September 10th, 2025 (London, United Kingdom) – Tate & Lyle PLC, a global leader in ingredient solutions for healthier food and beverages, has announced a new strategic partnership with MassChallenge UK and MassChallenge Switzerland, globals hubs in the renowned early-stage start-up accelerator, to help foster innovation ecosystems driving the future of food.
Tate & Lyle is a foundational corporate partner in the UK programme which works with start-ups and early-stage companies to build capabilities, develop networks and compete for funding – accelerating the scale-up of transformative technologies.
Through this partnership, Tate & Lyle’s innovation leaders will work closely with MassChallenge’s regional teams to identify participants aligned with Tate & Lyle’s innovation priorities. Through coaching, feedback sessions and workshops, MassChallenge experts will then engage with these start-ups to help them collaborate effectively with corporates, refine their market approach and scale their operations. Participants in the programmes also benefit from expert mentoring, in-depth market insights, commercial legal advice, fund-raising expertise and access to a global network.
This collaboration, activated through Tate & Lyle’s Open Innovation programme, complements their existing in-house R&D programme by developing partnerships with access to new, proprietary technologies. Participation will enhance Tate & Lyle’s new ingredient innovation capabilities and accelerate its speed to market.
Karen du Plessis, Head of Open Innovation at Tate & Lyle, said:
“This new partnership provides us with access to some of the most dynamic start-ups and early-stage companies working to develop the novel ingredients, process innovations and sustainability solutions that our food system needs to continue to thrive. By supporting MassChallenge’s efforts to nurture innovators, helping them to refine their ideas and business models to become investment-ready more quickly, we’re helping to build a strong, collaborative innovation community and developing a strong future pipeline for Tate & Lyle of innovative solutions for our customers to enjoy.”
David Kinsella, Managing Director, MassChallenge UK, said:
“Scaling an early-stage startup is never easy; validating technological breakthroughs, raising investment, developing new business models, and building highly skilled technical teams are challenges most inventors face. The Swiss model of MassChallenge has been hugely successful, accelerating nearly 1,000 start-ups, who went on to raise €2 billion in funding, and creating more than 55,000 jobs in a ten-year period. With Tate & Lyle’s help, we’re working to replicate this success in the UK, and build a world-renowned innovation hub in East London’s Royal Docks.”
About Tate & Lyle PLC
Supported by our 165-year history of ingredient innovation, we partner with customers to provide consumers with healthier and tastier choices when they eat and drink. We are proud that millions of people around the world consume products containing our ingredients and solutions every day.
Through our leading expertise in sweetening, mouthfeel and fortification, we develop ingredients and solutions which reduce sugar, calories and fat, add fibre and protein, and provide texture and stability to food and drink in categories including beverages, dairy, bakery, snacks, soups, sauces, and dressings. We live our purpose in three ways, by supporting healthy living, building thriving communities and caring for our planet.
About MassChallenge UK
MassChallenge UK is part of the MassChallenge global network of innovators. MassChallenge equips bold entrepreneurs to disrupt the status quo and create meaningful change. In 2023, MassChallenge returned to the UK. London is a global centre of excellence for AI and for finding investment. We are now in year three and expanding our impact with new partners, larger cohorts, more experts and a large reach.