From startup vision to industry impact:
How Fi Europe enabled Valid8Food’s market launch
Case study
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Objective
Valid8Food's objective as a first-time exhibitor was to increase their network and launch their product, an AI-powered platform that automates supplier and ingredient documentation validation.
Opportunity
Boost brand awareness, access a highly targeted audience, gather leads and meet face to face with decision-makers to showcase their product.
Results
Fi Europe played a pivotal role in transforming Valid8Food's concept into a market-ready solution, moving from early research as a visitor to a successful product launch as an exhibitor.
“We provide automated validation of food ingredient documentation through an AI-powered system. The process involves uploading files to valid8express.com, which generates comprehensive validation reports in minutes.
We offer two service options: a self-service platform and a managed service that includes human verification and secure document distribution. This approach helps streamline documentation checks while improving accuracy and efficiency. ”
In conversation with Ronny Hendrikx, CTO and Founder, Valid8Food
“We first came to Fi Europe as visitors, curious to test a hypothesis: that documentation was a pain point for both sellers and buyers in the food ingredients sector. Over three days, we interviewed more than 400 companies.
Around 80% confirmed it was a major issue, and that gave us the confidence to build a solution. We co-developed our minimum viable product with five major players in the industry, and Fi Europe became the perfect place to validate and launch our product."
“We joined the Startup Pavilion at Fi Europe 2024 with a small team, and the pace was full-on from day one.
We spoke to over 300 people, with more than two-thirds wanting to join our waiting list. That overwhelming interest confirmed our product’s relevance.
Because our solution serves both buyers and sellers, nearly every one of the 23,000+ attendees who were at the show, was a potential customer.
Fi Europe gave us direct access to a highly targeted audience in one place - it was unbeatable for exposure and lead generation."
“The impact was immediate. Following the show, we launched Valid8 Express to meet the high demand from companies wanting a quick way to experience our solution. Over 50 companies adopted it within weeks, and we’re now engaging with more than 150 highly interested prospects."
“Fi Europe helped us validate not just market need, but also the growing appetite for AI-driven solutions in the food ingredients space. Our AI plays a central role in automating document validation, something the industry is just beginning to embrace. Being at Fi Europe positioned us at the forefront of that shift.
We’ve also attracted interest from other tech companies, some of whom we met at the show, looking to partner with us. For a startup, this kind of visibility and traction is game-changing."
In our space, being first matters, and the show gave us the momentum to lead.
“Be proactive, be approachable, and enjoy being there. Say hello. Be genuinely interested in people. You don’t need to push your product, just create good conversations.
Focus your message on the problem you solve, not just what your product does. Don’t talk about features, talk about value from your customer’s perspective."
Be enthusiastic about what you do, be proud of your product - it’s this energy that draws people in
“After visiting the show to validate our idea, the team returned as part of the Startup Pavilion and used the platform to successfully launch our AI-powered solution. Fi Europe gave us access to the exact people we needed - buyers, suppliers, decision-makers - and they instantly understood the problem we solve. It’s where our startup truly moved from concept to commercial traction.”
"The audience at Fi Europe is incredibly relevant. For us, every conversation was with someone from the right profile - procurement, quality, R&D, or compliance. The show gave us immediate feedback and strong interest, which helped us refine and position our product even more effectively.
In just a few days, we built a qualified waiting list of over 200 companies. That kind of traction would’ve taken months to achieve elsewhere. Fi Europe puts you in front of a truly international audience. That global visibility helped open doors we hadn’t even anticipated.
Exhibiting accelerated our go-to-market strategy. We walked away with more than leads - we left with the momentum we needed."
Fi Europe is a must for any company, startup or established, looking to grow in the food ingredients space
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