Set to take place at The Convention Centre, Dublin, from Feb. 11 to 13, Probiota 2026 looks to shine a spotlight on trailblazing start-ups and scientists through its Pioneers and Frontiers competitions.
Pioneers gain top billing
The deadline for entrepreneurs to enter the Pioneers competition is Wednesday, Oct. 22, 2025. Entrants will be judged by our team of editors and conference producers for their ability to change the face of the microbiome space.
Winners will gain full access to the comprehensive three day program with some of the biggest names in the industry as well as get their time to shine.
In addition to presenting their businesses during the pioneers panel on stage, winners will get a dedicated presence in the “Pioneers Hub” to further support networking opportunities.
What’s more, winners will receive coverage in NutraIngredients, including preview articles and multimedia coverage that will enhance their company’s visibility.
To be eligible to enter, companies must have been founded within the last 10 years, employ fewer than 20 people and be at Series A funding stage or earlier.
Click here for more information on how to enter.
Science takes center stage
In its mission to spotlight the latest human microbiome science, the NutraIngredients team is inviting researchers from around the world to submit abstracts for presentation at our Scientific Frontiers Session.
With the deadline for entry fast approaching on Oct. 24, 2025, this is a fantastic opportunity to highlight science related to prebiotic, probiotic and microbiome science relevant to human health, well-being, consumers and industry.
Two categories
Researchers will be required to select if they are submitting their abstracts as industry research or as student-led research projects (open to PhD students). To support those upcoming in the industry, the winning student-led abstract author will receive an all-expenses* paid trip to attend the IPA World Congress + Probiota 2026.
The top-rated industry abstract will receive a complimentary delegate place** to attend Probiota and present their research live from the stage as part of the 2026 conference program and a 2026 Scientific Frontiers Trophy.
All abstract submissions will be reviewed by our Scientific Committee made up of leading experts from the fields of pre- and probiotics. All accepted abstracts will be invited to present a poster at our event in Vancouver, while the winning abstract will be invited to give a presentation during the IPA World Congress + Probiota.
We are particularly interested in reports from human intervention studies and welcome abstracts from those engaged in all aspects of microbiome science in academia, industry and consumer health, particularly those representing successful academia-industry interactions.
Early-phase, novel or state-of-the-art research or promising ideas covering the following topics are encouraged:
- Host-microbe interactions in health and disease, including preclinical and clinical studies evaluating pre- and probiotic interventions.
- Application and development of “-omics” approaches in biomarker discovery, including identification of potential pre- and probiotic strains.
- Research identifying strain-specific effects of probiotics for health and well-being, including mechanism of action and bioactive discovery and isolation.
- Early findings from large-scale research projects and clinical trials.
- Innovations and novel ideas in the areas of production processes, delivery, formulation and shelf-life.
- Consumer and market insights, including population research, trends and threats, commercial packaging and marketing.
- Human intervention studies.
To download a copy of the abstract guidelines, please click HERE.
*The all-expenses paid trip to attend IPA World Congress + Probiota 2026 is for one student author and includes:
A delegate place with access to the full three days of the event Hotel accommodation on Feb. 11, 12 and 13, 2026
Lunch on Feb. 11, 12 and 13
Dinner on Feb. 12, 2026 at the Probiota Social Evening
Return economy travel to/from the event up to the value of €500 (travel will be reimbursed upon receipts supplied with invoice)
Any additional expenses are the responsibility of the author
** The complimentary delegate place is for one industry author and includes:
Access to the full three days of IPA World Congress + Probiota 2026, including networking events.
It does not include hotel accommodation, travel and/or any other expenses.
