Applications for Probiota Pioneers 2027 are officially open, and emerging businesses in the probiotics, prebiotics and microbiome space can enter by November 19.
The competition, organized by NutraIngredients, will give three selected start-ups the opportunity to take their innovations to the stage at IPA World Congress + Probiota 2027, taking place in Berlin, Germany, from February 9–11.
From oral care to the small intestine
The breadth of innovation recognized in last year’s competition offers a glimpse of what the Probiota Pioneers initiative is designed to uncover.
The 2026 winners, Luvbiotics, Microvitality and Totality Biosciences, brought three distinct approaches to microbiome science.
UK-based Luvbiotics focused on the oral microbiome, developing probiotic oral care products designed to support microbial balance in the mouth.
Microvitality, based in Boston, took a different approach with an ingestible capsule designed to collect microbiome and immune biomarker data directly from the small intestine, a region that remains challenging to study using conventional sampling methods.
Meanwhile, Totality Biosciences turned to synthetic biology to produce human milk oligosaccharides (HMOs), developing a platform that uses genetically engineered plants to manufacture these complex carbohydrates.
Together, the three businesses highlighted the increasingly diverse applications of microbiome science, from consumer health products to diagnostic technologies and novel ingredient production.
Taking innovation beyond the lab
For early-stage businesses, developing a promising technology is only part of the challenge. Getting it in front of the right people can be just as important.
Probiota Pioneers aims to bridge that gap by bringing emerging companies into conversations across the established probiotics, prebiotics, and microbiome industries.
Three winners will be invited to attend IPA World Congress + Probiota 2027 as guests of NutraIngredients, with the opportunity to present their innovations directly to conference delegates.
Each selected start-up will receive a speaking slot, a complimentary three-day delegate pass and recognition through a Probiota Pioneer Award.
Winners will also have the opportunity to showcase their businesses at the event’s Start-up Hub, where they can connect with scientists, ingredient suppliers, manufacturers and other industry stakeholders.
The package includes editorial exposure through a dedicated feature on NutraIngredients, giving the selected businesses an additional platform to share their stories with the wider nutrition industry.
Could your start-up be next?
The competition is open to businesses working across the probiotics and microbiome space, from novel ingredients and technologies to new approaches to understanding and supporting microbiome health.
To qualify, companies must have been founded within the last 10 years, employ fewer than 20 people and be at Series A funding stage or earlier.
Applicants must also be available to attend IPA World Congress + Probiota 2027 in Berlin from February 9–11.
Entries are free and close on November 19, 2026.
Further details and the application form are available on the Probiota Pioneers 2027 website.
