At the end of 2016, Patrick Aebischer stepped down as President of the Ecole polytechnique de Lausanne (EPFL). During his 17-year tenure, this visionary from Fribourg transformed the institute of technology into one of the best in the world. Some of his most notable contributions include the spectacular development of human sciences, landmark architectural projects, the opening of new campuses in other parts of Western Switzerland and the securing of private funding. We asked the inveterate innovator, inventor and academic entrepreneur to cast his discerning eye on the role and ambitions of his home canton in relation to the agrofood and foodtech sectors.

As a board member of Nestlé Global, what is your take on the current buzz around foodtech?
I feel that consumers will drive the impending revolution. Younger generations are much more tuned in to environmental and animal welfare issues and consumers in general are increasingly concerned about the link between food and health. This has led to an unprecedented convergence of issues, with nutrition, production methods and consumption patterns receiving particular scrutiny. Food is fast becoming a major societal concern. Eating is no longer about survival or pleasure; it is a part of how we define ourselves. Nowadays, it is not uncommon to hear people introduce themselves with statements like “I’m a vegan” or “I’m a flexitarian”.

Can technology address these concerns?
There is a plethora of technological and behavioral solutions to all of these issues. But serious challenges also lie ahead. Of course, technology can address these concerns but you must remember that economic factors play a large part – price considerations and ingrained habits make it harder to affect real change. Are we really ready to pay more for produce that is fresh, less processed and of better quality? Are we really ready to  cut our meat and fish consumption and replace it with insect- or biotechnology- derived sources of protein? These challenges open up two lines of enquiry when it comes to innovation. The first is incremental innovation, which is generated by the creative drive of our start-ups and companies like Nestlé. The second is collective innovation, which will shepherd society towards a more responsible path.

How well is the canton of Fribourg positioned to meet its extremely ambitious agrofood and foodtech goals?
First and foremost, the canton has its history and a longstanding culinary culture. Take Bénichon, for example. This thanksgiving festival has been around since the 15th century and the tradition is still alive and well today. The love of good food is written in the canton’s DNA. No meeting in Fribourg is ever complete without lunch or dinner at a local restaurant! Also, Fribourg boasts a thriving and dynamic culinary scene. One of the best in the country, in fact. Over 30 restaurants feature in the Gault&Millau guide. Not bad for a canton with a population of 320,000! What Fribourg also has in its favor is its economic fabric, with a high density of farms and fairly unique food manufacturing companies, particularly in the dairy, chocolate and meat segments. The agrofood sector accounts for over 10% of cantonal GDP, which is significant.

What measures would you recommend?
First off, we have to keep promoting Fribourg’s quality products, especially those that have been granted the Protected Designation of Origin (AOP) label over the last 12 years or so. Imagine exportable luxury goods, value-added products that are more about the taste than their healthgiving properties, for which there will always be a market. Here, it would be worthwhile for the canton to take inspiration from other parts of the Swiss economy. Look at the success of the Swiss watch-making industry, a prolific exporter. This could provide the Fribourg food industry with a few pointers on how best to move forward. Then, there is the sector that encompasses issues like health, the environment and the economy…

Can you explain?
Inexorably, pressure from both consumers and the public authorities will facilitate the transition to a diet that is less reliant on meat and processed food towards products with fewer unhealthy fatty acids and a reduced sugar and salt content. This means, we need to come up with new kinds of dairy products, develop protein-rich substitutes, and devise slaughtering procedures that are more in line with what consumers expect. It is also imperative to rethink substitutes, preservatives and certain phytosanitary products while at the same time stepping up efforts to guarantee fairer income distribution and environmental protection. Let’s devise new solutions to prevent food waste and develop more environmentally-friendly food packaging. Small-scale innovation coupled with major technological disruption will usher in this movement and subsequent change. But this will require a culture of calculated risk-taking, as well as public and private priority investment to facilitate the development of this high-potential sector. Fribourg will also have to commit to ploughing more resources into “From Farm to Fork” projects.

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The Agri & Co Challenge, which the canton of Fribourg launched in 2018, was a huge success and attracted a lot of companies and start-ups working in the food, agricultural and biomass sectors. Do you think the new Espace d’innovation in Saint-Aubin could be at the vanguard?
Yes, this kind of initiative shows that there really is untapped potential out there. If you want to increase the number of wealth-creating technical jobs, considerable investments must be made in basic and applied research, and in economic development activities. At the local level, we can count on the Adolphe Merkle Institute and its expertise in natural texturizers, the University of Fribourg and its insights into the human and cultural dimensions, the Fribourg School of Management on export-related matters and the Fribourg School of Engineering and Architecture for ad hoc questions. Let’s not forget the important role of Grangeneuve Agricultural College, which is tasked, among other things, with providing start-ups and companies with access to technicians. The canton must continue honing its agrofood expertise by stepping up its collaboration with the EPFL, the ETHZ, and Agroscope, which will further bolster the federal center of expertise’s Fribourg base. Producing a critical mass of innovative project is key to attracting private investors.

Is foodtech going to offer us eternal youth? The start-up Amazentis, of which you are a co-founder, would seem to suggest that it will.
Amazentis is a perfect example of when research, science, a bit of luck and exciting promises come together. Mind you, I’m not terribly objective here! This start-up owes its existence to new molecular insights into the biology of aging. Better knowledge of the intestinal microbiome – the billions of bacteria that colonize our digestive tract – will radically change the impact that food has on health. I firmly believe that scientists will identify new natural molecules that will become the basic ingredients of function food of the future. Personalized nutrition is a field that not only holds great promise for start-ups but also will have a significant impact on disease prevention and, by extension healthcare costs.

The construction sector is another mainstay of the canton’s economy. During your tenure, the EPFL struck up a partnership with the University of Fribourg and the HEIA-FR to develop the Smart Living Lab, which is based in Fribourg’s blueFACTORY technology park.
Yes, the construction sector is a boon for the canton and I am delighted about the Smart Living Lab partnership. The quality of the researchers it has attracted is outstanding. The international success of the Solar Decathlon (see FNF 2018), which benefited from the enthusiastic leadership of Professor Marilyne Andersen, is a great example of the potential that this field offers. However, we need to continue to invest in the blueFACTORY campus. The project to build an experimental hotel that taps into Smart Living Lab research, uses regional Fribourg produce wherever possible, and involves foodtech start-ups seems to me to be an important step in the right direction. Ultimately, this ambitious project could lead to synergies thanks to the existing and future powerhouses of Fribourg industry.