase in October, bringing together founders, investors, researchers and industry leaders to celebrate the future of food. Innovations on display ranged from probiotic gelato and algae-based cooking oils to circular food hubs and zero-waste supply chains.
Meantime, the next generation of entrepreneurs was hard at work in the FaBA Food Innovation Challenge, developing new products and market pathways.
Supported by expert mentors and hands-on workshops, student teams transformed ideas into reality – from sorghum cookies to millet ice cream and convenient congee.
Five finalist teams pitched their concepts and each received $2,000 to advance their products:
- Congee Cuppa: Nutritious, affordable meals in a cup
- Craves Millet Ice-Cream: Fibre-rich, gut-friendly, sustainable ice cream
- Rhizolatte: Sustainably sourced Indonesian tea
- Sorgood: Gluten-free matcha sorghum shortbread cookies
- Leafu: Meat packaging
FaBA Training Centre Program Lead Professor Nidhi Bansal said these programs reach innovators who often lack access to entrepreneurial support.
“The path to commercial success is rarely straightforward, but these programs give entrepreneurs the tools to navigate – and even avoid – the common pitfalls,” Professor Bansal said.
“Our goal is to see startups and small businesses thrive, and these programs are helping turn ambition into reality.”
To learn more about the FaBA Growth Hub in 2026 contact faba.trainingcentre@uq.edu.au