Brain City Ambassador Lia Carlucci

Brain City Berlin

Lia Carlucci has been involved with the topic of sustainable nutrition since her degree studies. As Managing Director of Food Campus Berlin, the Brain City Ambassador wants to play an active role in shaping the future of nutrition.

“To me, Berlin is the Silicon Valley of the food scene – always changing and looking for the next big thing. Vegan, organic, regional – these terms are no longer niche here, but they have long since arrived in the mainstream,” says Lia Carlucci and adds “Berlin is so international and multicultural that many trends from all over the world come to the city. Start-ups are experimenting with everything from fermented mushrooms as a meat substitute, bags made from food waste to sustainable coffee alternatives.”

Since April 2024, the Brain City Ambassador has been co-Managing Director of the Food Campus Berlin, which is currently being built in Tempelhof-Schöneberg: As a centre for the future of nutrition, in which science, business and politics can work closely together and in an interdisciplinary manner on sustainable solutions. “My responsibilities include the development and implementation of innovation projects in the field of sustainable food and agricultural technologies, building and maintaining partnerships with industry, media, academia and politics, as well as positioning the Food Campus as a leading innovation hub in Europe,” she explains. “Another focus is on expanding our network, which already consists of more than 10,000 food professionals. This also includes curating future tenants and initiating projects and collaborations specifically for them and their business areas.”

Lia Carlucci has been rooted in Berlin since she was born. And even though she lived and worked in other countries and cities in between, she was always drawn back to the city she considers the best place in the world to live. “Berlin is a magnet for creative people and entrepreneurs. This also applies to the food scene,” she says, adding “Here, you’ll find food start-ups as well as investors – and we have an excellent academic landscape.” The cost of living is still low compared to other European capitals. The diversity of cultures and the open mentality also make the city the perfect breeding ground for food innovations.”

To me, Berlin is the Silicon Valley of the food scene – always changing and looking for the next big thing.

The career path of Lia Carlucci is multifaceted yet straightforward. She has always been interested in the topic of sustainable nutrition. She began by studying nutritional sciences at the University of Potsdam, followed by an MBA at the Quantic School of Business and Management in Washington, D.C. Lia Carlucci now has around 15 years of experience at the interface between food, innovation and industry. She has established her own food start-up, co-founded “Nutrition Hub”, Germany’s leading network for nutritionists, and published a children’s book on the subject of sustainable nutrition. The She was also active as an innovation manager, venture capital investor and mentor.

Excellent prerequisites for the operational management of the Food Campus Berlin, whose development Lia Carlucci has accompanied from the beginning as a member of the advisory board. Her international connections help her in this endeavour. “In order to develop innovative solutions for a sustainable food system, we promote interdisciplinary cooperation between disciplines such as biotechnology, digitalisation, AI research and climate science. “Furthermore, we are active in international networks, such as the European Institute of Innovation & Technology (EIT), the World Economic Forum, and the Planetary Health Alliance, to drive the global transformation of the food industry.” This has already led to successes: The Food Campus Berlin community now includes a large academic network, which comprises, among others, the HTW Berlin University of Applied Sciences, the Berlin AI Campus, the Kulmbach Competence Centre for Nutrition (KErn), and the ZHAW Zurich University of Applied Sciences.

Lia Carlucci advises young scientists who want to set up a company in the food sector to build up a strong network at an early stage. “Use programmes such as STARTUP TEENS or the EXIST start-up grant to secure support or initial equity-free financing. Quickly produce a ‘Minimum Viable Product’ (MVP) as a basic version of your product to test it. And, above all: “Don’t be afraid to share your idea – the more you talk to people about it, the more valuable feedback you will get.” For the continuous development of the product idea, it is also important to have a good understanding of the market. Lia Carlucci: “You should only look for institutional investors when you can demonstrate initial proof points and measurable customer traction.” (vdo)

More about the Food Campus Berlin